Lt C G G Bayly, No 5 Sqn RFC

[Dolphin]

Lt Charles George Gordon Bayly (formerly Royal Engineers, and a native of Cape Town, South Africa) was flying as observer in Avro 504 No 390 with Lt Vincent Waterfall (formerly 3rd Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment, and a native of Brighton, Sussex) when his aeroplane was brought down by enemy ground fire on 22 August 1914. The airmen had departed on a reconnaissance mission at 1016.

The loss of 390 was the RFC's first combat loss in the Great War. The wreckage of the machine was the first indication to the Germans that the BEF had arrived at the Front. Lt Bayly's partly written report was recovered by Belgian civilians and eventually found its way to the War Office in London.

Both airmen from 390 are buried in Tournai, Belgium.

Gareth

[Alan Seymour]

I see today we are remembering Lt. Charles George Gordon BAYLEY, who along with 2/Lt. Vincent Warterfall were the first RFC casualties killed in action in the Great War.

On 22 August 1914, Avro 390, crewed by Vincent Waterfall and Charles Bayly, failed to return from its reconnaissance mission. The plane crashed in a meadow, possibly as a result of German rifle fire.

The two men’s bodies were originally buried by the Germans, but were later exhumed by the Belgian owner of the land, who placed the bodies in zinc-lined coffins and laid them to rest in the family vault. They remained there until 1924, when the then Imperial War Graves Grave Commission had them re-buried in TOURNAI COMMUNAL CEMETERY ALLIED EXTENSION, Hainaut, Belgium, grave reference III.G.3 & 4.

Vincent Waterfall was described in 'The Aeroplane' magazine of the time as “having the makings of an officer of the very best class. His high spirits, which were absolutely without harm to anybody, and his unfailing good nature, endeared him to all who knew him…” His death badly affected his father, who died the following year.

Vincent’s observer Charles Bayly, was himself a qualified pilot. He came from a military family, with a great uncle being none other than Gordon of Khartoum. After Military Academy, he was commissioned into the Royal Engineers before learning to fly. Bayly joined 5 Squadron at the end of June 1914 and flew his machine to Amiens on 12 August when the RFC landed in France.

The villagers of Marcq-lez-Enghien, Belgium, near where Waterfall and Bayly’s plane was shot down, have not forgotten the event, despite the passage of time. A group of locals is hoping to erect a memorial in remembrance of the pair.

[Jonathan Saunders]

Many thanks for the info - an interesting addition.

[Moriaty]

Its a long time since Alan Seymour posted in 2005 that "The villagers of Marcq-lez-Enghien, Belgium, near where Waterfall and Bayly’s plane was shot down, have not forgotten the event, despite the passage of time. A group of locals is hoping to erect a memorial in remembrance of the pair."

I wondered if a memorial has been erected to Vincent Waterfall and Charles Bayly??

Moriaty

[Ed Woods]

http://www.tournai.be/en/officiel/index.php?page=158

Thought this link might be of interest:-

In Tournai, the first two British airmen killed on active service, at Marcq-Lez-Enghien on 22 August 1914, are buried: 2nd Lieutenant Vincent WATERFALL, Pilot, and Lieutenant Charles BAYLY, Observer, of 5th Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps (which was later to become the Royal Air Force) flying an AVRO 504. WATERFALL and BAYLY were only 23-years-old when their plane was shot down at low altitude by a German military column.

It was on 22 August 1914 at 10:16 that their plane (Number 390) took off from the airfield of Maubeuge (France). It was on a reconnaissance mission. The two airmen were flying over the Enghien-Soignies area at around 10:50. On several occasions, they saw military convoys formed of equipment, riders, infantry companies, and troops. The plane made a first passage at very low altitude, just twenty-odd metres, causing such a surprise effect that the Germans failed to fire a single shot at the target, such an easy one in view of the low altitude and the slow speed. The plane turned around and returned towards one of the columns… the reception was different. The plane, now a target, was unable to escape the enemy fire and crashed by the side of the Ath-Enghien road.

The German Officer, Captain Walter BLOEN, wrote: ' ...we were crossing Enghien, going along a never-ending park wall …, suddenly a plane flew over us… I ordered the two groups to fire at it… the plane started a half-turn… but it was too late: it went into a dive, spun around several times then fell like a stone about a mile from here… '

Thus, 2nd Lieutenant WATERFALL and Lieutenant BAYLY had the sad honour of being the first allied airmen to be shot down and killed in Belgium. They are resting in the South Cemetery, side by side, respectively, under Stelas III G3 and III G4.

[Moriaty]

Thanks for that information.

Can anyone confirm whether Waterfall was the navigator/observer and Bayly the pilot or vice versa. The accounts I have found on the web seem to vary.

Moriaty

[Dolphin]

Thanks for that information.

Can anyone confirm whether Waterfall was the navigator/observer and Bayly the pilot or vice versa. The accounts I have found on the web seem to vary.

Moriaty

It's rather confusing, as I'm pretty sure that both men were qualified pilots. However, it looks like Lt Waterfall was the pilot on the fateful day, although the Official History isn't specific.

However, my source might be wrong . . .

