Moonraker Posted 27 July , 2023 Share Posted 27 July , 2023 Am I correct in thinking that there are no on-line sources of information about US aero squadrons in the UK, including a list of them? (I appreciate there might be accounts of some individual units.) An American dealer is breaking up and selling a collection of covers used by aero squadron members to write home. It included some ten examples from Wiltshire airfields. TBH they aren't very exciting: sometimes there's a circular censor's stamp or censor tape, details of the sender and his unit in the top left-hand corner, and the postmark is usually that of the nearest town or village. But, air personnel apart, very few Americans were in Wiltshire during the war, so I was happy to buy three. The lowest-priced, about $8, was not from an airman but an officer in the Corps of Engineers at Codford, which was not an airfield, but from late 1918 an Air Service Rest Camp that, according to the write-up on the album page, "was infrequently used by small groups of non-Air Service personnel". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickdavis Posted 27 July , 2023 Share Posted 27 July , 2023 Here's a list that I prepared a number of years ago as part of the preparation for the 'Gazetteer of Flying Sites in the UK and Ireland' which appeared as instalments in the CCI journal. Place names that were not aerodromes/seaplane stations are marked with an asterisk. USAS UNITS The USA was initially incapable of providing training for its expanding air services upon its joining the war in April 1917. Agreement was reached for American aircrew to train with RFC training units and be given postings to operational squadrons, pending the formation and ‘working up’ of USAS squadrons. This continued after the formation of the RAF but diminished as the USAS opened its own training units at home and in France. The actual American squadrons designated for operations on the continent were attached to RFC and RAF stations in Britain, in order to familiarise ground personnel with administrative and maintenance procedures. These squadrons ‘worked up’ in the UK and were then posted to France, where machines were issued and aircrew returned from RFC/RAF units. USN personnel, both aircrew and ground crew, were similarly attached to RNAS and RAF Marine Operations stations in the UK. The Marine Operations station at Killingholme was transferred to the USN as a flying boat station 7.1918 and similar stations opened in Ireland. Six flights of DH6 were intended for operation by the USN in Ireland. 2nd AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Arrived at Flower Down*, Winchester 9.12.1917. Commanding Officers 8th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Arrived at Flower Down*, Winchester 8.12.1917. To Joyce Green 24.12.1917 and flights detached to Thetford, Wyton and Northolt. To Thetford 1.5.1918. To France via Southampton 17.7.1918. Commanding Officers Capt SH Wheeler until 1.5.1918. 2Lt JD Halstead from 1.5.1918. 9th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Arrived at Flower Down*, Winchester 8.12.1917. To Spittlegate 28.12.1917. To France 7.8.1918. Commanding Officers 11th SQUADRON USAS Base Arrived at Wittering 7.1.1918 with flights at Feltwell and Harling Road. To Waddington 24.6.1918. To Delouze, France, 7.8.1918. Commanding Officers 20th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Easton-on-the-Hill ex USA via Glasgow 7.1.1918. Flight at Narborough until 1.5.1918. Flight at Wittering. To France 7.8.1918. Commanding Officers 22nd AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel attached to 3 TDS Lopcombe Corner by 26.4.1918. Commanding Officers 23rd AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Arrived at Thetford 25.7.1918. Flights detached to Hucknall, Old Sarum, Duxford and Thetford by 2.9.1918. To Duxford 2.9.1918, with remaining flights detached until 5.11.1918. To Codford* 5.11.1918 until 11.11.1918. Commanding Officers 24th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base To Wye ex USA 31.1.1918 with flights detached to London Colney and Croydon until 7.3.1918 and Sedgeford and Wyton until 1.5.1918. To Narborough 1.5.1918 until 11.7.1918. To St Maxient, France, 19.7.1918. Commanding Officers 25th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Arrived at Ayr from Liverpool 31.1.1918. To Marske 23.4.1918. To Flower Down* 7.8.1918. To France 20.8.1918. Commanding Officers 34th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Arrived in UK 15.9.1918. Commanding Officers 41st AERO SQUADRON USAS Base To Montrose ex USA 10.3.1918. To Gullane 4.1918. To France 8.1918. Commanding Officers 43rd AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Arrived at South Carlton 16.3.1918. Flights detached to Hooton Park, Spittlegate and Beaulieu 24.8.1918. To Codford* 14.10.1918 until 21.10.1918. Commanding Officers 47th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel attached to 52 TDS Cramlington by 17.7.1918. Commanding Officers 49th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base At Castle Bromwich 1.2.1918 until 24.6.1918. Commanding Officers 50th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base