WhiteWings Posted 30 January , 2022 Share Posted 30 January , 2022 Hi - My grandfather, Capt. Art Whealy (RNAS), had NO ear for French (Belgian must have been a complete mystery!) In his diary, he mentions several aerodromes which do not appear on the quite complete maps of S.F. Wise (Canadian Airmen and the First World War). I am trying to figure out what they might have been. Art records being at "Guizancourt" June 19 - July5/17 with #3Naval - my mother, who does speak French, thinks it might have been VIGNACOURT, which is in the right neck of the woods. With #9 Naval, he went to "New Aerodrome" which I have identified as Leffrinckoucke, and then to something he initially calls "Fronpier" but corrects to "Frontier." I am mystified by this, though it was still on the coast near the Belgian frontier, so can't have been far from Leffrinckoucke. in 1918, from Jan to the end of Feb, he notes being posted to "Middle Aerodrome," before replacing #8 at Mont St. Eloi. Again, this would be near Dunkirk, since his ship put in there at 11:45 and he was at the aerodrome in time for lunch (presumably 1pm). Allowing half an hour to disembark, find his transport etc, this means he could have been at any one of a dozen bases. 'Tich' Rochford simply calls it Bray Dunes, but since Art knew Bray Dunes (and Leffrinckoucke and Furnes) it seems unlikely he would suddenly decide to call one of them "Middle Aerodrome." If anyone knows what "Frontier" and Middle" actually were (and Guizancourt - in case Mom is wrong), please let me know!! (My best guess for "Middle" is Malo-les-Bains since it is right between Dunkirk and Bray Dunes). Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeW Posted 30 January , 2022 Share Posted 30 January , 2022 Hi Victoria, The 9 Squadron locations whilst Art was a member of the Squadron were St Pol, Furnes on 15th May 17, Flez on 15th June 17 , Izel le Hameau on 15th July 17, Frontier Aerodrome on 10th July 17, Leffrinckhoucke on the 25th July 17, Frontier Aerodrome on 1st October 17 (Whealy leaving Naval 9 on the 6th September 17. "Brays Dunes" was three separate aerodromes all 'sort of' touching each other. They are all just south of the main coast road and just north of the Furnes Canal. So, we have Bray Dunes, Frontier Aerodrome, and Middle Aerodrome. Art could have more or less pushed his aircraft from one to the next one. Flez Aerodrome located by the village of Guizancourt (Flez and Guizencourt were often interchangeable names)- Art was spot on with that one, Guizancourt was southwest of St Quentin. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteWings Posted 30 January , 2022 Author Share Posted 30 January , 2022 Awesome Mike! Thank you - I will touch up my MS accordingly! Did you get my message about the photo album? Guessing you had nothing to say about it since it was not connected to RNAS. All the best, Victoria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteWings Posted 30 January , 2022 Author Share Posted 30 January , 2022 Okay - I tried to find Flez but couldn't - I think it must have been near Candas but can't locate it on a map. Do you know where it was? Art seems to have moved all over the Front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDT006 Posted 31 January , 2022 Share Posted 31 January , 2022 Details for Guizancourt aerodrome are here (in French): https://www.anciens-aerodromes.com/?p=7601 Luc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul in the Somme Posted 31 January , 2022 Share Posted 31 January , 2022 10 hours ago, WhiteWings said: Okay - I tried to find Flez but couldn't - I think it must have been near Candas but can't locate it on a map. Do you know where it was? Art seems to have moved all over the Front. Flez is about 1km north east of Guizancourt. Good luck with your research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie2 Posted 31 January , 2022 Share Posted 31 January , 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiteWings Posted 31 January , 2022 Author Share Posted 31 January , 2022 Thanks everyone! I figured out where it is thanks to the great resources you shared. Being an Early Modern historian myself, delving into WW1 is new territory. It must have been one of the most southerly bases (other than the bomber bases). It is nice to have found and marked all his bases on a map. Much easier for my other grandfather who was at Clairmarais for his entire war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeW Posted 1 February , 2022 Share Posted 1 February , 2022 Victoria, if you can borrow a copy of A History of No.6 Squadron RNAS on inter-library loan, I have a number of Photos of Flez taken a couple of weeks before Naval 9 transferred there. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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