Number 1 Wing and 4 wing

[john w.]

I have ther ecord of JJ Petre who flew Nieuport Scouts, from Dunkirk.

The record shows Number 1 and Number 4 wing, to what does this relate?

Where can I find more information on either please from 7th Jan 1916 until his death 13th April 1917

John

[horatio2]

RNAS Wings. 6 Sqn RNAS , of which Petre was CO until his death on 13/4/17, was formed on 31/12/16 from A Squadron of 4 Wing RNAS. Petre was killed when his Nieuport Biplane Ser N.3206 crashed on 13/4/17.

[MikeW]

John,

a simple question about RNAS Wings is not simple to answer! I suppose an RNAS Wing, certainly in 1916 could be regarded as an HQ for a number of aircraft engaged in offensive activities, be it scout work, recon, spotting or bombing. The Wing provided the command, the stores, the workshops, the medical services, the chaplain and so on. The aircraft and pilots were divided up into flights and/or squadrons - not squadrons as they became later in the war but perhaps two flights of 5 or 6 machines, performing muti-role tasks.

In 1916, No.1 Wing was based at St. Pol and consisted of A, B and C Squadrons. A Squadron moved forward to Furnes in Belgium in June 1916 and effectively had to become self contained with a CO, and some capability to look after itself. It was also the RNAS' first fighter or scout squadron with all pilots being fighter pilots rather than the mix of functions previously seen in RNAS squadrons. It was effectively the first "modern" RNAS squadron.

Now, Jack Petre, born 11/4/1894 and from Ingallstone in Essex, joined the RNAS on 17th September 1914 and took instruction at Eastborne and Eastchurch, gaining RAeC certificate 942 on 14th October 1914. He was posted to RNAS Grain for a month and then went to 1 Wing on 12th February 1915. In June 1916 he was attached to the above mentioned A Squadron 1 Wing flying Nieuport scouts and the Sopwith Triplane prototype. "A squadron 1 Wing" became the famous No.1 Squadron on 6th December.

Petre was then posted to No.4 Wing in January to soon take command of No.6 Squadron.

Back to Wing histories again, No.4 Wing was based at Petite Synthe and comprised the multi-role A and B Squadrons ( you have to realise that initially squadrons had to be tied to a Wing - thus A Squadron 1 Wing and A Squadron 4 Wing were different entities.) In the week preceeding 27th November 1916 (Not 31/12/17 as stated above), A Squadron 4 Wing became No.6 Squadron and B Squadron 4 Wing became No.7 Squadron. Each squadron comprised 2 flights (A Flight and C Flight) and for the next 2 months the Wing Commander swapped pilots around between flights and squadrons on a weekly basis - at the end he had all fighter pilots in No.6 Squadron and all Bomber pilots in No.7 Squadron. Petre took over command of No.6 squadron on 6th February 1917.

As you know, Petre was killed when his Nieuport 17Bis scout broke up in the air whilst diving at a ground target on a gunnery range.

Petre was awarded the DSC and Croix de Guerre.

If you want to read more about Petre then I would recommend the following:

Royal Naval Aircraft Serials & Units, by Sturdivant & Page, pub by Air Britain - far more than the title suggests!

Airfields & Airmen - Somme, by Mile O'Connor, pub by Pen & Sword - excellent value

A History of No.6 Squadron RNAS, by me, Mike Westrop, pub by Schiffer - load of rubbish

Mike

[john w.]

Cheers all for the information will be very useful.

I managaed to get his record from the NRA @ Kew last week, not a huge amount but does have a description of his exploits

John