Captain Stearne Tighe Edwards

[taddy]

I am currently researching men around my local town of Tadcaster for my website. This includes men buried in my local graveyard one being Canadian War ace Captain Stearne Tighe Edwards,the best friend of Arthur Roy Brown of Red Barron fame.

I am aware that Stearne passed away from injuries recieved after an accident on the 12th November 1918 around the Tadcaster area.

Does anybody know any more precise details of the accident and am i right in presuming No 38 Training Squadron which is where Stearne was attached at the time of his death was at the local airfield of Tadcaster/Bramham Moor.

If you are interested i have gathered information on Stearne on my website click on Canadians and scroll down to his name.

Thank You for your help.

Taddy

[MikeW]

Taddy,

I can fill in a few details but not much about the accident I'm afraid.

Edwards served with the RNAS Strategic bombing force - No.3 Wing, No.11 Squadron RNAS, No.6 Squadron RNAS, No.9 squadron RNAS and 209 Squadron RAF. He was credited with 8 claims whilst with Naval 9 and a further 8 claims with 209.

You have him down for No.38 Training Squadron - this should be No.38 Training Depot Station.

His death actually occurred at No.2 Fighting Training School at Marske, he crashed on the 12th November, 1918 and subsequently died of his injuries on the 22nd November.

Details of accidents are aften notiously difficult to pin down, however, I do have one avenue that I can pursue and will keep you posted if I find anything out.

Mike

[taddy]

Thank Yoy Mike W

For your reply regarding Stearne Tighe Edwards i will update his details on the site just a quicky Mike Marske is around the Tees area is it not ? why would stearne be buried some 60 miles south in Tadcaster Cemetery.

I would appreciate if you get any more details on Stearne, i have found a site the National Headquarters directorate of Canadian history which holds a collection of Stearnes personal papers the collection includes copys of his log books, newspaper cuttings, personal letters, and 37 photos, i am just trying to find a way to either get the collection copied or somebody in Canada to check it out for me.

Thank You again Mike much appreciated.

Taddy

[fitzee]

I am also researching Stearne Edwards and Roy Brown and would appreciate any information on where to locate material

Thanks Fitzee

[MikeW]

Fitzee,

you do not state where you are - let's assume its the UK! The National Archive at Kew and the Fleet AirArm Museum at Yeovilton are good sources of original material.

Book wise, you will find both Edwards and Brown in the following:

Above The Trenches, Franks, Shore and Guest, Grub Street

Royal Naval Aircraft and Serials, Sturdivant and Page, Air Britain

British & Commonwealth Aces of WW1, Franks, Schiffer

In addition, Brown will appear in practically every WW1 book due to his relationship to MVR's demise, but they won't tell you too much about him or what else he did.

Miles Constable has a website devoted to Canadian aces, it will be well worth checking out:

Canadian aces

If you want far more detailed accounts of what these two men did, I cannot recommend (that is for others to do) a new book from Schiffer, "A history of No.6 Squadron RNAS" which will be available in the summer. This covers in full detail the exploits of ST Edwards whilst in No.6 Squadron. I cannot reccomend it as I am the author.

Brown and Edwards again, will be covered in "A history of No.9 Squadron RNAS", unfortunately nowhere near finished - 2 years away probably. There is a new biography of Brown due out shortly, unfortunately, I stupidly cannot remember the author's name - no doubt it will be well advertised when ready - I have seen copies from the text and can reccomend this one to you.

Mike

[fitzee]

Thanks for the info Mike, greatly appreciated. I'm a Canadian living in the united States. My Grandfather was an RAF pilot during the war and flew DH9a's with 218 squardron and was eventually shot down over Zeebrugge. He was a friend of Captain Browns. I'm researching some of the men he had mentioned in some liner notes he had hand witten in a book on World War 1 aviation. I believe the book you mention forthcoming on Major Brown is by Alan Bennett and I look forward to reading it. Once again Thanks for your help

Fitzee

[MikeW]

Fitzee,

Alan Bennett, of course. I'll forget my own name next!

regarding your grandfather, I am sure the 218 squadron association would like to here from you. Their historian, Steve Smith has been working on the squadron's early history for several years now. I will try to send you a personal message with his e-mail address.

If you were a Canadian living in Canada I could suggest the Directorate of History & Heritage at National Defence Headquarters, Ottawa. But the USA? The University Of Texas at Dallas has extensive copies of a lot of National Archive records relating to squadrons - I'm sure there will be a lot of stuff on Brown simply because of the Americans' fascination with MVR.

Cheers,

thingy, erm... Mike, yes that's it, Mike.