At Romsey Camp*. To Spittlegate 4.2.1918. To Flower Down*, Winchester, 3.7.1918. Commanding Officers 77th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Knotty Ash* 11.1918 for departure to USA. Commanding Officers 85th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Liverpool* (Knotty Ash?) ex USA 5.3.1918. Flower Down 6.3.1918. Romsey Camp 13.3.1918. Harlaxton 16.3.1918, attached to 53 TS. To Yatesbury 16.8.1918. To Flower Down* 30.8.1918. St Maixent (F) via Southampton 1.9.1918. Commanding Officers 86th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base At Shoreham 25.3.1918. To France 11.8.1918. Commanding Officers 92nd AERO SQUADRON USAS Base B Flt at Buckminster by 17.7.1918, later to Ford Junction. Flight at Tydd St Mary by 17.7.1918. To Ford Junction 9.1918. To Tangmere 15.11.1918. Commanding Officers 93rd AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Arrived in UK 29.10.1917. To Beaulieu 9.1.1918. To Issoudun, France, 24.6.1918. Commanding Officers 102nd AERO SQUADRON USAS Base At Flower Down*, Winchester 9.12.1917 until 9.1.1918. Commanding Officers 103rd AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Liverpool* (Knotty Ash?) ex USA 7.12.1917. To Flower Down* 8.12.1918. To Southampton 23.12.1918 and embarked for Le Havre. Commanding Officers 104th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base To Flower Down*, Winchester 8.12.1917. To Upavon 24.12.1917 with flights detached to Farnborough, Old Sarum, Andover and Yatesbury. To Netheravon 24.3.1918 with Upavon flight returning but remaining flights still dispersed. To Old Sarum 6.6.1918, with only Yatesbury flight detached until 9.7.1918. To Flower Down*, Winchester 10.7.1918. To France 19.7.1918. Commanding Officers 105th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base At Flower Down*, Winchester 8.12.1917 until 23.12.1917. Commanding Officers 120th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base To New Romney ex USA 9.3.1918 with flight detached to Crail. To Stamford 10.8.1918 with flight detached to New Romney. To France 27.8.1918. Commanding Officers 127th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base At Beaulieu and Easton-on-the-Hill 1918. Commanding Officers 135th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base To Waddington 8.1.1918 with flights detached to Scampton and South Carlton until 27.2.1918. To Issoudun, France, 24.6.1918. Commanding Officers 137th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base To Duxford 25.3.1918 until @ 17.7.1918. Commanding Officers 138th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base To Romsey*, ex Liverpool 18.3.1918. To Montrose 26.3.1918. To Flower Down*, Winchester 14.8.1918. To France 17.8.1918. Commanding Officers 1Lt AJ Ralph from 5.12.1918. 1Lt J Perry from 26.4.1918. 140th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Stonehenge by 17.7.1918. To Ford Junction 9.1918. To Tangmere 15.11.1918. Commanding Officers 141st AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Dover (Swingate Down) by 17.7.1917. Commanding Officers 149th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base At Hounslow by 17.7.1918. Commanding Officers 150th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel with 60 TS Scampton 1918. Commanding Officers 151st AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel with 5 TS at Wyton by 15.8.1918 detachment at Duxford and Fowlmere. A & B Flts at Fowlmere and C & D Flts at Harling Road by 17.7.1918. To France 11.1918. Commanding Officers 152nd AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Shawbury 8.1918. Commanding Officers 153rd AERO SQUADRON USAS Base A Flt at Wyton and C Flt at Wye by 17.7.1918.. Commanding Officers 154th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base At Larkhill 9.3.1918 until 19.3.1918. To Chattis Hill 19.3.1918 with flights detached to Eastbourne and Dover 16.8.1918. Elements at Lopcombe Corner by 27.8.1918. To Flower Down*, Winchester 30.8.1918 until 12.9.1918. Commanding Officers 156th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel attached to 38 TDS Tadcaster by 17.7.1918. Commanding Officers 157th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel attached to Waddington by 26.6.1918 until @ 17.7.1918. Commanding Officers 158th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel attached to 52 TDS Cramlington by 17.7.1918. To South Carlton. Commanding Officers 159th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel attached to Joyce Green by 22.4.1918, Duxford and 9 TS Norwich 1918. D Flt at Harlaxton by 7.1918. Flight at Sedgeford by 7.1918. At Yatesbury from 16.8.1918. Commanding Officers 161st AERO SQUADRON USAS Personnel attached 6 TDS Boscombe Down by 17.7.1918. Commanding Officers 162nd AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Flower Down 1918. To Joyce Green by 17.7.1918.. Commanding Officers 163rd AERO SQUADRON USAS Base D Flt at Tangmere by 17.7.1918. Commanding Officers 165th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base C & D Flts at Fowlmere ex USA 15.3.1918. A Flt at Wyton and B Flt at Wye by 17.7.1918. Commanding Officers 166th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base