Gareth

[susanhemmings]

htthttp://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/uploads/monthly_01_2011/post-8059-018861100%201294661443.jpgp://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/uploads/monthly_01_2011/post-8059-030117500%201294661332.jpg

[susanhemmings]

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/uploads/monthly_01_2011/post-8059-009351700%201294661536.jpg

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/uploads/monthly_01_2011/post-8059-094081200%201294661573.jpg

sorry having a bit of trouble cropping these..... better to have the full photo...>

susan

[NigelS]

http://www.tournai.be/en/officiel/index.php?page=158

Thought this link might be of interest:-

In Tournai, the first two British airmen killed on active service, at Marcq-Lez-Enghien on 22 August 1914, are buried: 2nd Lieutenant Vincent WATERFALL, Pilot, and Lieutenant Charles BAYLY, Observer, of 5th Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps (which was later to become the Royal Air Force) flying an AVRO 504. WATERFALL and BAYLY were only 23-years-old when their plane was shot down at low altitude by a German military column.

Hi Ed, In my understanding there is a slight error in the statement given in the link; this may seen as splitting hairs, as it's certainly true that Waterfall & Bayly were the first RFC airmen to be killed in combat, but the first RFC airmen to have been killed while on active service (at least as given in reports on their inquests) were Pilot 2/Lt RR Skene & his mechanic, Airman RK Barlow, when their plane crashed shortly after take off from Netheravon while on route to France on August 12th. Skene, who was also with 5th Sqn, would also appear to have the dubious distinction of being the first officer war fatality of all the services. Other early RFC 'Active Service' fatalities before the first combat losses of Bayly & Waterfall on the 22nd August were: 2/Lt EWC Perry & Airman HE Parfitt (killed in France in an accident on the 16th), and Corp. FJP Geard (also killed in accident in France on the 18th). Both Waterfall & Skene had been test pilots with Martinsyde at Brooklands immediately before serving with the RFC.

NigelS

[Moriaty]

Thanks for all the brilliant postings with photographs ..... and, any news on a memorial at Marcq Lez Henghien or are they waiting for the centenary?

Moriaty

[MickLeeds]

It's rather confusing, as I'm pretty sure that both men were qualified pilots. However, it looks like Lt Waterfall was the pilot on the fateful day, although the Official History isn't specific.

However, my source might be wrong . . .

Gareth

I think your correct that Waterfall was the pilot. This article from The Times, Sep 29th 1914.

"From the front, letters of officers and men"

"Waterfall and his passenger".

Mick.

[Moriaty]

Bayly's entry in de Ruvigny refers to Waterfall as the pilot.

Regarding the proposed memorial to these two pilots (my original enquiry), after a bit of research, I wonder whether there was some confusion with a proposed memorial in Rebecq (a few kilometres from Marcq lez Enghien) to an RAF 550 Squadron plane that crashed there on 27/28 May 1944? This new memorial is scheduled to be unveiled in May 2011.

Moriaty

[rugbyremembers]

Thanks to all for some fascinating posts here, not least as I am writing a chapter of my book about Bayly.

The book is titled 'The Final Whistle: a History of the Great War in Fifteen players' - it is 15 stories of rugby players from one club, Rosslyn Park, who were among the 70+ to be killed in the Great War.

Bayly is the 'first of the gang to die'. In a curious way, I would be relieved if there was no memorial, as my chapter makes great play of the fact that Bayly died without the extensive collection of memorial statuary accumulated by his great-ub cle Gordon of Khartoum.

Thanks to Ed Woods for the Tournai website - pity they do not source the Capt Bloen quote - and to Jotsmee for the Times article.

rgds Stephen

[Ed Woods]

Have done some digging - appears Walter Bloem was a novelist and the quote may have been taken from his book:-

<LI>Bloem, Walter. (2004). The Advance from Mons 1914: The Experiences of a German Infantry Officer. Helion and Company. ISBN 1-874622-57-4

[rugbyremembers]

Some awesome digging there, Ed. many thanks.

[rugbyremembers]

http://1914-1918.inv...01294661536.jpg

http://1914-1918.inv...01294661573.jpg

sorry having a bit of trouble cropping these..... better to have the full photo...>

susan

Susan, see my post below re my draft book that features Charles Bayly. If I ever get near publication ( the book is written, just finding a publisher - simples!)

would it be possible perhaps to reproduce with your permission the photographs of Bayly and Waterfall.

No time soon of course, as I suspect finding a publisher will be a long haul

rgds

Stephen (rugbyremembers)

[Guest ghicha]

I would like to inform the members of the forum over "Lt C G G Bayly, No 5 Sqn RFC" that a memorial​ is erected to Vincent Waterfall and Charles Bayly​ ​​in the village of Enghien-Marcq (Belgium) and will be inaugurated on Saturday August 23 at 10 am​.

​Information Ville d'Enghien : ​

http://www.enghien-edingen.be/index.php?id=168&no_cache=1&L=0&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=735&cHash=d504c42059651f6f4c050a3031299d3d

I

​'ll publish an article on this historical fact on my website in the coming days : Enghien, le saviez-vous ?

Thank you for your cooperation.

Best regards.

Thanks for that information.

Can anyone confirm whether Waterfall was the navigator/observer and Bayly the pilot or vice versa. The accounts I have found on the web seem to vary.

Moriaty

[Moriaty]

Thank you for the good news about the memorial to Vincent Waterfall and Charles Bayly and best wishes for its inauguration.

Moriaty

[wpf1958]

I have covered both Bayly and Waterfall, together with many others in the cemetery in my latest book The Mons Sector 1914. You might enjoy reading theirs and the other cameos covering the 1914 Mons sector.