thedawnpatrol Posted 23 February , 2022 Share Posted 23 February , 2022 Hi any information on the Officer much apreachated please, I have his Log Book he was an Observer with 9 Squadron any citation for his DFC ? Or a photo? thank you julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 23 February , 2022 Share Posted 23 February , 2022 He was an observer with 9squadron, 13/3/18- 19/10/18. But the log book presumably tells you this. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedawnpatrol Posted 23 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2022 Yes that's right, but I was wondering how he got his DFC ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 23 February , 2022 Share Posted 23 February , 2022 (edited) Did he get one? He seems to be a 2nd Lt. Edited 23 February , 2022 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedawnpatrol Posted 23 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2022 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 23 February , 2022 Share Posted 23 February , 2022 (edited) His RAF Service record makes no mention of being a Captain or gaining the DFC. He was transferred to the unemployed list 6/3/19, so I presume if he was Captain and DFC it was after this. Are there any clues in his logbook for flying activity after he left 9 Squadron? Charlie Ps there is another army service file for 2Lt HCJ Routledge of the General List (which he was). Ref WO339 123729. At Nat Archives but not digitised and you would have to pay a researcher if you can't get there yourself. I doubt it will add anything useful. Edited 23 February , 2022 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedawnpatrol Posted 23 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 23 February , 2022 Umm strange.......this is his last page in the log Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 23 February , 2022 Share Posted 23 February , 2022 Busy times.All are RE8s. Bombing trains and troops and batteries. Fast moving warfare by this stage. ..returned to home establishment Winchester a nervous wreck... I cannot add anything but there are members of the forum who are well informed on 9 Squadron. I had a relative who was a 9Sqdn pilot when they first started bombing mid 1918. So interesting to see this logbook extract. Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 23 February , 2022 Share Posted 23 February , 2022 @peterjohndye is well informed...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topgun1918 Posted 23 February , 2022 Share Posted 23 February , 2022 The London Gazette of 13 December 19197 shows: The undermentioned Cadets to be temp. 2nd Lts. (on prob.): — 28th Nov. 1917. … Henry Charles John Routledge. … Routledge was attached to No 9 Squadron on 13 March 1918. The London Gazette of 9 July 1918 carries the announcement: The undermentioned 2nd Lts. (late Gen. List, R.F.C., on prob.) are confirmed in their rank as 2nd Lts. (Observer Officers) : — 24th June 1918. H. C. J. Routledge. There is a casualty record for 15 June 1918 that Lieut W C Gardiner (pilot) & 2nd Lieut H J C Routledge (observer) were unhurt when a wheel fell off on take-off for bombing in R.E.8 E8. The Air Force List for February 1919 shows him as an Observer Officer with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant; no mention of him holding the DFC. The Air Force List of June 1919 confirms him as a 2nd Lieutenant when placed on the Unemployed List on 6 March 1919; again, no mention of the DFC. Awards for service in the Great War continued into 1925 and since he did not serve beyond March 1919, he was not involved in campaigns in other theatres; a search of my awards database reveals nothing at all for Routledge. Curious. Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 23 February , 2022 Share Posted 23 February , 2022 His RAF record not only doesn't mention DFC but doesn't mention BWM or VM. There is a stamp on the record saying: 'Service considered for the grant of war medals.' But the back of the sheet is blank. Clearly he was entitled. Note he started off as an airman, no 48388, in the RFC. NoK father, Henry Routledge of 29 Retcar St, Highgate. Born 15/10/1894 per RAF(1893 per 1939 Register and birth registered Q4 1893 Westminster). Married 1935. Full name Henry Charles Christopher John Routledge. In 1939 Register he is living in Windsor with wife and son +? He is an Inspector LPTB.(London Passenger Transport Board). Marginal note says ex-RAF. Died 29/1/1975 Boreham Wood. Does the note 'ex-RAF' suggest he served interwar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedawnpatrol Posted 24 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 24 February , 2022 ive scanned his log book, for interest. hope it works here......... i cant help but think that the addition of 'Capt' and the DFC were 'embellishments' that he added post war ..............? none the less the log is an interesting read. Routledge Log Book.