To Catterick ex USA 25.3.1918. To France 7.8.1918. Commanding Officers 167th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel attached to 11 TDS Old Sarum by 6.11.1918. Commanding Officers 168th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Romsey Camp* ex Liverpool 16.2.1918. A & B Flts to Tadcaster and C & D Flts to Doncaster 1.3.1918. Flights to Flower Down* 7.8.1918 and embarked for France (St Maixent) 11.8.1918. Commanding Officers 1Lt S Junes Smith 169th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Andover by 30.7.1918. Commanding Officers 170th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base At Beaulieu ex USA by 7.7.1918. Commanding Officers 172nd AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel attached to 1 TDS Stamford by 17.7.1918 until @ 29.9.1918. Commanding Officers 174th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base At Spittlegate by 17.7.1918. Commanding Officers 176th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base To Montrose 3.1918 until @ 17.7.1918. D Flt with 38 TDS Tadcaster by 17.7.1918. Commanding Officers 177th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base At Beaulieu ex USA by 7.7.1918. Commanding Officers 185th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Romsey Camp* ex USA. Hooton Park ex Romsey 28.2.1918. A Flight at Ternhill from 5.4.1918 with B, C & D Flts at Hooton. To Flower Down* 7.8.1918. Commanding Officers 186th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Arrived Liverpool ex USA 16.2.1918. Romsey* (Woodley Camp) 16.2.1918. A Flt to Lilbourne, B Flt to Castle Bromwich and C & D Flts to Rendcomb 26.2.1918. A Flt to Port Meadow and B Flt to Rendcomb 5.4.1918 until @ 17.7.1918. B, C & D Flts to Cheltenham*. Unit amalgamated to Winchester (Flower Down*) 17.8.1918. To Le Havre via Southampton 27.8.1918. Commanding Officers Lt Zapf (A Flt), Lt Walker (B Flt) and Lt HF Lindall (C & D Flts) by 26.2.1918. 187th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Netheravon by by 17.7.1918 until @ 26.8.1918 Commanding Officers 188th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel attached to 9 TDS Shawbury and 6 TDS Boscombe Down by 9.5.1918 until @ 17.7.1918. Commanding Officers 199th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel attached to 16 TS and 37 TDS Yatesbury from 16.3.1918. To Flowerdown 17.8.1918. Commanding Officers 211th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base At Yatesbury from 4.8.1918. To London Colney and Weston-on-the-Green 2.9.1918. Commanding Officers 216th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Shawbury 8.1918 and at Old Sarum, attached to 11 TDS, by 5.11.1918. Commanding Officers 228th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Rendcomb by 15.8. 8.1918. Commanding Officers 256th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base To Duxford 1918. Commanding Officers 268th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base To Duxford 1918. Commanding Officers 262nd AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Shawbury 8.1918. Commanding Officers 263rd AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Eastburn by 10.1918 until 17.11.1918. Commanding Officers 306th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Shawbury 8.1918. Commanding Officers 308th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Yatesbury from 17.8.1918. Commanding Officers 309th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel with 38 TDS Tadcaster 1918. Commanding Officers 310th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base To Montrose 8.1918. Commanding Officers 314th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel attached to 1 SNBD Stonehenge by 6.10.1918. Commanding Officers 316th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at 9 TDS Shawbury 8.1918. Commanding Officers 317th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel attached to 51 TDS Shotwick by 23.9.1918. Commanding Officers 321st AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel attached to 50 TDS Eastbourne by 7.10.19181918. Commanding Officers 330th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Yatesbury from 30.8.1918. Commanding Officers 326th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Arrived Ford Junction 9.1918. To Tangmere 15.11.1918. Commanding Officers 334th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel attached to 33 TDS Witney by 15.9.1918. Commanding Officers 337th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Stonehenge 7.1918. Old Sarum 24.7.1918. Personnel at Shawbury 8.1918. To Codford 5.11.1918. Commanding Officers 349th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel attached to 12 TDS Netheravon by 28.7.1918 1918. Commanding Officers 371sst AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Yatesbury from 16.8.1918. Commanding Officers 332nd AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Yatesbury from 17.8.1918. Commanding Officers 341st AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Yatesbury from 22.7.1918. To Old Sarum 16.8.1918. Commanding Officers 356th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Elements at Easton-on-the-Hill, attached to 5 TDS, by 23.6. 