elliebooks Posted 17 January , 2008 Share Posted 17 January , 2008 Hello everyone, I am new to the forum and hope you don't mind me requesting information on behalf of our Local History Society! We are trying to find some information on each of the names on our local war memorial to put into a book hopefully in time for remembrance day in november. We have been able to find out quite a lot about some names but others have been harder to research. We know T S Roadley was attached to the RFC from the South Staffordshire Regiment we get that from the CWGC site he died on 17 aug. 1917 We have just received his record from Yeovilton but so far have not decifered what it says. If anyone can give any background info to add to the basic details we have we would be very gratefull. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 17 January , 2008 Share Posted 17 January , 2008 First of all, welcome to the Forum. Lt T S Roadley of No 57 Sqn RFC (formerly 4th Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment) was flying DH 4 A7461, with 2Lt Cecil Rees Thomas as observer, when he was killed in action on 17 August 1917. The airmen were on a bombing mission from Boisdinghem aerodrome to Courtrai, and were last seen in a steep dive. Their formation from No 57 Sqn did have a battle with enemy aircraft - Maj E G Joy and Lt F Leathley in A7563 had their engine damaged in a fight with Oblt Eduard von Dostler of Jasta 6, who was credited with his 25th victory - but there doesn't appear to be a claim that corresponds with the loss of A7461. I hope that this helps. Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadsac Posted 18 January , 2008 Share Posted 18 January , 2008 Ellie, have nothing speciffically on Raodley, here is Award for another member of 8 Sqdn - just for info ; LITTLE Robert A DSC Flt.Lt. RNAS 85T068 & 069 No. 8 Naval Squadron Attached 10 (Army) Wing) R.F.C. Field Marshall C-in-C France 22.06.17 Gazetted R.N.A.S. Officers - France 22-23.04.17 & 03.05.17 DSC - bar to For exceptional daring and skill in ariel fighting on many occasions, of which the following are examples :- On the 3rd May, 1917, he saw a formation of 8 hostile scouts attacking some of our machines. He dived in amongst them and fired on one at very close range. This machine was seen by another Pilot to go down out of control. On the 30th April, 1917, with three other Sopwith Triplanes, he went up after hostile machines. Near Douai they saw a big fight between F.E's and hostile aircraft. Lt. Little attacked one at 50 yards range and brought it down out of control. A few minutes later, he attacked a Red Scout, with a larger machine than the rest. This machine was handled with great skill, but by clever manoeuvring, Lt. Little got into a good position close behind and below, and shot it down out of control.On the 29th April, 1917, he shot down a hostile scout, which crashed on Douai aerodrome, and on the 28th April, 1917, he destroyed an Airatik East of Arras. Regards Sadsac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 18 January , 2008 Share Posted 18 January , 2008 Sadsac I wonder if you might be confusing the issue a little here, with an account of Capt R A Little in No 8 Sqn RNAS when the enquiry was about a member of No 8 Sqn RFC. The CWGC shows Lt T S Roadley as being in No 8 Sqn RFC, but he was flying with No 57 Sqn when he was killed. Regards Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmac Posted 18 January , 2008 Share Posted 18 January , 2008 8 Squadron has a web site: http://8squadron.co.uk/history_1915-1920.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 18 January , 2008 Share Posted 18 January , 2008 Some more information on Lt T S Roadley of No 57 Sqn RFC: On 24 June 1917 he flew DH 4 A7464, with 2Lt L A Rushbrooke as observer, when the aeroplane was wrecked on landing; on 26 June he flew DH 4 A7480, with 2Lt L A Rushbrooke as observer, when the aeroplane overshot Droglandt aerodrome and tipped up in a ditch; on 7 July he flew DH 4 A7481, with Lt L A Rushbrooke as observer, and was credited with sending down a German two-seater out of control over Westroosbeke - both airmen were wounded in the action; on 23 July he flew DH 4 A7403, with 2Lt C R Thomas as observer, when it was wrecked on landing. I hope that this helps. Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliebooks Posted 18 January , 2008 Author Share Posted 18 January , 2008 Thank you very much Gareth and also Sadsack for taking the trouble to assist, could you say why he was flying with 57Squ when he was supposed to be with no.8. Thank you Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 18 January , 2008 Share Posted 18 January , 2008 No 8 and 57 sqns had very different roles at this time. 8 was corps recconnaisance and 57 a bomber unit. No 8 was gaining a reputation for spotting concealed German gun positions. They went on to use this when in support of the Tank Corps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 18 January , 2008 Share Posted 18 January , 2008 Maureen Perhaps the CWGC information is simply incorrect, as Lt Roadley was certainly with No 57 Sqn at the time of his death in late August, and had been with the unit for at least two months before that date. Regards Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliebooks Posted 7 February , 2008 Author Share Posted 7 February , 2008 Thank you Dolphin and Centurion for your helpful replies. I have passed your comments on to the person colating the information. I thought I had seen a section on abbreviations somewhere on this site but I cant find it so although these are probably very basic could you tell me what FO RS & Bde O stand for. Thank you