Sat on dead man's lap and steered to earth

[chris.wight]

I came across this interesting article in the March 22, 1916 edition of the Calgary Daily Herald, link.

Would anyone have details on what squadron this would have been or who the pilot was?

[Starlight]

Hi Chris,

As usual the press got his name wrong.

The observer was 2nd Lt J E P Howey of Number 6 squadron, flying an FE2a number 5644 on 11th November 1915. His pilot, whom he flew with often, was 2nd Lt CH Kelway-Bamber, only 19 yyears off age at the time of his death. As stated in the article, Howey was taken prisoner but escaped to Switzerland on 13th Feb 1917. News of the capture was reported to the allies a few days after the crash landing by a 'friend' over the lines in Germany.

Regards

Steve

[Dolphin]

Chris

Steve beat me to it!

2Lt Claude Hershel Kelway-Bamber, formerly Royal Fusiliers) and 2Lt J E P Howey (that's the spelling in The Sky Their Battlefield) were flying in FE 2a 5664 of No 6 Sqn RFC, based at Abeele, when they were shot down over Rolleghamcappelle after combat with two enemy aeroplanes on 11 November 1915. 2Lt Kelway-Bamber was killed in action, while 2Lt Howey was wounded and made Prisoner of War; he was moved to Switzerland on 13 February 1917.

I hope this helps you.

Gareth

[Starlight]

Hi Chris,

A few more details for you. From the records of Number 6 squadron put together after the war, LT Howey was from the Oxfordshire Yeomanry, not Bedfordshire and he was unable to be traced by the RAF after the war. The ‘kill’ was eventually given to Pilot Bethke and Observer Eckstein (FFA 24) though they received 17 hits in the petrol tank and cooling system which forced them to land near Morzeele. The event was witnessed by Lt Belohlawek and Lt Flasser or Flashar (both FFA 33) and there was initially a dispute between FFA 24 and FFA 33 as to which aircraft had shot the FE2 down. The two commanders, Hauptmann Spranger (FFA 33) and Rosenmuller (FFA 24) eventually supported Eckstein’s claim as he had fired from as close as 20 metres whereas the aircraft of FFA 33 fired no closer than from 200 metres by which time the FE2a was already spiralling to earth. Just to make matters more confusing, an LVG of FFA 6 (observer’s name Lt Ilse, not sure of the pilot’s name) also had a go at the British aircraft.

2/Lt. J.E.P.Howey was presumably quite seriously wounded as he was later transferred to an internment camp in Switzerland (on 19/1/1917), eventually being repatriated back to the U.K. on 19/7/1917.

And all this started from a newspaper article!

Steve

[Cnock]

Harelbeke British Military Cemetery

Burial stone of 2Lt Kelway-Bamber

Regards,

Cnock

[chris.wight]

Steve, Gareth and Cnock, thanks for all the info. There was much more than I expected!

I amended the title to reflect his correct name and unit.

[Sgt_Hazell_Great_Grandson]

Smashing the way the pilots treated each other after having been in combat.

Roland.

[pwenlock]

Good morning posters

Many thanks for a most interesting thread. I hadnt come across Lt Howey in the Regimental archives as being wounded (most likely because he was detached from the Regiment).

Its certainly one for us to research further

Yours aye

OxfordYeoman