Lt. Leslie Donald Hamblin, RF.

[timhog]

Hi ot one and all.

Can anyone help with info on this man please?

All we have is, Lt, Royal Fusiliers, Pilot U/T (late in the war?) from the LG to be temp 2Lt 16-03-18 & to the unemployed list May 1919.

Not in The Sky or Communiques.

Tim.

[Hambo]

Tim

Do I know him? He's my grandfather!!! (see below for commemoration) I have his papers from Kew as well as a photo which I can send if you PM me. In the meantime let me get the kids to bed and I'll dig out what I have on his service

Regards hambo

[Hambo]

Tim

I made a posting a few years ago when I found his papers and managed to get a lot of help interpreting them some of this comes from the replies I got

He gave his date of birth as the 17th of January 1896 although his real birthday was the 17th of July 1899. I assume my great grandfather knew of this as he is given as next of kin. He was John Hamblin of 7 Fitzroy Road Fishponds Bristol. there is no record of where he enlisted

According to the records he was initially with 104th Training Battalion . His medal card says Lance Corporal M2/288735

He was approved for pilot training on the 14th of September 1917 but there is a big gap between that and when he actually appears to have started his instruction. The 17th Battalion Royal Fusiliers is mentioned and I do remember tales of him as a drill instructor in the UK so it's possible that's what he was doing in the meantime.

On the 18th of January 1918 No.2 School of aeronautics at Oxford, "drill, square bashing, ground instruction and lectures on guns and engines" is the reply I got from the forum. In April 1918 he goes to no.3 Training Depot Station at Lopcombe Corner near Middle Wallop a training squadron for new pilots. On the 7th of September 1918 he is posted to No.21 Training Depot Station at Driffield formed on the 15th of July 1918 also a training squadron

On the 9th of October 1918 he was posted to 95 Squadron which I understand was based at Kenley which was to use Martinsyde F4 Buzzards but the armistice arrived before the aircraft did and the squadron was disbanded shortly after.

He was posted to 7th Aircraft Acceptance Park on the 22nd of November 1918 and to 5 Aircraft Acceptance Park based at Filton on the 21st of February 1919

He joined the RAFVR after the war and if you're interested I can post his movements there as well. He is listed as being rated on the following aircraft BE, RE8, SE5A, Sopwith Pup and Camel, DH9 Avro (assume theis a 504) and Bristol Fighter which I remember him saying was his favorite.

Family legend says he was a ferry pilot for a while which would explain all the type ratings and he was given his medals which I still have which means he must of had some sort of overseas service (I think) so that part culd be correct.

What the records do not show is that he trained at Shoeham which I know he did because when I learnt to fly there 25 years ago he tokk the p*ss out of me for taking 10 hours to go solo!! If I remember he learnt of a Maurice Farman Shorthorn but you maybe able to shed some light on that. I'd be interested in knowing when he was at Shoreham for my own interest

Look forward to hearing from you

Hambo

[timhog]

Hi Hombo.

Thank you for the info.

There is not a lot I can add, when I started this job all I had was a list of names with little else, all I have for Leslie was in my post, no dates just pilot U/T. It is a great help to know that he was at Shoreham and if anything more turns up I will pass it on.

All the best.

Tim.