Albert H. Munday, Flight Lieutenant, R.N.

[Pete1052]

Some years back I bought a used 1917 copy of The Eyes of the Army and Navy: Practical Aviation by Flight Lieutenant Munday, R.N. It was published by Harper & Brothers, New York and London. It's a practical guide on how to fly airplanes, as well as how to navigate, make repairs, make aerial manouvers, and other subjects such as gunnery. It even has instructions on how to use a sewing kit to make emergency repairs to the fabric of the wings and fuselage. The book omits the theory so beloved of pedants of that period. Does anyone know anything about the author, Flight Lieutenant Munday?

[horatio2]

Manicafan can tell you all about the man. However, he did shoot down Zeppelin L.62 over Heligoland on 10 May 1918 while flying Felixstowe F2A N4291 ("Old Blackeye")

[Terence Munson]

Manicafan can tell you all about the man. However, he did shoot down Zeppelin L.62 over Heligoland on 10 May 1918 while flying Felixstowe F2A N4291 ("Old Blackeye")

From: ”German Air Raids on Britain 1914 - 1918” byJoseph Morris

P193. “On the morning of the 10th May, 1918, it was ascertained that a Zeppelin was working off Heligoland Bight. Soon after one o'clock in the afternoon a Large America seaplane, with Captain T.C. Pattinson and Captain A.H. Munday as Pilots, left Killingholme, (North Lincolnshire) to hunt her down. After a three and a half hours’ flight the Zeppelin was sighted a mile away heading for Heligoland. The boat’s crew immediately stood by the machine-guns, while Pattinson climbed to 6,000 feet and overtook the airship. The Zeppelin had however, seen the boat. Increasing her height the airship endeavoured to get directly over to drop bombs on her aggressor. Rapid fire was opened by the boat at 500 yards’ range, and although all the bullets appeared to hit, the airship continued to climb and, when directly over the boat, dropped five or six bombs which fell harmlessly into the sea. The race for height continued and when the boat reached 11,000 feet, fire was opened on the target some 1,500 feet higher up. The port airscrew of the Zeppelin was seen to stop and a considerable quantity of smoke to emerge from the ship which was making for Holstein in crablike fashion and sinking rapidly. The boat was now sixty miles off Heligoland and, as the port engine commenced to give trouble the pilot was compelled to turn for home.

The Zeppelin L.62, went down in flames, but the closing act of the drama was not witnessed by those who had brought about her destruction as they were busy looking to their own safety. The flying boat had been compelled to land at sea on account of a faulty oil pipe. On perceiving this, German destroyers, which had fired at the boat during her encounter with the Zeppelin, at once made for the apparently shipwrecked aviators. But they were frustrated. Despite a very heavy sea Sergeant H.R. Stubbington, the engineer, climbed on top of the offending engine, repaired the oil pipe, and within fifteen minutes the boat was in the air on a safe homeward journey.”

Cheers Terry

[Terry]

Albert Henry Munday was born in Melbourne ,Australia, son of an English lawyer. Education Eton and Queen's University (Kingston,Ontario). He was living in Canada pre-war, and working as a reporter for the Toronto Telegram when he joined the RNAS in 1916.

After the war he returned to Canada, was one of the founders of the Toronto Flying Club,and took a doctorate at Columbia University. He had two brothers who also served in the RAF.

He has been variously listed as an Australian and a Canadian (although naturally I tend to think of him as the latter Let's call him an Australian-born Canadian.

Cheers,

Terry

[MikeW]

From the Schiffer book "A History of No.10 Squadron RNAS" by someone with remarkably similar initials to mine

Born 9th November 1892 at Melbourne, Australia. Educated in England at Eaton, and Canada at Queens University, Kingston, Ontario. Pre-war worked as a reporter with the Toronto Daily and Toronto Telegraph.

Joined the Royal Naval Air Service on 25th March 1916 in Canada.

Under instruction at White City from 26th April 1916.

Under instruction at Redcar from 20th May 1916.

Under instruction at Cranwell from 28th October 1916.

Dover on 8th March 1917.

No.10 Squadron from 15th March 1917 to 16th April 1917, when injured and hospitalised after crashing a Nieuport 12 2-seater.

Manston for re-qualification on 15th January 1918 (not recommended for scouts).

Killingholme, instruction on seaplanes, from 2nd February 1918.

Killingholme, on staff from 8th April 1918.

Member of the crew of Felixstowe F2A N4291 credited with shooting down Zeppelin L62 on 10th May 1918.

Post war activities included founding the Toronto Flying Club, and author of several books including the novel “No Other Gods”, and non-fiction works “Practical Flying In War & Peace”, “The Eyes of the Army & Navy”, and “Captain of the Sky”.

I also put a photo of him in there.

Mike

[FAAAEd]

From the Schiffer book "A History of No.10 Squadron RNAS" by someone with remarkably similar initials to mine Mike

Glad you responded first, I was considering doing so but then thought about you and your royalties fund so I am glad I left it to you.

I'll invest in a copy of that other RNAS squadron book of yours when my funds are a bit healthier.

[MikeW]

thought about you and your royalties fund

Ha! Do you know the Abbey Nat charges £10 to cash a Dollar cheque? And my last check was for $60. And what's more they give half royalties for anything sold outside of the States, and less than half for anything that's sold with discount.

Yes I know, I signed the contract and it's all in there

I wish the new one would get reviewed before Christmas!

Mike

[Pete1052]

Thanks everyone for the responses in this topic. Munday's book The Eyes of the Army and Navy was not postwar, it's copyright was in 1917. Based on the evidence, he wrote it after he crashed his plane and injured himself in that year. I assume that he had the time to write his book while he was recovering from his service-related injuries.

[Canadawwi]

Munday previously worked for the Toronto Evening Telegram. The Telegram was a Toronto daily newspaper. It closed operations in 1971. My great grandfather was the editor of that publication before the first World War.

I sent a selection of articles and photos relating to Munday to the Canadian Virtual Memorial. They are listed with his brother's memorial record - E. R. Munday.

You may view them - here.

[Pete1052]

Canadawwi,

Thanks for posting that. My late dad, a combat veteran of WW II, was in journalism as well. He spent most of his career at the Washington Post.

I didn't think I'd find much about this officer and all you guys came out of the woodwork. Churchill wasn't just BSing around when he spoke about the union of English-speaking peoples.

Pete

[Canadawwi]

Pete,

One of my pet projects is "Newspapermen at War". I've been collecting obituaries and articles on Canadians who served in the war and who were affiliated with the newspaper industry. A long list.

M arika