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 24 February , 2022 Share Posted 24 February , 2022 (edited) Fascinating reading that logbook. Thanks for scanning. He seems to have done around 100 sorties in his short time with 9 Squadron. That is going some. interested to see that he also participated in ammunition drops to troops (I believe 9Sqdn were the first British squdn to do this) Last but one entry after 11/10/18 is Bro Bert killed on sortee over Bray on the Somme. Here are the family on 1901 Census for Islington: This leads to a service record for his brother an Albert Edward Routledge RFC/RAF 77641. Same NoK as Henry. Born 1896, Trade Fishmonger. Attested 17/3/15. Served 10/11th HLI P/21191. Trfd to RFC 21/3/17. AM1 with 11 Squadron. Dangerously ill 6/11/18, died of Influenza and Pneumonia in 56 CCS 18/11/18. Buried Grevillers British Cemetery. Son of Annie Routledge, of 195, Dartmouth Park Hill, Highgate, London, and the late Henry Routledge. Served France 5/10/15 until his death. His RAF trade was Vulcanizer. So what was he on about? Perhaps his final entry which relates to himself: Returned to Home Establishment Winchester England, Nervous wreck. explains all? Not suprised after 100 sorties. Dropping bombs on average from 1,000ft- that is normal circuit height for private flying if I remember correctly! Charlie Edited 24 February , 2022 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedawnpatrol Posted 24 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 24 February , 2022 Ah, that's really interesting, I had not noticed the reference to his Brother, but why record that he was 'killed on a sortee over Bray? Implying he was flying? Or as you imply perhaps it was. stress ? thank you for your input Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 24 February , 2022 Share Posted 24 February , 2022 (edited) I wonder whether the dressing up of the stories was for parental consumption only? Father had been an invalid pre 1911 and died 1921. Edited 24 February , 2022 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pierssc Posted 25 February , 2022 Share Posted 25 February , 2022 (edited) Interesting that this is marked "Book No.3" - does it not suggest that there were books Nos 1 and 2 also? Which would suggest an awful lot (at least a couple of years) worth of flying (prior to being commissioned) before this book started. I note that there is a Casualty card for an incident on 15th June 1918; "Ok [E8 RE8] Wheel fell off on t/o for bombing. Lt WC Gardiner Ok/2Lt HJC Routledge Ok". Odd he didn't mention that. Maybe it fell off while taxying and he didn't bother writing it in the log as there was no time in the air? [EDIT: Perhaps, but E8's record shows it went back to 2AD as "wrecked" on 17th and was there for some weeks. Whereas he mentions several crashes in other aircraft earlier which weren't serious enough to warrant a casualty card] Was it usual for an Observer to make no reference at all to the pilot in his logbook? Could he have been demobilised and then rejoined the RAF, becoming a Captain post-war? If that were the case would they have kept his wartime AIR76 file going or started a new one, still closed? [EDIT No that wouldn't work - they stopped using Army ranks in 1919]? A bit of a puzzle. Edited 25 February , 2022 by pierssc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedawnpatrol Posted 25 February , 2022 Author Share Posted 25 February , 2022 Thank you Pierscc, yes a mystery I guess the only way of confirming all in his Log is to get to look at the 9 Squadron ORB or his service record it's a shame that the WW1 ORB are not digitised like the later ones..... btw I don't have the other two Log books if they exist.... julian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Behindthewing Posted 19 April , 2022 Share Posted 19 April , 2022 I remember this name from many years ago. My old school friend's Dad was doing a central heating job and met Lt Routledge widow. To cut a long story short he was given a flying helmet and flight pennant which was donated by him to The Shuttle worth Collection. Unfortunately both my old mate and his Dad are no longer with us. This took place in about 1975. I did see the pennant on display a few years back at Old Warden Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedawnpatrol Posted 19 April , 2022 Author Share Posted 19 April , 2022 Ah, that's interesting, thank you, I'll ask at Shuttleworth if they still have it and it's the same chap..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Behindthewing Posted 19 April , 2022 Share Posted 19 April , 2022 46 minutes ago, thedawnpatrol said: Ah, that's interesting, thank you, I'll ask at Shuttleworth if they still have it and it's the same chap..... Cheers and good luck. I do remember the name and he was in 9 Squadron so touch wood it is same chap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmeg Posted 20 April , 2022 Share Posted 20 April , 2022 (edited) Given the date "bro. Bert" is entered perhaps it is NOT his actual brother but a nickname for someone else? Also the Capt and the ?13rd? is that and DFC written on the front look to me to be in a different hand- possibly someone else added that later to spice up the book? The Bro Bert and the subsequent aerial combat instructor note are the only bits to be written all in caps not lowercase (although the 17-10-18 does seem to match the earlier numbers. Could the 17-10-18 perhaps only refer to the totalled numbers below and then someone has used the gap to fill in their own ideas on the subject at a later date? It is odd Edited 20 April , 2022 by Madmeg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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