Vendome

[gmac101]

My Great Grandfather James Frederick Carr was a trainee pilot during 1918.

He was sent to Vendome in France in late September 1918.

I know this had been a RNAS flight training school. I assume it became a RAF training school.

What were pilots taught there?

How long would he have trained there? (His service record has nothing until December)

Many Thanks

Gavin Mc

[Starlight]

Hi Gavin,

Vendome was a RNAS flight training school certainly up until May 1917 and possibly later. Many types of aircraft were used for training but the only type I know for certain was used (in 1917 that is) was the Maurice Farman Longhorn. I've read accounts of pilots who went to Vendome for flying training in July 1917 and by then it was an RFC training school. From their accounts they were trained elsewhere in the art of gunnery and the average training period was between 3 and four months before they were let loose on a squadron.

Steve

[sadsac]

Gavin, little info re VENDOME, Award for services - may be of interest ;

MAITLAND-HERIOT Edward E N/E Flt.Lt. RNAS 85T339

Vendome Air Station Commodore R.N.A.S. Cranwell

01.05.18 Gazetted R.N.A.S. Officers - 01.07.17 - 31.12.17 DSC

He has personally turned out 65 pupils and done 545½ hours flying during the period October, 1916 - January, 1918.

Sadsac

Gavin, little info re VENDOME, Award for services - may be of interest ;

MAITLAND-HERIOT Edward E N/E Flt.Lt. RNAS 85T339

Vendome Air Station Commodore R.N.A.S. Cranwell

01.05.18 Gazetted R.N.A.S. Officers - 01.07.17 - 31.12.17 DSC

He has personally turned out 65 pupils and done 545½ hours flying during the period October, 1916 - January, 1918.

Sadsac

[gmac101]

Thanks Sadsac & Starlight,

I hope to visit the National Archives in the not too distant future and see what I can find.

I'll let you know if it is anything of general interest

Thanks again

Gavin

[mickdavis]

My understanding is that RNAS Vendome was an attempt by that service at a concentrated training unit, along the lines set up by the French, whereby there was a central aerodrome with several satellite sites - so that all through training could be delivered. The RFC answer to this was the Training Depot system which didn't employ satellite fields. The RNAS in England had elementary schools, e.g. Redcar, Eastbourne, from which pupils progressed to the CTE at Cranwell and then finishing school at Dover, prior to operational posting. By 1917, 12 Sqn RNAS was operating in France as what was, virtually, a WW2 OTU in order to bring newly posted personnel from England up to scratch.

The elements at Vendome were amalgamated into the RAF TDS system and became 205 and 212 TDS, operating at range of types; from Caudron G.IIIs as elemntary trainers to Pups and Camels for advanced work.