Sgt Benjamin Barnard No 8 squadron - KIA 15/08/15

[Starlight]

A friend of mine found the attached photo in the belongings of his great uncle, 2nd Lt Graham Price (No 6 squadron) who died 09/03/16. The inscription reads:

In Memorial

Sergt Barnard

No 8 Squadron RFC

Killed August 15 1915

In looking at "The Sky Their Battlefield" no information is provided other than his death and he is listed as "Untraced Casualty".

Can anyone provide me with any more details as to how he died or what hhe did - was he a pilot or an observer killed in combat or was he killed by a bomb? At the time of his death Number 8 squadron was flying BE2c and had just moved to Baizieux to take part in the Battle of Loos

Can anyone identify what type of aircraft the propeller came from or how I could find his descendents so that I could give them the photograph?

Steve

[birchp]

A friend of mine found the attached photo in the belongings of his great uncle, 2nd Lt Graham Price (No 6 squadron) who died 09/03/16. The inscription reads:

In Memorial

Sergt Barnard

No 8 Squadron RFC

Killed August 15 1915

In looking at "The Sky Their Battlefield" no information is provided other than his death and he is listed as "Untraced Casualty".

Can anyone provide me with any more details as to how he died or what hhe did - was he a pilot or an observer killed in combat or was he killed by a bomb? At the time of his death Number 8 squadron was flying BE2c and had just moved to Baizieux to take part in the Battle of Loos

Can anyone identify what type of aircraft the propeller came from or how I could find his descendents so that I could give them the photograph?

Steve

Steve

Name: BARNARD, BENJAMIN FREDERICK

Initials: B F

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Serjeant

Regiment/Service: Royal Flying Corps

Unit Text: 8th Sqdn.

Age: 26

Date of Death: 15/08/1915

Service No: 1483

Additional information: Son of Benjamin and Janet Barnard.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot 1. Row C. Grave 1.

Cemetery: LOUVENCOURT MILITARY CEMETERY

Log onto:-

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...casualty=117708

Paul

[Angular]

Steve

Name: BARNARD, BENJAMIN FREDERICK

Initials: B F

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Serjeant

Regiment/Service: Royal Flying Corps

Unit Text: 8th Sqdn.

Age: 26

Date of Death: 15/08/1915

Service No: 1483

Additional information: Son of Benjamin and Janet Barnard.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Plot 1. Row C. Grave 1.

Cemetery: LOUVENCOURT MILITARY CEMETERY

Log onto:-

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...casualty=117708

Paul

I know that going backwards wasn't what you asked for, but at least it gives you somewhere to start looking...

1891 census info from ancestry.com:

He was born Q3 1889

Name: Benjamin F Barnard

Age: 1

Relation: Son

Father's Name: Benjamin

Mother's Name: Janet

Gender: Male

Where born: Shoreditch, London, England

Father was a wool sorter, mother was a boxmaker. They lived at 79 Nicholas Street in Shoreditch.

Household Members: Name Age

Benjamin Barnard 23

Benjamin F Barnard 1

Janet Barnard 23

Janet E Barnard 3/1

By 1901 they were in 3, Hols Place in Shoreditch, with a lot more children.

I don't know the history of Shoreditch at all. With a name like Benjamin in the family, they may have been Jewish, which may help your search for descendants. Brother Bertie (b. c. 1903) may have served, too, which might give you a later angle to go at.

Other than that, going forward in time is pretty difficult. You might start a family tree with these people in genes reunited, and see if anyone else has these names in their tree.

Best of luck.

[Desdichado]

The four-bladed prop depicted may have come from a De Havilland BE-2. They were in service on the date he was killed.

[Starlight]

Thanks for the information guys. Though Number 8 squuadron was flying BE2c aircraft at the time, the shape of the propeller in the photo is wrong (I have the tip of one that my grandfather left me and it's a lot more rounded). Then it occurred to me that it could have been damaged in a crash, as those propellers were made up of several strips bonded together.

