27 Squadron RCC

[wet255]

Hi all, Looking for som info on 

Lieutenant Arthur Henry William Tollemache

Royal Engineers (att’d Royal Flying Corps 27 Squadron). 

Died. 19^th July 1916

Aged. 22 

Mainly info on his air combat, who shot him down etc. He's another Trinity student gone too soon. I already have several pics of him   

[Tawhiri]

His digitized AIR 76 record is available as a free download from the National Archives, there is also a corresponding undigitized army officer's personal file as well.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8234956

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1054597

He also has a very brief casualty form, along with two incident cards related to his disappearance while flying a Martinsyde Scout.

https://www.casualtyforms.org/form/31350

https://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/tollemache-a.h.w.-arthur-henry-william

https://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/tollemache-a.h.w

First commissioned as a temporary Second Lieutenant with the Royal Engineers on 17 October 1914.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28940/page/8256

According to airhistory.org he gained Royal Aero Club certificate number 1492 on 1 August 1915 while flying a Maurice Farman biplane at the Military School, Shoreham. From the same source, he apparently went missing while escorting a reserve and offensive patrol to Bapaume.

[wet255]

Many thanks Tawhiri

 

[thedawnpatrol]

Trinity College...............Oxford ? 

[wet255]

Cambridge 

[thedawnpatrol]

Ok, thank you............if Oxford I have access to college archives.

[topgun1918]

His sole victory was achieved on 19 May 1916 and was reported in RFC Communiqué number 36:

Capt [Thomas Algar Elliott] Cairnes and Lieut [Arthur Henry William] Tollemache on two Martinsydes of 27 Sqn, encountered an Albatros over Festubert and chased him to Fournes.  Both the pilots engaged him.  When last seen the hostile machine appeared to be out of control.

 Another engagements were reported in 

RFC Communiqué No 34 (26 April 1916): 2nd-Lieut Dalrymple on a Martinsyde of 27 Sqn, engaged and drove off two hostile machines, and Capt Cairns on a Martinsyde of the same squadron engaged a hostile machine near Souchez.  He fired half a drum at about 70 yards and then swerved to avoid collision.  He attacked again from behind and below firing the remainder of the drum.  The observer of the hostile machine was apparently hit as during the second attack he appeared to be kneeling in the turret doing nothing, and no shots were fired.  This hostile machine was subsequently engaged by 2nd-Lieut Tollemache in a Martinsyde who fired a drum at it at about 50 yards range, driving it down towards Douvrin. 

RFC Communiqué number 36 (21 May 1916): 2nd-Lieut Tollemache on a Martinsyde of 27 Sqn, flying at 12,500 feet, saw an Albatros over Fromelles at about 9,000 feet.  He dived at it reserving his fire till within close range.  Both machines were diving at high speed with engines on.  2nd-Lieut Tollemache having expended one drum, changed and continued the attack.  The enemy endeavoured to manoeuvre out of fire, turning in all directions, but 2nd-Lieut Tollemache manoeuvred his Martinsyde and managed to keep the enemy under fire at intervals.  At about 4,000 feet over the south-west corner of Lille the machines were so close that they nearly collided.  To avoid this the hostile machine turned on one wing and went down in a side-slip and vertical dive.  He flattened out near the ground close to the Citadel.

Graeme