John Warren Leach, log book entry, 25 Jan. 1918---help decipher?

[Marian2]

John Warren Leach was training with No. 37 Home Defense Squadron in January 1918.  37 was in Maldon, with flights at Goldhanger, Stow Maries, and Rochford.  Leach seems to have been flying out of Goldhanger and/or Stow Maries.  On 25 January 1918, according to his log book, he made a 220-minute cross-country flight in a B.E.2e, apparently with landings at three places. 

The first appears to be Suttons, which I take to be Sutton's Farm (Hornchurch) and the third is probably nearby Hainault (Farm).  

But I am stumped by the second place he lists in the remarks column.  Can anyone  help?  

 

 

Thanks!

---Marian 

[DavidOwen]

Fairlop Waters country park is close to Hainault - could it read "airlop"?

Perhaps RAF Fairlop RAF Fairlop - Wikipedia 

Edit: RAF Fairlop was Hainault Farm at the time.

[mickdavis]

The logbook entry for 14 January looks suspect - probably 5768 rather than 5876 as shown:

 

5876            BE2d. At Bristol allotted to BEF 13.7.1916 1916 and despatched by air.  2 AD tested 29.7.1916. 8 Sqn dd ex 2 AD 1.6.1916 with victs 9.8.1916 (2Lt A. Ball drove down an EKB and 12.8.1916 (2Lt A. Ball drove down an Albatros C-type). 2 AD Candas ex 8 Sqn 23.5.1917 and flown to England via 1 AD 24.5.1917. Wireless & Observers School Brooklands by 4.6.1917 (Lt J.D. Hewett). 62 Sqn Filton and wrecked 26.6.1917 (Capt G.T.W. Lindsay/AMI C.E. Sharman both KIFA, spinning nose-dive from c.3000ft – engine E771/WD3120).

5768            BE2d.  En-route Ascot-Farnborough allotted to BEF 2.6.1916. 1 AD dd ex England by air. 6 Sqn dd ex 1 AD 1.7.1916. 5 Sqn ex 6 Sqn 1.10.1916. 4 Sqn ex 5 Sqn 26.2.1917 (engine 23093). 2 AD ex 4 Sqn 17.5.1917 (engine 547). 1 AD ex 2 AD 19.5.1917 and flown to England 22.5.1917. 37 Sqn Stow Maries 1917.

 

[Red Gate]

By the time Leach and his fellow Americans had arrived at Stow Maries 37 Squadron was no longer at Rochford and the flight that had been based there had been relocated to Stow Maries.  This move took place from July 1917 and was in connection with the formation of 61 Squadron at Rochford. 

Edited 22 August , 2023 by Red Gate

[Marian2]

Many thanks for the replies.   My first reaction is that Leach must have been dyslexic:  "airlop" for "Fairlop," and mixing up digits.  

The writing in the log book is clearly "airlop."  Perhaps he landed and asked "where am I?" and someone shouted back "fAIRLOP"  But, given that this may have been his R.F.C. cross-country test, it seems to me he would have verified the place he'd landed.  ...  However, there really don't seem to be any candidates other than "Fairlop"---I've read through as many lists of airfields as I can find.    

Mick:  Can you tell me your source for 5768 being at No. 37?  I'm not doubting you; it's just that I've looked at Pentland's spreadsheet, and don't see any entries after "flown to England 22.05.17."

And many thanks for the information on the relocation of the flight (presumably A) from Rochford to Stow Maries.   I now see that Philpott, Birth of the Royal Air Force, mentions, p. 251, that "No. 37 [moved] to Stow Maries," but it's quite vague.  So your precision is welcome.  I wonder whether Leach's reference to "Rock" on 22 January 1918 refers to "Rochford," i.e. whether it was still used as a landing ground for pilots in training.  

Thanks again,

---Marian 

  

 

 

[Red Gate]

The book “Fields of the First” by Paul A Doyle gives information on the history, location etc of WW1 aerodromes a landing grounds in Essex and it mentions Fairlop as a separate site from the RFC aerodrome at Hainault Farm that was half  a mile away to the east.   According to Doyle Fairlop was operated by the RNAS as a training station until April 1918 when it was taken over by the RAF and continued to be operated as a separate site.