19 Reserve Squadrons/Training Squadrons

[Skipman]

I'm researching a man who served as a coppersmith with 19 Training Squadron, originally 19 Reserve Aeroplane Squadron, then 19 Reserve Squadron. He was 2/AM later 1/AM and I think at Hounslow, I have an idea what he was doing, i.e., probably engine pipe-work radiators and the like.  I have a few other questions

 

1) What was the difference between a Reserve Squadron and a normal RFC/RAF Squadron?

 

2) Were Training Squadrons exactly that, i.e., were these airfields away from the front line where men were trained to fly?

 

3) What was the reason for the change in name from Reserve Squadrons to Training Squadrons on 31/5/1917?

 

4) Would there be a war diary for these units?

 

Thanks in advance Mike

Edited 22 May , 2020 by Skipman

[MikeMeech]

21 hours ago, Skipman said:

I'm researching a man who served as a coppersmith with 19 Training Squadron, originally 19 Reserve Aeroplane Squadron, then 19 Reserve Squadron. He was 2/AM later 1/AM and I think at Hounslow, I have an idea what he was doing, i.e., probably engine pipe-work radiators and the like.  I have a few other questions

 

1) What was the difference between a Reserve Squadron and a normal RFC/RAF Squadron?

 

2) Were Training Squadrons exactly that, i.e., were these airfields away from the front line where men were trained to fly?

 

3) What was the reason for the change in name from Reserve Squadrons to Training Squadrons on 31/5/1917?

 

4) Would there be a war diary for these units?

 

Thanks in advance Mike

Hi

 

A fair bit of detail on the RFC training system can be found in the OH 'War in the Air' Volume 3 and 5, these should still be available as a free download on-line, The information contained in these volumes include the name changes etc.

Briefly they were initially called 'Reserve Aeroplane Squadrons' reduced to 'Reserve Squadron' later and were used to train pilots, initially examined by CFS.  As the system grew, 'Service Squadrons' took up some of the more advanced training requirement before being deployed.  Also as the war progressed some 'Reserve Squadrons' concentrated on initial pilot training and others on more advanced training.  'Reserve Squadrons' were renamed 'Training Squadrons' in May 1917 and by the end of the war many of these were formed into 'Training Depot Stations'.  Specialist training units were also formed for more advanced or specific training roles.  

The training units were not 'close' to the front line (although some training was done on training units in France and during the first half or so of the war some training eg. for observers, was undertaken on front line squadrons).  The name changes were a result of the changing nature of the training system, the name 'Reserve Squadron' appears odd when they were just training units as the RFC grew much larger than it was originally 'Training Squadron' was a more accurate term.

I am not sure of the situation on the survival of their War Diaries.

 

I would suggest that you download the volumes mentioned and read the pages relating to the training system, there are other books that might be useful if you want to go further and spend money.

 

I hope that is of use.

 

Mike

[Skipman]

Mike that is fantastic and thanks very much for your help. I will download the volumes you mention.

 

I wondered if the "Reserve" might have had something to do with the 'Territorial' part of the Air Force (if there was such a thing in WW1)

 

Thanks again, that's really helpful.

 

Mike

[Skipman]

Have downloaded and saved the 6 volumes (think that's them all) from archive,org

 

Mike

[Airshipped]

One minor complication for 19 Training Squadron is that it was posted to Ireland in December 1917, during which time it was involved in operational flying rather than training.

 

Major Thomas Westropp Mulcahy-Morgan took over around that time. He was an Irishman, who'd been taken POW early in the war (War in the Air contains a brief reference to his exploits in attempting to drop Belgian spies behind enemy lines). Mulcahy Morgan was in a Rip van Winkle type scenario of falling asleep in a kingdom and waking up in a Republic-of-sorts, as he seemed to be quite bewildered by the changes underway in Ireland.

 

See attached extract from TNA, re scoping out landing grounds. 19 TS were operating from the Earl of Dunraven's estate in Limerick, setting up additional landing grounds in Galway at that time.

It's therefore quite possible that your unfortunate ancestor was stranded in a muddy field somewhere in the West of Ireland, with 300 days' rain per annum and a nice Atlantic breeze to blowdry everything in 19 TS' Special Flight.

 

Best of luck with your research!

[Skipman]

Many thanks indeed for this Airshipped. Not a relative, but of the men on my local War Memorial. I knew he hd served in Ireland but not where. That's a really interesting document. What exactly is it; is it the War Diary of 19 Training Squadron, and if so, would you know the WO Ref number.

 

Thanks again Mike

[Airshipped]

Hi Mike, you're quite correct: the file is in the WO series rather than the AIR series.

 

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C6931451

 

If I recall correctly, it came in a box of statistical returns on desertions from the regiments posted to Ireland in the 1920-1922 period, i.e. it doesn't bear much of a relationship to the other files.

 

The aircraft of 19 Training Squadron did not carry bombs, though they were issued to the squadron, the munitions being stored in the local regimental depots of the locations to which they were posted. 

 

Ultimately 19 TS reverted to training duties, though the development of four TDS (Gormanston, Collinstown, Baldonnell, Tallaght) provided for a more structured training regime in Ireland. Although Curragh-based, 19 TS seems to have borne little relationship to the short-lived Flight Instructors' School which was based there.

 

The operational duties of 19 TS were taken over by Nos. 105 and 106 Squadrons; tasks which included 'aerial policing' type operatons such as aerial reconnaissance, the ferrying of officers, transport of mail, dropping propaganda leaflets, and related matters. (Later Nos. 117 and 141 Squadrons ended up in Ireland, and a restructuring of the various units ultimately saw Nos. 2 and 100 Squadrons undertake the operational duties, with a flight of No. 4 Squadron being assigned to communication duties from Belfast). However, many of the personnel involved ended up in the various operational and training squadrons.

 

19 TS wasn't quite a travelling circus, but it did move a Flight from one temporary location to another. Few records survive but if you've local family memoirs recorded by your war memorial committee they could well shed more light on the various deployments during the 1917/18 wartime years.

[Skipman]

Thank you very much indeed again Airshipped, that's excellent information, very useful.

 

Mike

[Skipman]

On 23/05/2020 at 18:04, MikeMeech said:

I am not sure of the situation on the survival of their War Diaries.

Mike

 

There's a few pages about 39 Squadron Diary Is this it and should I be thankful or might there be more somewhere covering No. 19 Reserve Squadron and No. 39 Home Defence Squadron

 

Mike