Anyone else out there who knows about propellers?

Steve

[Desdichado]

Thanks for the information guys. Though Number 8 squuadron was flying BE2c aircraft at the time, the shape of the propeller in the photo is wrong (I have the tip of one that my grandfather left me and it's a lot more rounded). Then it occurred to me that it could have been damaged in a crash, as those propellers were made up of several strips bonded together.

Anyone else out there who knows about propellers?

Steve

Steve,

The website below has a photo of a BE2. Its' propeller is the same shape as the one used as a grave marker.

http://www.apw.airwar1.org.uk/no2sqn.htm

[Guest DBarnard]

I am the eldest Great Grandson of Sgt Benjamin Frederick Barnard RFC.

According to family members, including his wife who I spoke to on many occasions about family history and the research I was undertaking in the early 1980's, this is the information you seek.

He was an engineer and as the RFC needed experienced engineers, he joined the RFC at S Farnboro (Farnborough, Hampshire?) 13.08.1914 as a "Fitter & Rigger".

According to his "Statement of Service".....

Regt or Depot: no 1

Promotions: promoted

Rank: Corpl

Date: 24.9.14

Regt or Depot: 2Ras

Promotions: promoted

Rank: Sergt

Date: 1.1.15

Regt or Depot: No8 Sqdn

Casualties: Killed in Action

Rank: Sergt

Date: 15.8.15

He is believed to have been turning the propeller in preparation to start the engine, when it started prematurely and he was decapitated by the propeller. He was killed instantly.

His wife and family discovered the news of his death when the picture appeared in a newspaper (not sure which one) and a neighbour called at their home to inform them of the sad news.

I have a cropped copy of this picture, given to me by my Great Grandmother (his widow), which she kept with a black edge.

N.B. This is the first time that I have seen what appears to be the full picture, as mine only shows one little girl to the left of the propeller.

I have visited his grave site in Louvencourt Military Cemetery on many occasions, most recently in May 2012 when I had a picnic at his graveside to celebrate his life and left a poppy and cross.

[Starlight]

Hi David, Thanks for providing the personal side of Sgt Barnards story. I'm glad you came across the post. Many men were killed or maimed by spinning propellers. My grandfather was a lucky one as he was hit on the back of the head by a propeller of an RE8 in 1917 (fortunately it was not spinning as the aircraft was landing 'deadstick') and lived to tell the tale. Having researched a fair amount on propellers since the date I started this post, I would concur that the propeller marking your great grandfather's first grave is most likely that of a BE2 (with a strip torn off it). Perhaps it was the one that was the cause of his death. I will PM you a copy of the graveside photo.

Regards

Steve

[Guest pbolding]

I live in De Beauvoir, London N1, where Barnard is among 136 fallen from World War One commemorated on a plaque in St Peter’s church.

The material here and on Ancestry (two photos of him) will form part of an exhibition.

There will also be a commemoration event in the church and if the great grandson would like to be informed of the date and/or take part, we would be most pleased to be in touch.

Please email me if you would like a photo of the plaque; I don’t seem to have the right to post pictures.

paul at at at paulbolding.org.uk

[Guest Nigel Barnard]

Hi

I am also a Great Grandson of Sgt Barnard, I am the oldest son of the oldest grandson of his. When my father died I inherited my Great Grandfathers medals, death plaque, original letter of notification of death and his leather flying cap. There are also a few photos of him. I would be very interested to see the photos of the plaque in St Peters Church as I and going to display what I have here.

Best Wishes

Nigel Barnard.

[Starlight]

I realise it's a long time since my last response but I have found two other photographs that might be of interest. They were taken at the same time as the photo of Sergeant Barnard's grave and show some of the other nearby graves at Louvencourt Military Cemetery. Both photos are taken looking north-west towards the western perimeter. the main gates and north-west corner are clearly visible in one of them. I have also attached the present-day plan of the cemetery with Barnard's grave marked.