Charles Dawson Booker

[Andrew Smith]

G'day All,

Some of you may be aware of the fact that I am in the process of researching Australians that served with the RNAS with the hope of having a book published. I am well down the road in terms of research, but have always had a problem of claiming Booker as an Aussie.

He was born in England but lived in Australia for sometime before the war and attended Melbourne Grammar School between Feb 1908 and Dec 1911 before returning to England to attend school at Bedford until May 1915.

Does anyone know whe he arrived in Australia, and if he intended to return to here after the war as he considered himself an Australian. I have been told this is so but I have not seen proof of this.

I am interested in your thoughts.

Regards,

Andrew

[Dolphin]

Andrew

I don't think that you're alone in being reluctant to list Major C W Booker as an Australian. I just looked in Cutlack, who nominates various Australians who served with distinction in the RFC, RNAS and RAF, but his name isn't there. Nor does he appear in the lists of Australian aces in Isaacs' Military Aircraft of Australia 1909-1918 or Newton's Australian Air Aces.

The compilers of the ace lists at theaerodrome.com have Booker as being English.

I'd be inclined to go with what appears to be the majority of opinions.

Regards

Gareth

[Andrew Smith]

Thanks Gareth,

I am a bit wary of the Aerodrome site and Issac for the simple fact they list "Mary" Coningham as an Australian, but he considered himself a Kiwi even though he was Australian born.

The ASWW1AH have an article listing Booker as an Aussie and I think he was originally listed as an Aussie in Over The Trenches.

I just want to exhaust all avenues before I discount him.

Regards,

Andrew

[MikeW]

Hey Andrew,

get this book finished! Pull your finger out man!

In some of my RNAS paperwork his name is given as Charles Dawson-Booker, what we call a "double barrelled" name, quite often one part of the surname reflecting the mother's maiden name. It was not unusual in the RNAS (at least) to drop part of the double barrel.

Now, as to attending school at Bedford despite living in Surrey (or somewhere like that, can't remember without consulting my notes), I believe that comes from "Above the Trenches" (Franks, Shore & Guest, Grub St.). I come originally from Bedfordshire and know my way around the Bedford Schools and their name changes, and after extensive research in their excellent records, am quite sure he did not attend one of the Bedford Schools.

ED Crundall twice refers to Booker as "Australian-Born" in his book "Fighter Pilot On The Westrn Front", pages 42 and 55. Having said that it wouldn't be the first thing that Crundall got wrong in his memoirs.

Other books that mention Booker, "Bomber Pilot" by CPO Bartlett and "Naval Eight" by Bromet, Draper et al do not mention Booker's nationality.

[Andrew Smith]

G'day Mike,

The book is turning into an epic. If someone can verify for me that RNAS serials all start with the letter "F" prefix then I have discovered another 40 Aussies in the lower decks.

As for Booker I have a copy of a letter his sister Emma or Erma wrote to Charles Bean in the 1920s-30s.

In it she states the length of Bookers schooling at MGS. She then states in England he attended Bedford School until 1915.

His sister at the time of writing this letter was living at Meadowsweet, Mayfield,Sussex

Regards,

Andrew

[MikeW]

In it she states the length of Bookers schooling at MGS. She then states in England he attended Bedford School until 1915.

I wonder if "Bedford School" is a name like "Bedford College" rather than the name of a school located at Bedford. A quick search shows that there is a Bedford College in London, probably others if one can be bothered to wade through Google!

Ratings are covered by F1 to F55000 as far as I am aware. Have you thought about RNVR personel attached to the RNAS? Might net you another 40 if you're unlucky!

Mike

[Andrew Smith]

I wonder if "Bedford School" is a name like "Bedford College" rather than the name of a school located at Bedford. A quick search shows that there is a Bedford College in London, probably others if one can be bothered to wade through Google!

Ratings are covered by F1 to F55000 as far as I am aware. Have you thought about RNVR personel attached to the RNAS? Might net you another 40 if you're unlucky!

Mike

Mike,

I think this is his old school;

Bedford School

I have thought of the RNVR and have a couple of chaps already.

Have a good Easter mate,

Andrew

[MikeW]

I think this is his old school;

No, nothing in their records about him at all, not listed as Booker or Dawson-Booker. These schools are always very helpful about "old boys" and I've had some good obituaries from senior school magazines in the past.

Why if he lived in Tunbridge Wells (remembered it) would he go to school in Bedford? The Bedford schools were OK but nothing special and certainly "out in the sticks" from anyone's perspective.

I played all the Bedford schools at Rugby when I was at school (well, obviously not Bedford Girls, shame really....), dirty so'n'sos if I remember correctly.

Mike