2/Lt T.E.G. Scaife MC, RFC

[Manitoba]

2/Lt Thomas Earle Gordon Scaife MC was killed in action 26 September, 1916, over the Somme. He may have been one of the Old Contemptibles.?? Possibly with 9 Squadron??

Do any pals know about his service record. How he was shot down, award of the the MC, type of craft he flew?

Manitoba

[Stebie9173]

Here's his MC Citation:

London Gazette 22-9-1916

2nd Lt. Thomas Earle Gordon Scaife, Dn. Gds. and R.F.C.

For conspicuous gallantry and skill when on contact patrol work during active operations, often flying low under heavy fire. On one occasion, when flying at 1,000 feet, his petrol tanks were pierced by shell fire. He

managed to stop the holes and enabled his pilot to bring the machine home.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...&selHonourType=

Steve.

[Stebie9173]

Appointment as Second-Lieutenant:

London Gazette 14-9-1915

War Office,

14th September, 1915.

REGULAR FORCES.

The undermentioned Gentlemen Cadets from the Royal Military College, to be Second Lieutenants. Dated 15th September, 1915 : —

CAVALRY.

6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiners).

Thomas Earle Gordon Scaife.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...&selHonourType=

Appointment as Observer:

London Gazette 10-6-1916

ESTABLISHMENTS.

ROYAL FLYING CORPS.

Mil. Wing. — The undermentioned appts. are made : —

Flying Officers (Observers). — 25th May 1916: —

2nd Lt. T. E. G. Scaife, 6th D.G., and to be secd.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...&selHonourType=

This would probably point to him not being in the original BEF, but is not conclusive.

Steve.

[Dolphin]

Manitoba

2Lt T E G Scaife, from Leicester and Cape Town, South Africa, was killed in action on 26 September 1916 while flying as observer in BE 2e 7079 of No 9 Sqn RFC, flown by Lt Bernard Tarrant Coller (formerly 10th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment), who was also killed. 7079 sustained a direct hit by anti-aircraft fire while on a Contact Patrol over Lesboeufs.

2Lt Scaife was a very talented observer who was mentioned a number of times in RFC Communiqués and in Volume II of The War in the Air, the official history of the British air services. In particular, on 1 July 1916, in BE 2c 2689, 2Lt Scaife and his pilot, Capt J T P Whittaker, while reporting the advance of the 30th Division near Montauban, attacked a German battery and infantry. 2689 was damaged by anti-aircraft fire.

On 18 August , during a 2½ flight with Lt B T Coller, Scaife accurately called artillery fire near Ginchy on the 24th Division front. On 3 September, 2Lt Scaife was airborne with 2Lt E R H Pollak when they came to the rescue of about 50 men of the Royal Warwicks who were pinned down by enemy fire near Falfemont Farm. The airmen attacked the Germans with their Lewis guns, and thereby allowed the Warwicks to advance.

I hope this is useful.

Gareth

[Manitoba]

Steve and Gareth,

Thanks for the excellent information guys - this is really useful.

I had no idea that Lt Scaife was obviously heavily involved in the early development of contact patrol work.

I believe I have read somewhere that 9 Squadron were involved in early experimentation with air to ground wireless communication, does this mean that the BE 2e was specially adapted or built for this purpose?

I have seen a picture of a BE 2c which appears to be loaded with 2 bombs under the fuselage. How different were the 2 types and does this mean that these observation planes were also used as bombers? Any pictures of a 2e would be welcome.

Manitoba

[Dolphin]

Manitoba

No 9 Sqn was originally involved in wireless experimentation, but by mid 1916 it was a standard artillery observation/reconnaissance/light bombing squadron in the RFC's Third (Corps) Wing, IV Brigade. It was commanded by Major A B Burdett, and based at Allonville.

The BE 2e was an unsuccessful attempt to improve the performance of the obsolescent BE 2c. It differed from the earlier variant by having unequal span wings, with the lower wing being shorter. The vertical stabiliser was increased in size and the shape of the horizontal stabiliser was also changed. The BE 2e retained the 90 hp RAF engine used in the BE 2c. The BE 2c and BE 2e both had the observer positioned in the front cockpit, with the pilot in the rear - something that made the observer's job of operating a Lewis gun extremely difficult, to say the least!

Unfortunately, both the BE 2c and BE 2e remained in service long after they had become obsolete, as there was nothing to replace them with until the arrival of the RE 8 in late 1916/early 1917.

Both BE variants could carry a small bomb load, generally four 20lb Cooper bombs. Photographs of a BE 2e are below.

I hope that this helps.

Gareth

[Manitoba]

Cheers Gareth,

You are amazing!!

Returning to Lt Scaife's earlier service record.

Steve supplied me with information re his commission in Sept. 1915.

I have followed this up and discovered that he apparently received a nomination for the Royal Military College on 15th May, 1915. Previously having served with 17th Mounted Rifles, UDF.

I presume that this was a colonial unit, as he was living in Cape Town at the outbreak of hostilities??

Manitoba

[Dolphin]

Manitoba

Unfortunately, I can't help you with Lt Scaife's earlier service. UDF might stand for Union Defence Force (as in the Union of South Africa) but that's only a guess.

Perhaps you could ask the direct question in the 'Soldiers' section of the Forum.

Regards

Gareth

[Manitoba]

Gareth,

Thanks once again. I will take your advice on his early service and post a query in the 'Soldiers' section.

Do you know where I might get hold of more information on 9 Sqn. during their stay at Allonville, and would there be photographs from this period?

Regards - Manitoba

[Dolphin]

Manitoba

Unfortunately, there's not too much around in print about the deeds of the RFC's two seater units in 1916. For various reasons, most of the written memoirs and other books are by, or about, fighter pilots.

Some books that you might like to look at for a general picture of RFC activities at the time of 2Lt Scaife's exploits are:

The War in the Air Volume II by H A Jones (recently re-printed by Naval and Military Press);

Royal Flying Corps 1915-1916 by Christopher Cole - ISBN 7183 0261 3 (this is a compilation of the RFC Communiqués);

Somme Success by Peter Hart - ISBN 0 85052 741 4; and

The Royal Flying Corps in World War I by Ralph Barker - ISBN 1 84119 470 0.

All of the above books have brief mentions of 2Lt Scaife.

Good luck

Gareth

[Manitoba]

Pals,

I dont think this thread has worn thin yet ...

Information resulting from a post in Units and formations relating to 2/Lt Scaife's earlier military service in Hartigan's Horse, 17th Mounted Rifles UDF, indicates that T.E.G. had been a land surveyor in the Cape pre-WWI.

This was clearly useful to him in contact patrol work. Commendations of his patrol work comment on his detailed skill in observation.

Which begs the question concerning the recruitment and training of RFC Observers.

Does anyone know more about this?

Manitoba

[per ardua per mare per terram]

see CG Jefford, ‘Observers and Navigaters,’ Airlife, 2001 – on special at naval & maritime press

[Manitoba]

see CG Jefford, ‘Observers and Navigaters,’ Airlife, 2001 – on special at naval & maritime press

Some water has passed under the bridge since I began this thread - but have just read the above recommended book C.G Jefford Observers and Navigators and other non-pilot aircrew in the RFC, RNAS and RAF, Airlife Publishing 2001. I can recommend it to all interested in the early history of the RFC and in particular for training of Flying Officer observers.

Looking back at some of TEGs surviving letters he appears on his arrival at 9 Squadron in May 1916 to have been sent 'back to the Wing' for instruction in Battery co-operation. Which Wing would this have been and where would he have been sent 'back' to?

Manitoba