again I will get back to you if there are any more questions. Regards Maureen [ Regards Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliebooks Posted 7 February , 2008 Author Share Posted 7 February , 2008 Thank you Dolphin and Centurion for your helpful replies. I have passed your comments on to the person colating the information. I thought I had seen a section on abbreviations somewhere on this site but I cant find it so although these are probably very basic could you tell me what FO RS & Bde O stand for. Thank you again I will get back to you if there are any more questions. Regards Maureen [Perhaps the CWGC information is simply incorrect, as Lt Roadley was certainly with No 57 Sqn at the time of his death in late August, and had been with the unit for at least two months before that date. Regards Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 7 February , 2008 Share Posted 7 February , 2008 Maureen FO = Flying Officer, which means an RFC officer of any rank who flew (not the post-war RAF rank with the same name); RS usually = Reserve Squadron, does it fit in this case?; Bde O = Brigade Orders. I hope that this helps. Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 8 February , 2008 Share Posted 8 February , 2008 At the National Archives at Kew (not online) you might find information in these files: AIR 1/693/21/20/57 History of 57 Squadron, R.A.F. 1917-1918 AIR 1/1224/204/5/2634 Combat reports: 57 Squadron 1917 Mar.-1918 Oct Service records WO 339/38160 ROADLEY T S, Capt 1915-1922 Medal card of Roadley, Thomas Stanley Corps Regiment No Rank South Staffordshire Regiment Second Lieutenant Attached Royal Flying Corps Captain http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...;resultcount=12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadsac Posted 8 February , 2008 Share Posted 8 February , 2008 Gareth, quite understand your comment re me `muddying the waters' - but I only `threw' the 8 Sqdn info in `for interest'. Not being a Sqdn `expert' I would not comment further re 8 / 57 Sqdn. `Little knowledge dangerous thing' comes to mind. `In flames do I retire' !! Happy landings, Sadsac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadsac Posted 8 February , 2008 Share Posted 8 February , 2008 Gareth, here I take great delight in trying (desperately) to `muddy T' waters' further. Find following two awards for 8 Sqdn bods RNAS with RFC ??? Confused ? Brain `Scrabbled' ? `Dizzily in a Spin' ? SIMPSON George G N/E Flt.Lt. RNAS 85T083 No. 8 Naval Squadron R.F.C C-in-C France 22.06.17 Gazetted R.N.A.S. Officers - France 03-11-23.05.17 DSC For gallantry and able leadership in ariel fighting, notably on the following occasions :- On the 3rd May, 1917, while on offensive patrol with five other machines, he attacked six hostile aircraft. One of these he brought down out of control, and a few minutes later he attacked another at close range and brought it down in flames. On the 23rd May, 1917, he led a formation of five machines to attack at least twice that number of hostile aeroplanes. Both formations became split up and a general flight ensued. Five times during the combat he drove off hostile aeroplanes, from another of our machines and one of those which he attacked was seen to go down in a spin. BROOKES Charles D N/E Flt.Cdr. RNAS 85T081 No. 8 Naval Squadron R.F.C C-in-C France 22.06.17 Gazetted R.N.A.S. Officers - France 26.04.17 - 24.05.17 DSC For special gallantry in the field on numerous occasions, especially the following :- On the 26th April, 1817, whilst on patrol he went to the assistance of a formation of our machines, which was being attacked by nine hostile scouts. He attacked one of the latter, which was driven down in flames and crashed. Later in the same day he attacked and drove down out of control another hostile machine. On numerous other occasions he has attacked enemy machines and driven them down out of control. Sadsac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 8 February , 2008 Share Posted 8 February , 2008 Sadsac In summary, when RFC resources were severely stretched, some RNAS squadrons were attached to the RFC to provide required aeroplanes and personnel. In particular, No 8 Sqn RNAS was formed on 25 October 1916 as a unit designed to assist the RFC and was posted to the Somme battlefront. Hence, things like recommendations for awards were processed through the RFC. However, the two services remained completely separate entities until amalgamation into the RAF on 1 April 1918, so No 8 Sqn RNAS [often written as No 8 (N) Sqn] was a totally different unit from No 8 Sqn RFC, which was formed on 1 January 1915. RNAS men had Naval-style uniforms and ranks, while the RFC was an Army formation. I hope that this sorts it out. Cheers Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliebooks Posted 8 February , 2008 Author Share Posted 8 February , 2008 Thank you very much for the helpful info. You and everyone else who have taken the trouble to help. I have passed the information on and have to ask the following;- on the documents from Yeovilton it says 18-8-17 missing-France 17-8-17, 28-2-18 Killed We don't understand according to the cwgc he died 17-8-1917 could they have that wrong as well as his squadron? Thank you Maureen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 8 February , 2008 Share Posted 8 February , 2008 Maureen My guess is that he was posted as Missing in Action on 17 August 1917, but his death wasn't confirmed until February 1918, perhaps when his captured observer was able to get word from his PoW camp. Regards Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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