71 Squadron 1917 as training unit

[Perth Digger]

I'd be grateful for some help sorting out a confusion of mine. According to his AIR 76 file Leslie Morley Fletcher was serving with 71 Squadron at Castle Bromwich when he was killed in a flying accident on 5 July 1917. Fletcher has no connection at all as far as I can see with the AIF, yet 71 Squadron was an Australian squadron (4 AIF) and Fletcher's passenger was an Australian, 1 AM Merritt (who won a medal for trying to save his pilot from the burning wreckage). 

AIR 76 says Fletcher's transfer from 7 RS to 71 Squadron was on 6 June and he graduated FO on 29 June. Does that mean that 71 Squadron was acting as a training squadron for non-Australians as it prepared to deploy overseas? Did non-Australian pilots go overseas with 71 Squadron, or was Fletcher's case an anomaly? 

I don't expect anyone to know the answers to these questions but any thoughts would be gratefully received.

Thanks

Mike

[mickdavis]

71 Squadron served as a training unit under Southern Training Brigade until 15 October 1917, when its training machines were distributed to other training units and it began to receive Camels for mobilisation. At least 19 RFC pilots passed through the unit from early June 1917, having come from Elementary Training Squadrons (several from both 5 RS and 7 RS, as well as a few who had trained in Egypt). From 71 Squadron, these pupils were then posted to other RFC units; the pilots who went to France with the squadron were Australian. Instructors posted in were also RFC. The majority of both pilots and instructors were British or Canadian - I think only Lt M Sheehan was Australian.

The RFC instructors were Lts GA Rose, RK Kirkman and V Rendle.

The RFC trainees were 2Lts JC Kilkeen, LM Fletcher, WRS Smith, F Skelton, P Wilson, TF Hosking, HC Stanyon, AJS Doble, VI Oliver, RS Ralston, HN Lett, NC Jones, E Bradley, RJ Blyth, RA Holliday, SR Garnar, WR Kingsland and Ls M Sheehan, E Wanum.

[Perth Digger]

Mick

Many thanks for such a comprehensive response.

Mike