medals1976 Posted 19 July , 2006 Share Posted 19 July , 2006 Hello members, I have recently come upon a WW1 Victory medal to a 1.A.M E.J. Beeby in the R.A.F. When I researched him I found his papers stated service in India from 21/07/16 to 17/06/19. It does not mention his squadron. Do any members have any information what squadrons served in India during this time and what their roles would have been as it seems to be an unusual theatre of war for the R.F.C / R.A.F. Any help would be much obliged. Thank-you. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 19 July , 2006 Share Posted 19 July , 2006 Mike Two RFC/RAF squadrons were based in India during the Great War: Nos 31 and 114 Sqns. Both were equipped with Henry Farman and BE 2c/2e aircraft and were mainly used in an army cooperation role. No 31 Sqn used aerodromes at Risalpur, Bannu, Tank, Khanpur, Dera Ismail Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Lahore. No 114 Sqn used aerodromes at Lahore, Quetta and Jubbulpore, with a detached flight at Aden. I hope this helps Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medals1976 Posted 20 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 20 July , 2006 Thanks Gareth for your help, are there any books available about the RFC/RAF in india during this period as there seems to be nothing available on the market? Thanks. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 20 July , 2006 Share Posted 20 July , 2006 Mike I don't think that there's much around. There's about a page in Peter Liddle's The Airman's War [iSBN 0 7137 1592 8] and some four pages in Volume VI of H A Jones' The War in the Air, but that's all I know of. I suppose that compared to operations further west, the efforts in India didn't rate much attention. Regards Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zooloo Posted 20 July , 2006 Share Posted 20 July , 2006 Thanks Gareth for your help, are there any books available about the RFC/RAF in india during this period as there seems to be nothing available on the market? Thanks. Mike. Try ABE books The link is a search on - india rfc - a couple of books that refer rather to than on the subject But hey, you really want to spend the next 5 hours doing more elaborate searches don't you zoo PS. If you're not UK there are many regional versions ABE Books Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medals1976 Posted 22 July , 2006 Author Share Posted 22 July , 2006 Thanks Zoo for your help, yes there certainly seems to be nothing on this subject out there, only mentions. I will check out Abe books and see whats available there, thanks again. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 28 December , 2006 Share Posted 28 December , 2006 Hello The Army in India and Its Evolution, Government Printer India 1924, has 8 interesting pages on the founding of the India Air Force Could even scan them if you can't find it. Regards Mart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medals1976 Posted 30 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 30 December , 2006 Hi Mart, many thanks for your help, I will look into that avenue and will get back to you if I have no luck as the scans would be very much appreciated. Thank-you. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 30 December , 2006 Share Posted 30 December , 2006 Hello Just looked at the India OH WW2, the chapter on the formation of the IAF in 1933 is very interesting, the UK would not let any officers train at Cranwell, and the Indian Authorities said so what about the officers in the GW and the DFC, suddenly 2 vacancies were allotted. Now wheres my copy of the PAF OH? Regards Mart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john-g Posted 30 December , 2006 Share Posted 30 December , 2006 Mike, There is one book about 31 squadron RFC/RAF, "First in the Indian Skies" by Norman Franks. ISBN 0 9506314 1 8 Cheers john_g Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medals1976 Posted 30 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 30 December , 2006 Excellent John, I have not heard of that one and will check it out tonight. Thank-you. Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickdavis Posted 31 December , 2006 Share Posted 31 December , 2006 On 1 May 1918, RAF India , which came under RAF Middle East, comprised :- 52nd (Corps) Wing HQ with location given as NW Frontier, India and comprising 31 Sqn at Risalpur 114 Sqn with HQ and 2 Flts at Lahore and 1 Flt at Aden 57 Balloon Section at Aden Aircraft Park at Risalpur, comprising HQ, ARS, Stores Section, Salvage Section and Workshop Port Depot at Bombay On 30 September 1918 it was given as RAF India with HQ at Simla (Lt Col JE Tennant DSO MC) with :- 52nd (Corps) Wing HQ Peshawar (Lt Col JRC Heathcote) with :- 31 Sqn (Capt O Hughes) with HQ and 2 Flts at Risalpur and 1 Flt at Khanpur 114 Sqn (Major DE Stodart DSO DFC) with HQ & 1 1/2 Flts at Quetta, 1/2 Flt at Lahore and 1 Flt at Aden Aircraft Park (Major RS Rumbold) at Risalpur Port Depot at Bombay By November, the situation was essentially similar, but the Aden detachment of 114 Sqn was 1/2 Flt. It was the same in January 1919. Both squadrons were equipped with a mixture of BE2c & BE2e, the all-steel HF F.27s had gone by mid 1918. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medals1976 Posted 31 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 31 December , 2006 Hi Mick many thanks for the interesting information. I did not realise 57 Balloon were used in India. Were Kite Balloons actually used in this theatre as I have not seen any evidence at present? Would certainly be of interest. Thanks, Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barkalotloudly Posted 31 December , 2006 Share Posted 31 December , 2006 There is a book called "With the first in the field" by Cowton, Tthis deals with his flying career until about 1929 mainly in the middle east/north west frontier, his diaries were donated to the museum at Hendon. There are several copies available on the net best regards John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medals1976 Posted 31 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 31 December , 2006 Thank-you very much John, i will check that out as the more sources I can get the better. Kind Regards, Mike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 5 January , 2007 Share Posted 5 January , 2007 Hi Have sent copies. Anybody else want them before I delete them off my hard disc? Regards Mart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LowNslow Posted 5 January , 2007 Share Posted 5 January , 2007 Hi Have sent copies. Anybody else want them before I delete them off my hard disc? Regards Mart Yes please! Have sent a pm with my e-mail details. Thanks Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.