David Ingleby Posted 12 May , 2023 Share Posted 12 May , 2023 Ernest William Sanders served with the RNAS during WW1. According to records on Find My Past, he served with the Kite Balloon Section at the Naval Air Station at Shotley (?? - or should it be Calshot where I know there was a kite section). He was killed when the base was bombed on July 4th 1917. I have found his service details on The National Archives, but am having trouble making out the bases where he served (see attached). I can make out President and Pembroke III, President again, Wing 3 in France, but can't make out the last two, Can anyone please decipher them for me? Thanks , as ever, for your expertise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 12 May , 2023 Share Posted 12 May , 2023 Crystal Palace Alexandra Palace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 12 May , 2023 Share Posted 12 May , 2023 Boston Guardian 14/7/17 has a long list of those attending his funeral and it seems clear he was based at Felixstowe where JC Porte was the CO. Here are a couple of extracts, courtesy Findmypast newspapers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 12 May , 2023 Share Posted 12 May , 2023 You probably already have this but this is from the site https://www.iancastlezeppelin.co.uk/newpage317f2b09 4 July 1917 ... Bombed: Essex & Suffolk ....At 6.55am observers at Orfordness heard the sound of aircraft as the 18 Gothas approached the Suffolk coast. Five minutes later the formation came into view flying at about 14,000ft. Ten minutes earlier Captain J. Palethorpe and Air Mechanic J. O. Jessop had taken off from the RFC base at Martlesham Heath to commence an endurance test on a D.H.4. Palethorpe decided to attack the formation single-handed but his forward firing machine gun jammed. Undeterred he closed to about 100 yards so Jessop could fire but, engaged by a number of the Gothas, Jessop was shot dead forcing Palethorpe to turn back. Having landed he took off again 20 minutes later with another observer/gunner, but by then it was too late. Once inland the Gothas headed south and appear to have split into two groups as they approached Felixstowe, one group making for that town and the other heading for Harwich. As the group approached Harwich it dropped six HE bombs over Shotley: four fell in fields on Over Hall Farm and two exploded close to the RNAS Balloon Station killing two naval men and fatally injuring another. " So Shotley it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 12 May , 2023 Share Posted 12 May , 2023 1 hour ago, charlie962 said: Crystal Palace Alexandra Palace ??? Borne for pay on the books of HMS PRESIDENT II, (the RNAS Central Pay office Dewar House,Haymarket, London)) while serving with 3 Wing and at Crystal Palace and RNAS Felixstowe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 12 May , 2023 Share Posted 12 May , 2023 Horatio, Thanks, I stand corrected. I hadn't seen the Felixstowe report when I guessed Alexandra P. ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ingleby Posted 14 May , 2023 Author Share Posted 14 May , 2023 Many thanks, everyone! I didn't have the Zeppelin website report, so I am most grateful for the link. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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