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Remembered Today:

Royal Aero Club RFC Aviators Photos.


Kimberley John Lindsay

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Dear All,

I am seeking a photo/Portrait/Image of the then Lieut. William Thomas Taylor, Royal Irish Fusiliers and 1917-19 Balloon Officer, RFC - as shown on adjacent threads.

Attached are two examples of Aviators pictured on Royal 1993715339_CaptHughM.MeylerBalloonatic.jpg.447e87765cec02ce3618b9062db54ebb.jpg210993789_PepperRoyalAeroClub1917.jpg.0ed68bb931a939b916879234e734dd0e.jpgAero Club (?) flying certificates - one a Balloonist (Meyler - thanks for the Image!), and one of the others (Pepper) a RNAS Pilot.

Did Lt. W. T. Taylor also have such a certificate with photo…?

Reward of a Goodie from my Military bookshelves (please), for Taylor's Image (latterly, 1930-49, a Lt-Col, OBE, IMS)!

Kindest regards,

Kim.

Edited by Kimberley John Lindsay
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Not showing on the index on a well known genealogy website, but:

 

The 34 photo albums contain approximately 13,000 photographs of Royal Aero Club pilots. The albums and photos are organized according to certificate number, with four photographs per album page. Album no. 4 is missing from the original collection and so is also missing from this database.

 

Lets hope he's not in book 4 !  Originals are at Hendon, so a while before they can be checked.

 

Travers

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Dear Travers,

Many thanks for l1380873478_BWMandVictorynaming.jpg.e479906844dc4fd1e6c4f6ed366836ac.jpg1918775389_ObvLt-ColW.T.TaylorOBERFC-IMS.jpg.0ef611a8e2ea76ad3d20a520b4bbe98f.jpgooking into this, for me: much appreciated!

What a pity Lieut W. T. Taylor did not feature. Another possibility might be his Old School (unfortunately unknown) - the name of which may come to light when I obtain his Royal Irish Fusiliers papers Held at TNA. I have already alerted my TNA Researcher on that score...!

Finally, there is the British Library and their former India Office Archive: photos and documentation. Perhaps a last chance to find that elusive Image...

Kindest regards,

Kim.

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W T Taylor was never issued with a certificate by the Royal Aero Club. From mid-1916 onward this civilian document was no longer a military requirement, though some airmen still volunteered to pay the one guinea fee to acquire one.

 

Cheers,

Errol

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And, in any event, the parallel thread has shown that he wasn't a Pilot but an Observer during a relatively brief time with fixed-wing aircraft.

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Dear ICM and Errol,

Thanks for reponding. I was not aware of the 1916 discontinuation.

Because the Balloon Officer Major with the MC (later DSO, MC) Illustrated, had his certificate with photo, I thought I would give it a try.

As the late JMAT used to say (Major John Tamplin, MBE, TD, doyen of the OMRS), 'If you don't ask, you don't get'.

Kindest regards,

Kim. 

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Dear All,

Many thanks are due, especially to Ian (Lt Taylor actually flew quite often as an Obs in Be2s of 10 Sqn., RFC), but also to Errol and Travers - and the Great War Forum as a whole!

You will be glad to know that thanks to my own efforts, and quite by Chance, I found the Nigel Henderson Great War Belfast Clippings and Voila! - a Portrait of 2Lt Taylor. Super!

Kindest regards,

Kim.1219399106_TaylorWilliamThomasLieutenantRoyalIrishFusiliersCliftonparkAvenueBelfastUnspecifiedBelfastTech.jpg.ad4ce3f69556c0f365ec4475885fb877.jpg PS: Does anybody know what School T. P. S, is (which Taylor obviously attended 1909-1911)? Apparently Trades Preparation School: he was at the start of his Learning Curve!

Edited by Kimberley John Lindsay
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Heartiest congrats, Kim.  Delighted you had such success.  One of the things I love about the GWF team is the willingness to share knowledge to help overcome individual research hurdles.  It's a great environment and I've learned a tremendous amount from the generous cognoscenti on the Forum.  


While we're on the topic of aviator photographs, I'm still looking for images of the following Sergeant Pilots:

 

Franklin, William Walter (93083)

McGlasson, Robert (35480)

McGuinness, Philip Aloysius (109538)

Spencer, William Henry George (56446)

Templeton, Andrew (23462)

 

If anyone knows where I might find images of these men, I'd be forever in your debt!

 

Cheers,
Mark

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Dear Mark,

Many thanks for your Kind words. Yes, I also have that 'forever in (the generous cognoscenti) debt' feeling.

One senses their general enthusiasm, and oftentimes those self-same cognoscenti - what a fitting description! -  go to tremendous trouble on one's behalf.

I might add that I am careful to share what I have with the Great War Forum in general, and always make it a point to say 'thank you' in no uncertain terms...

Now to your elusive Sgt-Pilots: which squadrons? Where have you already looked?

My Great War medal collection consists of "officers only", which makes things a lot easier, needless to say.

Kindest regards,

Kim..

 

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KIm, I'm delighted to see you found your (our?) man.  At times like these, a Like button could be very useful!

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Dear Ian,

Yes, I am grinning from ear to ear!

Kindest regards,

Kim.1184093186_10Sqn2Sep1916.png.d1ef18c75ba4c8bae26878a2acefdbd7.png

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