IanA Posted 12 October , 2021 Share Posted 12 October , 2021 I am researching Lt William Francis Scott Kerr who served on the Western Front from 6th April, 1918 to c18th May when he became a prisoner of war. I know the numbers of various aircraft he flew - D6448, D6566, C8256, D1817 - and he was based on the Somme. He flew with a Captain Gilmour and a Lt Williams but I've no idea of the squadron he served in or where it was based. Any info would be gratefully received. (I'm guessing the planes are camels.) Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topgun1918 Posted 12 October , 2021 Share Posted 12 October , 2021 Scott-Kerr was with No 65 Squadron; from 6 April to 11 August 1918, the squadron was based at Bertangles, just north of Amiens. On 18 May he was last seen at 10:15 British Time in combat with 12 Albatros Scouts between Albert and Bray on offensive patrol. I have a pencilled note that he may have been the second victory credited to Vzfw Oskar Hennrich of Jasta 46 or the eighth victory for Vzfw Robert Heibert of Jasta 46; 2nd-Lieut Kenneth Philip Hunt, also of No 65 Sqn, was shot down in Camel B7178 and taken prisoner at the same time and in the same location, making a precise match difficult. Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 12 October , 2021 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2021 That is brilliant! Thank you very much. I am a friend of his daughter and am trying to gather as much info as I can. I should have said that he flew an aircraft into Bertangles on 6th April but, of course, I had no idea whether that was his 'home' aerodrome and there were a few squadrons based there. Thanks again. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topgun1918 Posted 12 October , 2021 Share Posted 12 October , 2021 Scott-Kerr laid claim to two enemy machines: On 2 May 1918, RAF Communique number 5 reported: 2nd-Lieut W F Scott-Kerr, No 65 Squadron, fired about 250 rounds into one E.A. two-seater which went down vertically through the clouds emitting a stream of smoke, and was confirmed by the Australian Corps to have fallen in Monument Wood; Scott-Kerr was flying Camel C8256. On 10 May 1918, RAF Communique number 6 reported: a patrol of No 65 Squadron dived on a single E.A. scout. The whole patrol fired into the E.A. which went down out of control and was last seen spinning below 1,000 feet, and has since been confirmed by A.A. as having crashed. The following officers took part in the combat:- Capt J Gilmour, 2nd-Lieuts T Williams, H Brown, W F Scott-Kerr, Spreadbury and M A Newnham. Capt John Gilmour was flying Camel C8278, Thomas Melling Williams was in Camel D1817, Herbert Edmund Browne in Camel D1847, Scott-Kerr in Camel C8256, Hugh James Heaven Spreadbury in Camel D1787 and Maurice Ashdown Newnham in Camel D1843. The enemy machine was an Albatros Scout that crashed north of Villers-Bretonneux at 19:30 British Time. Scott-Kerr received Royal Aero Club Certificate number 7209 on 28 March 1917 and was seconded to the RFC, from the Lothian & Border Horse, as a flying officer on 27 April 1917. It seems that he was assigned to No 65 Squadron on 5 April 1918. As a Lieutenant, he was transferred to the Unemployed List on 13 March 1919. Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 12 October , 2021 Author Share Posted 12 October , 2021 Lovely stuff. I knew about his 'unemployment'! Also the first victory when they attacked 8 two-seaters but the log which I have finishes on the 9th May. I also knew about the Lothian and Border Horse Yeomanry, He'd crashed in training which set him back a few months. His brother, Brigadier General Robert Scott Kerr died without issue so William eventually inherited the estate and became the laird - Scott Kerr of Chatto and Sunlaws. One thing I was disappointed at not finding was the explanation and details of his capture which I understood was required of officers after the war. Perhaps this was something confined to the army. Thanks once again for your interest and kind assistance. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topgun1918 Posted 12 October , 2021 Share Posted 12 October , 2021 Ian There is a bit more on the website: https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/File/Search/#/3/2/224/0/British and Commonwealth/Military/kerr In his book 'The Sky Their Battlefield II', Trevor Henshaw has provided details from Returned Prisoner Statements. I don't yet have this book so can't say if there's an entry for Scott-Kerr. Good luck with your research Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 13 October , 2021 Author Share Posted 13 October , 2021 Thanks again, Graeme. I have ordered a copy of 'The Diary and Letters of a World War 1 Fighter Pilot' by Burgess which I'm hoping will give some background. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmsk212 Posted 13 October , 2021 Share Posted 13 October , 2021 Hi His POW report may be in his Officers File at the National Archives, Kew :- Lieutenant William Francis SCOTT-KERR. Lothians and Border Horse. | The National Archives Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 13 October , 2021 Author Share Posted 13 October , 2021 Thanks, Steve. You may well be right - all I have is WO 374/25638. I'll try to chase that up - unfortunately, I live a few hundred miles away from Kew but I do know someone who goes there regularly. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 16 October , 2021 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2021 The second-hand copy of 'The Diary and Letters of a World War 1 Fighter Pilot' arrived this morning. Hardback, pristine copy with that 'unopened' feel to it - not bad for £1.50. A very fast skim through it reveals that Burgess's squadron leader was Gilmour so he is in the same bunch as Scott Kerr but, maddeningly, he is home recovering from wounds when SK goes missing. It will, I'm sure, provide some very useful background and I'm looking forward to reading it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 16 October , 2021 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2021 And now that I've spent a further 5 minutes examining the book, I find that Burgess is the editor and grandson of the pilot in question who is Guy Mainwaring Knocker who retired as Group Captain in 1946. Knocker was actually wounded on the very day that Scott Kerr joined the squadron!!! He was fortunate enough to be taken to the C.C.S. where his sister nursed, was sent back to Blighty, and spent the remainder of the war in a training role. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmsk212 Posted 1 November , 2021 Share Posted 1 November , 2021 On 13/10/2021 at 11:41, hmsk212 said: Hi His POW report may be in his Officers File at the National Archives, Kew :- Lieutenant William Francis SCOTT-KERR. Lothians and Border Horse. | The National Archives Steve Hi I had a quick look at the WO374/61046 on Saturday and I am afraid that his POW report is not in the file. The file does mention the crash he had in May 1917 when he was with 34TS Market Drayton Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 3 November , 2021 Author Share Posted 3 November , 2021 Thanks very much indeed, Steve. That is very kind of you and much appreciated. Shame about the POW report. His daughter does have letters and photos of his time as a POW. I will get copies of his file some time - it looks to have quite a few pages. I did get a copy of his flying log which is interesting - especially to his daughter who had never seen it. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmsk212 Posted 3 November , 2021 Share Posted 3 November , 2021 Hi Ian If you pm me with your e-mail address I will send you photos of his file. To be honest it doesn't contain a lot of detail. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanA Posted 3 November , 2021 Author Share Posted 3 November , 2021 20 minutes ago, hmsk212 said: Hi Ian If you pm me with your e-mail address I will send you photos of his file. To be honest it doesn't contain a lot of detail. Steve That is very kind indeed. PM on its way. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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