Air intelligence

[toeasy]

Hi Everyone,

My uncle served in the 12th brigade RGA during WW1. While in France he picked up an aeroplane message and was allowed to keep it as a keepsake. The message is below;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/82093934@N00/443926149/

Can anyone tell me

a- about the area or battle that this came from

and

b- anything about the pilot

My cousin still has the original paper

Dave

[Dolphin]

Dave

First of all, welcome to the Forum,

The note was dropped from an Armstrong-Whitworth FK 8 of No 8 Sqn RAF, during the third day of the Battle of Amiens (10 August 1918). No 8 Sqn was attached to the Tank Corps and carried out contact patrols and reconnaissance missions for the armour. Hence, the pilot was advising the Headquarters of 5 Tank Brigade that the enemy still occupied the area west of Lihons village (as the aeroplane had been fired at there). He was also telling HQ the map references of the areas where Mk V* and Mk V tanks had been seen advancing.

All I know about Lt R S(?) Dines, the pilot who dropped the note, is that he survived the War, as his name doesn't appear in Airmen Died in the Great War.

A photograph of an AWFK 8 is below.

I hope that this is useful.

Gareth

[toeasy]

Hi Gareth,

Thank you very much for the quick reply. My uncle who pick this up was in the 12th brigade HQ RGA and spent much of his time on a Harley Davison motorcycle. He was also in RASC and then was transferred to the RE, which I assume were the Royal Artillery Service Corp and the Royal Engineers.

I know he was in Poperighe Belguim in 1914 and Armentiers France in 1915. He was awarded a Meritous Service Medal but I don't know what for! His Medal card also says that he received the Victory medal, the British medal and the 1915 Star. Across from the victory medal it has the following reference: CL "L" Res 14.4.19

I should probally copy this to the medal section, but any info you can supply will be appreciated.

Dave

[Dolphin]

Dave

I'm sorry, but I can't help you with the medal details. However, there are plenty of people elsewhere on the Forum who can.

The only thing I can advise is that RASC stands for Royal Army Service Corps, though I think that they became Royal only at or about the end of the Great War - most references to them during the conflict are to the ASC.

Best wishes

Gareth