Stebie9173 Posted 5 February , 2006 Share Posted 5 February , 2006 Does anyone have any further information on 70 Squadron's Lt D H S Gilbertson. I know he was missing in action on 4th September 1918 (with a victory that morning) and that he was appointed as a Flying Officer on the General List on 26-5-1917. He had five victories between 30-5-1918 and the last on the date of his death 4-9-1918. He was born 1897 in Hertford and was 2/Lt with the 6th Northamptonshire Regiment. He was flying Sopwith Camel E1472 on the morning of his death and his victory against a Fokker D.VII that morning at Escaillon was shared with Lt J S Wilson of D8175. Thanks for any information, Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 3 May , 2007 Author Share Posted 3 May , 2007 Can I boost this back to the top? Second Lieutenant Dennis Henry Stacey Gilbertson Military Applied for a commission in the British Army on 17th August 1914. Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Northamptonshire Regiment on 19th September 1914. Embarked to France with 6th (Service) Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment on 26th July 1915. Wounded in the right shoulder by a piece of shell shrapnel that fractured the scapula on 7th December 1915. Admitted to No. 5 Casualty Clearing Station at Corbie on 8th December 1915 and moved to 2nd British Red Cross Hospital at Rouen on 14th December 1915. Evacuated to England from Rouen via Southampton aboard H.S. St Andrew on 17th December 1915 and admitted to King Edward VII's Hospital, 9 Grovesnor Gardens, W. London on arrival on December 18th. Discharged from hospital on 25th March 1916 but required daily wound dressing for 6 months thereafter. Joined 8th (2nd Reserve) Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment c. April 1916. Joined 3rd (Reserve) Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment at Chatham on 6th November 1916. Ordered to join the School of Military Aeronautics at Oxford for instruction on 12th January 1917 and arrived on 13th Janaury 1917. Admitted hospital with measles in May 1917. Transferred to the Royal Flying Corps General List and appointed as a Flying Officer from 26th May 1917. Appointed as a temporary Lieutenant in July 1917, effective from 1st June 1917. Pilot with 112 Squadron R.F.C. as of January 1918. Flew with 70 Squadron R.F.C./R.A.F. from 27th March 1918 scoring five victories, the last a few minutes before his death, thus ranking him as an ace. Killed in action whilst flying Sopwith Camel E1472 with 70 Squadron R.A.F. during a large scale dogfight near Douai on 4th September 1918 Personal Born on 14th February 1897 at Hertford, Hertfordshire. Son of Albert Stacey Gilbertson, a manufacturer of pheasant and poultry food (as of 1901), and Mrs. Ethel Hoole (Mason) Gilbertson, both originally of Hertford. Two sisters, Eileen (b.1894) and Averil Patricia (b.1899). Educated at Wellington College, Berkshire. Resident with parents at Mangrove House, Hertford during war (and since before 1901). Appears on Hertford Memorial: http://www.hertfordtown.fsnet.co.uk/home.htm Any further details available about his flying career and/or death would be helpful. Thanks, Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 6 May , 2007 Author Share Posted 6 May , 2007 Someone? Anyone? Pretty please.... Even an Airmen Died or a Sky is their Battefield... Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lost in Tilloy Posted 6 May , 2007 Share Posted 6 May , 2007 Hi Steve I can't shed much more on what you have. I looked through these books: De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour, Parts 1 to 5: No mention of him. Roll of Honour RFC & RAF: Simply states "Gilbertson D.H.S. Lt RAF, kia 4.9.18, 70 Sqn." Royal Flying Corps Communiques 1915-1916: No mention in index. Royal Flying Corps Communiques 1917-1918: No mention in index. Royal Air Force Communiques 1918: he is mentioned on page 186 in a list of pilots who shot down enemy aircraft. Only his rank, surname and squadron number is given. The only additional information given regarding the 4th of September 1918 is "Weather: fair, some clouds- 21 tons of bombs dropped by night and 23+ tons by day- Enemy aircraft; working in large formations." Sorry that is all I could find. Regards LIT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 6 May , 2007 Author Share Posted 6 May , 2007 Thanks, LIT. Was starting to think I'd gone Persona Non Grata.... I believe Gilbertson was shot down in a big aerial dogfight near Douai. Bruno Loerzer and JGIII were involved along with Jasta 26 and Jasta 27 on the German side, and 12 Camels of 70 Squadron, and DH4s of 16 Squadron on the British side. Only 4 of the 12 Camels came back. Since Gilbertson was an ace (though he got his fifth victory in the combat that killed him) I hoped someone might have some more information on him. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starlight Posted 7 May , 2007 Share Posted 7 May , 2007 Hi Steve, Just a few more bits of information from "The Sky Their Battlefield": On the day of lt Gilbertson's death Number 70 squadron was on temporary attachment to II Brigade and their Sopwith Camels met and fought up to 30 Fokker DVII over the First Army front near Douai, having left their aerodrome at 7:20am to carry out a large scale offensive patrol. Lt Gilberston was last seen at 8:15am when he engaged with and shot down a Fokker DVII. Of the six Camels of Number 70 squadron that did not return, four pilots were taken prisoner of war, three were killed in the battle and one pilot died of his wounds. From "Airmen Who Died . . .": Apart from details that you already have, he is listed as being buried at Villers-au-Tertre in France. Interesting to note is that, if what you say about DH4's of Number 16 squadron being involved in the same fight is correct, it was surprising to find that there were no casualties listed on that day for Number 16 squadron. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 7 May , 2007 Share Posted 7 May , 2007 Steve He seems to be one of the more anonymous aces of the War. There's a little bit at theaerodrome, which might help you a little, as it lists the aeroplanes he was flying when he was victorious. See: http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/gilbertson.php Regards Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 7 May , 2007 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2007 Thanks all. I did find him on the Areodrome, but thanks for looking him up. Starlight, your info ties in with what I found yesterday from Who downed the Aces in WW1 - hence my sudden burst of knowledge last night. However, it was 18 Squadron's DH8's not 16 Squadrons! Sorry about that. Long weekend away.... There seems to also be the possibility that he downed Walter Boning on 31st May 1918 which would have been his second "kill" if it had been validated. I ought to post his picture. This is from a named line up of 6th Northamptonshire Regiment officers. There is always the chance of misidentification but the others in the pic have been reliably ID'd so I'm fairly confident. If anyone does have a better pic that would be great. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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