The Isle of Grain

[nhclark]

Looking for some detail on what went on at the Isle of Grain.

My man was a clerk. He enlisted on 24th August 1917, and served first at President II - first at Crystal Palace for a month, and then from 26th September 1917 on the Isle of Grain.

From 30th November 1917 he transferred to Daedalus, but remained at the Isle of Grain, and he stayed there until discharge 20th March 1918 (heart disease).

The only thing I can find in Ben Warlow's book is reference to the Royal Naval Air Service at Grain. Was this a seaplane base? How does that relate to President and Daedalus?

Also, his ratings were "A C M II" and then "A C I." Does the "AC" mean "accounts clerk"?

Thank you.

Noel

[jay dubaya]

Hi Noel,

Today the Isle of Grain may give the impression of being a quiet backwater, but in WW1 it must have been a hive of military activity. Grain Fort and its supporting batteries and searchlight posts were manned by the Army. The Navy maintained an airfield and the Experimental Construction Depot which was a facilty for the development of seaplanes, a refuelling depot and an ammunition dump.

In 1918 Grain was host to the last known epidemic of malaria in the UK. This was caused because the army chose to station already infected men here despite the presence of the anopheles mosquito in the surrounding marshes.

cheers, Jon

[Stephen Nulty]

Moel

"ACM" will have indicated "Aircraft Man", with I and II indicating 1st class and 2nd class.

President II was the accounting base for the Royal Naval Air Service. As such, a person may have simply been recorded as serving on President whilst they were "in between" ships, serving at an external base, and also as it was an accounting base someone listed at President II could also be on a ship or boat too small for it's own paymaster. So this bit doesn't actually tell you where he served!

[Jonathan Saunders]

Isle of Grain also hosted airships.

I believe some of the hangars still exist within one of the power plants but can not be seen from outside the perimeter fence.

There was a similar thread on this subject a few months back that may be worth searching for.

Regards,

Jon S

[nhclark]

"ACM" will have indicated "Aircraft Man", with I and II indicating 1st class and 2nd class.

Stephen, am I correct that this is the lowest rank in the RNAS, and that an Aircraftman could be anything - clerk, driver, cook etc. etc. - and did not necessarily mean aircrew?

(Forgive my ignorance!)

Noel

[Stephen Nulty]

Noel

Apologies for the delay in replying.

I'm reasonable sure that you're correct in what you say, as I have three different chaps serving with RNAS on my casualty list and they seem to have a variety of trades, all with an initial rank of "Aircraftman 2nd Class"

[centurion]

A whole host of experimental and devlopment activites went on on the Isle of Grain (or just off it) organised by the Port Victoria Experimental ConstructionDepot. These included such things as tests on vaious Davis recoiless guns, trials of ditching gear and floatation bags. Aircraft were even designed and built including the Grain Griffon which saw action, albeit in very small numbers, in Russia in 1919. Of these perhaps the nicest was the Port Victoria P.V.7 Grain Kitten which shares with the Port Victoria P.V.8 Eastchurch Kitten the accolade of being the smallest fighter aircraft ever built being designed for anti Zeppelin launches from Destroyers and Torpedo Boats. Both only made it to the prototype stage. There was also a fighter floatplane.

[nhclark]

Thank you everyone. I have enough information for my needs.

Noel