1918. Commanding Officers 375th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel attached to 10 AAP Brooklands by 7.8.1918 until @ 31.8.1918. Commanding Officers 377th AERO SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Stonehenge by 17.7.1918. Commanding Officers 472th CONSTRUCTION SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Winton by 22.11.1918. Commanding Officers 806th REPAIR SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Flower Down* 1918. Commanding Officers 831st REPAIR SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Wittering, attached to 1 TDS, by 13.7.1918 until @ 10.8.1918. Commanding Officers 832nd REPAIR SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Yatesbury by 17.8.1918. Commanding Officers 841st REPAIR SQUADRON USAS Base Personnel at Old Sarum, attached to 11 TDS, by 5.4.1918. Flight at Yatesbury until 16.8.1918. Commanding Officers USNAS UNITS EASTLEIGH NAVAL AIR STATION USN Base Eastleigh, commissioned 23.7.1918 for the assembly, testing, repair and supply of machines to the Northern Bombing Force. Returned to RAF 4.1919. Commanding Officers Lt G de C Chevalier QUEENSTOWN NAVAL AIR STATION USN Base Queenstown, commissioned 22.2.1918 for the assembly, testing, repair and supply of machines to the USN flying boat bases in Ireland. Returned to RAF 4.1919. Commanding Officers Representative Machines Curtiss H16 LOUGH FOYLE NAVAL AIR STATION USN Base Lough Foyle, commissioned 1.7.1918 for flying boat operations. Returned to RAF 4.1919. Commanding Officers Representative Machines Curtiss H16 WHIDDY ISLAND NAVAL AIR STATION USN Base Whiddy Island, commissioned 4.7.1918 for flying boat operations. Returned to RAF 4.1919. Commanding Officers Representative Machines Curtiss H16 WEXFORD NAVAL AIR STATION USN Base Wexford, commissioned 2.5.1918 for flying boat operations. Returned to RAF 4.1919. Commanding Officers Representative Machines Curtiss H16 KILLINGHOLME NAVAL AIR STATION USN Base Killingholme, commissioned 20.7.1918 for flying boat operations. Returned to RAF 4.1919. Commanding Officers Representative Machines Curtiss H16 Felixstowe F2A Short 184 BEREHAVEN NAVAL AIR STATION USN Base Berehaven (Castletownbere), commissioned 29.4.1918 for kite balloon operations, taking over 17 KBS from the RAF. Returned to RAF 4.1919. Commanding Officers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 27 July , 2023 Author Share Posted 27 July , 2023 Mick, that's very useful, thanks. You could add an asterisk to Larkhill as the airfield there closed just before the war. The references to Codford are interesting, with units being based there for just a few days, and it was some way from an actual airfield. In my first post, I described it as a "rest camp", a term that usually indicates that the unit was accommodated there temporarily after or before a long journey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quemerford Posted 30 July , 2023 Share Posted 30 July , 2023 I can only add a small snippet from my Yatesbury research: "On 1st October 1918, it was decided that the unit was now ready to deploy, and the 159th Aero was assigned as a day bomber squadron. The disparate flights were ordered to assemble at the American Air Service Camp, Codford St Mary, and from Yatesbury, ‘A’ and ‘B’ Flights departed on 25th October." Excerpt below is from the voluminous Gorrell report: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 10 August , 2023 Author Share Posted 10 August , 2023 Belated thanks for that, quemerford. I've only just seen your very useful post. (Since you've made it, I've had a hospital operation - very successful - and convalescence.) That certainly explains the several enigmatic references I've seen over the years to Codford and US aero squadrons. Still seems a slightly curious choice, being some way from airfields. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 10 August , 2023 Author Share Posted 10 August , 2023 Googling produced a few brief references to the Codford Air Service Camp, including this one, which suggests that it had adopted a French orphan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4thGordons Posted 10 August , 2023 Share Posted 10 August , 2023 I might have some of this from the US end but it is probably going to take a bit of digging. I will try and see what I can find this weekend, Sorry no chance that I can get to it before that. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian2 Posted 6 October , 2023 Share Posted 6 October , 2023 Glad that the initial query prompted MickDavis to post his very useful list. Just in case it’s helpful, I would mention the compilation of U.S. air service unit histories in Series E of Gorrell’s History of the American Expeditionary Forces Air Service, 1917 - 1919, digitized at Fold3.com (behind a pay wall). A lot of them include rosters of enlisted and commissioned personnel. And would also note that a number of Americans trained at Stonehenge and Boscombe Down in the spring and summer of 1918 before being posted to R.A.F. or U.S. squadrons. ---Marian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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