arantxa Posted 26 January , 2023 Share Posted 26 January , 2023 Ive been looking up this chap for a customer of mine..i have a photographic studio and he brought some pictures in ive got he was Lt in Engineers and then joined the RAf i downloaded the papers from the National Archives it says he went on a raf course in wireless...Do you think that means he remained on the ground he was in a bomber Sqn..od did those bomber planes has wire less operators Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arantxa Posted 26 January , 2023 Author Share Posted 26 January , 2023 Sorry should have said Edwin Alfred Collis RAF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 27 January , 2023 Share Posted 27 January , 2023 (edited) This old thread may help: https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/159083-can-you-help-explain-a-wireless-operator-duties-in-ww1/ See also: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/first-world-war/telecommunications-in-war/ The School of Wireless Operators, formed in 1915 at the Town Hall in Farnborough was part of the RFC until transferred to the RAF in 1918. The School was moved to RAF Flowerdown in 1919. Dave Edited 27 January , 2023 by HERITAGE PLUS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arantxa Posted 27 January , 2023 Author Share Posted 27 January , 2023 Thank you that was very interesting funny what they said about the women operators Shia how terminology has changed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 27 January , 2023 Share Posted 27 January , 2023 (edited) Any chance you could share the pictures with us? We can provide a fair bit of additional detail but it's always nice to see who we are talking about! He started of as a Signaller in the Royal Engineer's before being commissioned into same then transferred to RAF. He served with some distinction in France from 1915 onwards in his various units. At some stage he was rated as an Observer, suggesting he did get into the air. Not just bombers but (more likely*) artillery cooperation particularly had need of such coms for reporting fall of shot. Charlie *Edit. I revise my thinking. In his case bombing, perhaps even night.. Edited 27 January , 2023 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arantxa Posted 27 January , 2023 Author Share Posted 27 January , 2023 I will ask him to bring in a picture of the man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 27 January , 2023 Share Posted 27 January , 2023 (edited) He originally attested to the RE as a Sapper on 27/1/15. He was awarded the MM in the Birthday Honours of June 1916 so unlikely to be a citation. It would be for his work as a Sapper with 17th Signal Co RE with whom he went to France in July 1915. He left them upon being commissioned as a Temp 2Lt in Feb 1916 (you have the cert.) in the RE whereupon he was posted to the 38th Divisional Signal Co. Whilst with the latter he was mentioned in despatches (you have the certificate dated 9/4/17). He was subsequently reported wounded in July 1917. It was with them that he also attended that basic wireless course. In January 1918 he transferred to a commission in the RFC and returned to England. Whilst in England he attended a gunnery course before going back to France in April 1918 to join 18 Squadron RAF. (You have his RAF Temp commission dated 27/5/18).He remained with them till Sept 1918, was then attached to 19 Squadron for a month before returning to England. Edited 27 January , 2023 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arantxa Posted 28 January , 2023 Author Share Posted 28 January , 2023 Thank you I have I get some interesting customers I had an elderly lady in having slides copied who told me her grandfather was at Spion Kop and then was telling me what he had told her about it I hadn’t realized he had won an mm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arantxa Posted 28 January , 2023 Author Share Posted 28 January , 2023 So would he have been an observer sitting in the back that’s why he needed a gunnery course Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 28 January , 2023 Share Posted 28 January , 2023 2 hours ago, arantxa said: So would he have been an observer sitting in the back that’s why he needed a gunnery course 18 Squadron had DH4s in 1918 which were 2 seaters. But when he was attached to 19 Squdn I think that unit had Dolphins which were single seaters. Perhaps he was on the ground then. He returned to England before wars end so he might have completed a 'tour'? Next step would be to look at squadron records... 2 hours ago, arantxa said: hadn’t realized he had won an mm It's noted on his RAF service record which you have seen under medals.." M. Medal" Charlie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arantxa Posted 28 January , 2023 Author Share Posted 28 January , 2023 Fantastic thank you so much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topgun1918 Posted 28 January , 2023 Share Posted 28 January , 2023 On 19 May 1918, Collis was a member of a five-string patrol that engaged five Albatros scouts in the vicinity of Douai. According to the combat report submitted by the patrol leader, Capt A G Waller, his observer and several others opened fire on one Albatros which stalled, rolled over, spun one turn, stalled again, spun and went down out of control. One other machine appeared to go down out of control, but was not seen for very long. The combat report gives this as 'driven down'. Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arantxa Posted 28 January , 2023 Author Share Posted 28 January , 2023 Dear Top gun that is fantastic .can i pay to get a copy of that.....i guess he was a the gunner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arantxa Posted 28 January , 2023 Author Share Posted 28 January , 2023 im awarding top gun an oak leaf for his ribbon as im a General *** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topgun1918 Posted 28 January , 2023 Share Posted 28 January , 2023 (edited) It's available as a free download from the National Archives - AIR-1-1219-204-5-2634-78 - but I've attached a copy for you. It covers the period 12 April to 31 May 1918 and the combat report for Collis is on page 6. The report doesn't give serial numbers, but reference to other sources confirms that Darvill and Collis were flying D.H.4 A8010. Graeme AIR-1-1219-204-5-2634-78.pdf Edited 28 January , 2023 by topgun1918 correction of spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arantxa Posted 28 January , 2023 Author Share Posted 28 January , 2023 Thank you i didnt know you could get those..i was reading the others they are very interesting ..thanks agian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topgun1918 Posted 28 January , 2023 Share Posted 28 January , 2023 Unfortunately, not everything has been digitised so cannot be downloaded; there are also missing documents due to theft by a reader during the 1980s. A large number of documents were recovered but some were subsequently mis-filed so trying to find everything for a particular squadron is somewhat hit and miss. Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 28 January , 2023 Share Posted 28 January , 2023 (edited) 8 hours ago, topgun1918 said: the combat report for Collis is on page 6. Second report involving Collis on page 9. Very interesting. Confirms his role as Observer and air gunner! Any thoughts on his role on attachment to 19 Squdn in Sept 1918? Charlie Edited 28 January , 2023 by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arantxa Posted 28 January , 2023 Author Share Posted 28 January , 2023 It’s a shame people steal things and ruin it fir others I must have missed it on page 9 will look now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 28 January , 2023 Share Posted 28 January , 2023 2 hours ago, arantxa said: missed it on page 9 wil Sorry, I meant the two reports were interesting rather than the 2nd report providing greater detail! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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