Lt. McHaig 74 Squadron

[Grid]

Can anyone furnish me with details about this individual. All the publications on 74 Squadron say he was killed on his first practise flight on 30 July 1918, but have nothing else. Would be good to know DOB, place of birth full name, former service etc.

 

Any help greatly appreciated.

[topgun1918]

Lorne Hunter McHarg, a Canadian, was born on 12 October 1898, the son of Dr R J McHarg of Coaticook, Quebec.  He was appointed a Temporary 2nd Lieutenant on probation on 23 March 1918 and posted to No 54 Squadron on 18 July.

 

He was killed on 31 July in the crash of Camel B7479, attempting to pull out of a steep dive during practice.

 

Graeme

 

 

 

[HERITAGE PLUS]

There is a photo of him here:

 

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/574052

 

Dave

[MikeMeech]

6 hours ago, Grid said:

Can anyone furnish me with details about this individual. All the publications on 74 Squadron say he was killed on his first practise flight on 30 July 1918, but have nothing else. Would be good to know DOB, place of birth full name, former service etc.

 

Any help greatly appreciated.

Hi

I agree with the others its was McHarg not McHaig (there are no McHaig's down as killed in any of the sources) and 54 Sqn. not 74 Sqn.

The sources are:

'Airmen Died in the Great War 1914-1918' DVD-ROM (N&M Press). - This has his former service as "Canadian Army Dental Service".

'TSTB 2' by Trevor Henshaw, p.372.

'RFC & AFC Squadron Losses - 1st July - 11th November 1918' by W R Chorley. p.99.

This latter publication has this detail:

"T/o Le Touquin to practice firing at ground targets during which Lorne Hunter McHarg failed to realise the build up of his airspeed and steepness of his dive and in pulling up the Camel disintegrated."

 I hope that is of use.

 

Mike

[Malcolm12hl]

The misspelling of the name might stem from the original C.W.G.C. Grave Concentration and Grave Registration Reports which list him as McHaig (although with the correct 54 Squadron unit listing).  The error was corrected on his headstone and in the modern C.W.G.C. database.

[josquin]

From Lieutenant McHarg's Canadian Expeditionary Force Attestation Paper:

 

Lorne Hunter McHarg

birthdate/birthplace:  12 October 1898, Coaticook, Stanstead County, Quebec Province

father's name/residence:  R.J. Mcharg, of Coaticook

occupation/residence:  bank clerk, of Coaticook

enlistment date/location:  18 May 1917, Montreal, Quebec Province

regimental number 688, C.E.F. Canadian Army Dental Corps

physical description:  height, 5 ft. 5.5 in.; eyes, blue; hair, light brown; complexion, fair

 

Josquin

[Grid]

Hi all,

 

Thanks for all that. Interestingly, I looked at the AIR 1 squadron histories (TNA) and found that 54 Sq has no McHarg or McHaig mentioned in the appended lists of casualties but 74 Sq does have McHarg for 30 July 1918. (He is also mentioned in Jones, Crossey and Richardson's books on 74 Squadron.)

 

Not sure what to make of it as other evidence above does indicate a McHarg with 54 Sq.

 

Best,

 

Adam

Edited 1 July , 2020 by Grid

[josquin]

The listing for McHarg in the Air 1 casualty inventory for 74 Squadron is evidently an error, given that his RAF Officer's Service Record

(Air 76 file at the National Archives), states that he was with 54 Squadron when he was killed on 31 July 1918, and does not mention              74 Squadron.  Additionally, his RAF Casualty Form states that he embarked to the Expeditionary Force on 13 July 1918,  was

posted to 80 Squadron on 18 July 1918, and was posted later to 54 Squadron.  Again, 74 Squadron was not mentioned.  The Air

76 record confirms that McHarg was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant on Probation with the RFC on 23 June 1918 and was confirmed as

a 2nd Lieutenant on 23 July 1918. 

 

Josquin

Edited 1 July , 2020 by josquin

[MikeMeech]

14 hours ago, Grid said:

Hi all,

 

Thanks for all that. Interestingly, I looked at the AIR 1 squadron histories (TNA) and found that 54 Sq has no McHarg or McHaig mentioned in the appended lists of casualties but 74 Sq does have McHarg for 30 July 1918. (He is also mentioned in Jones, Crossey and Richardson's books on 74 Squadron.)

 

Not sure what to make of it as other evidence above does indicate a McHarg with 54 Sq.

 

Best,

 

Adam

 

Hi

 

The question would also have to be asked as to why he died flying a Camel and not a SE.5a that equipped No. 74 sqn.?

 

MIke

[topgun1918]

The 74 Squadron Operations Record Book, in AIR 27 not AIR 1, is littered with inconsistencies and I was greatly disappointed when I obtained a copy some years ago, since it provides no great detail to the squadron's activities during WWI; indeed, it covers a mere 11 pages.  From the appearance, I'd assume it was pieced together at some [much] later date and the inclusion of McHarg results from a misreading of '54' for '74' when compiling the list of casualties.  

 

Graeme

 

[alex revell]

The only reference to 74 Squadron I have in my old file box of PRO files is Air 1 1945. Hopefully this may help.  A trawl through C&C articles, American and UK  may also come up with something. I can't believe that someone hasn't written an article on such a prominent squadron  over the last sixty years.

[fetubi]

AIR1/969 - The File commonly known as The Casualty Book at TNA is the source of many erroneous pieces of information regarding Casualties to Air personnel on the Western Front. It has clearly been used over the years as a go to, and as a substitute for a more demanding check and search through the thousands of Casualty Reports. It has the wrong reference to McHarg being killed in an accident in the Camel whilst with "74 Squadron" instead of 54 Squadron.  I would say that is the source.

 

Oh, and Henshaw in The Sky Their Battlefield II has him flying Camel B7489... any idiot looking at the Original Casualty Report will know he was in B7479!!  I've corrected it! (Must have been a slightly too long a day of transcriptions, way back then...!)

 

Mea Culpa.

 

Trevor