Paul Reed Posted 18 January , 2004 Share Posted 18 January , 2004 Any ideas what this chap is in? Balloon observer? Your help and comments appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 18 January , 2004 Share Posted 18 January , 2004 Paul, take away the headgear, and I'd be fairly sure that this was someone who, perhaps, had regular shifts up the crows nest of a ship. That outfit looks more 'wet weather' protection than cold weather protection. But there is obviously a wireless involved. So my guess is that he is Merchant Navy; submariner, perhaps....? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 18 January , 2004 Author Share Posted 18 January , 2004 Thanks Peter - I hadn't thought of that. I bought this 15+ years ago with a load of RFC material, so just presumed he was the same! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krithia Posted 18 January , 2004 Share Posted 18 January , 2004 Looks like a Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) flyer to me. They commonly wore black, double-breasted flying gear ... is that a life vest he is wearing ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 18 January , 2004 Share Posted 18 January , 2004 It really is a fantastic photo. Bit unfortunate about his ears though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckman Posted 19 January , 2004 Share Posted 19 January , 2004 Surely not all wet weather gear - not with those bigarse mink mittens. He has to be an aviator of some description. Airship or flying boat crew, possibly??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 19 January , 2004 Share Posted 19 January , 2004 The gentleman's inflatable vest looks like a standard RNAS/RAF issue Perrin/Auliff belt, which would have been a dull yellow colour. My guess is an RNAS airman or someone who was RNAS before being moved to the RAF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 19 January , 2004 Author Share Posted 19 January , 2004 Many thanks for all your replies- most helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleur Posted 19 January , 2004 Share Posted 19 January , 2004 none of you have made comment about how young he looks! Fleur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pete Wood Posted 19 January , 2004 Share Posted 19 January , 2004 Paul, everyone was right EXCEPT me. I've been through some books and found the 'black' RNAS coat described by Krithia. An almost identical civilian version was called the Burfron (and believed superior to the military item). I've found the "bigarse mink mittens" on the observer of a RNAS floatplane, as described by Duckman. I've even found a balloon observer wearing the same mits. The same chap with the mittens, based in Yarmouth, and flying a Short Type 827, was also wearing an inflatable vest as described by Dolphin. The "unfortunate ears", described by Max, are hiding under a MkI helmet - worn by RFC/RNAS pilots and observers. You could buy all this equipment from Gieves Ltd of 21 Old Bond Street, London or 5 Rue Auber in Paris. Sorry for sending people off after the proverbial wild geese. And yes, Fleur, he looks about 16 years old to me - which probably means he is the 35 year old CO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trenchwalker Posted 19 January , 2004 Share Posted 19 January , 2004 its baldrick aint it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John D Posted 19 January , 2004 Share Posted 19 January , 2004 Attached for interest is a 'Balloonatic' kitting up. The photo was taken in May 1918 in France. You can see the parachutes on the left hand side by the ladder. (Background info - the officer with the parachute harness on was Lt D Dening, and the unit was 42 Kite Balloon Section) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest auliff Posted 15 February , 2004 Share Posted 15 February , 2004 Can anyone give me information on my uncle's life jacket? Peter Auliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 15 February , 2004 Share Posted 15 February , 2004 The most sophisticated life jacket of the period was designed before the War (1909-1910) by Frenchman M Paul Perrin, while Mr Mark Auliff was his agent in the UK. It was made of a dull yellow rubberised fabric bladder linked in front by triangular D rings and snap hooks (prominent in the photograph that started this thread). There were braces that went over the shoulders. Inflation was by way of compressed gas that was released by a lever. When inflated, the preserver was supposed to float so that the wearer's face was out of the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest auliff Posted 3 March , 2004 Share Posted 3 March , 2004 The most sophisticated life jacket of the period was designed before the War (1909-1910) by Frenchman M Paul Perrin, while Mr Mark Auliff was his agent in the UK. It was made of a dull yellow rubberised fabric bladder linked in front by triangular D rings and snap hooks (prominent in the photograph that started this thread). There were braces that went over the shoulders. Inflation was by way of compressed gas that was released by a lever. When inflated, the preserver was supposed to float so that the wearer's face was out of the water. Thanks. It is wonderful to get so much infomation after so long. I had been told that the advantage of this life jacket was that it kept the wearers face out of the water My brother told me that it was self inflateable with a gas bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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