A post card Mystery from WW1

Many years ago my great grandmother gave to me two large albums of post cards, at least 500 cards that had been collected by my grandmother. All these cards were written and posted in the early 1900s and most contained simple personal messages eg, birthday, meet you off the train 9am tommorow, having a good holiday, that type of thing. These cards were used rather like the email of today, simple low cost efficient communication which was ok when we had a reliable postal service with three or four collections and maybe two deliveries a day.
These cards  have proven to be a great source of information in trailing my families history, but one card stood out as a little different. It was a photo from WW1 showing a simple battlefield cross with the dead soldiers name, rank,number and date of death. But who was he and why did my grandmother have it?

The label on the cross said No 83576 ,Pte H  Borton, 51st  M G Coy, 21/9/17

A little research revealed that this man was Harry Edward Borton  of the machine gun corps.

Checking his service record I found he had first joined the Oxford and Bucks light infantry in December 1915 but was transferred to the machine gun corps in January 1917. On completion of training a posting to the BEF in France followed in April 1917. On the 3rd of July 1917 he was killed in action just two and a half months from arriving in France. 

He now lies in grave I. B. 16 Sunken Road Cemetary Fampoux.

The date on the original cross may have referred to the date the cross was raised hence the difference to the date he was KIA.

But what was his connection to my grandmother, a little more research showed him to be her cousins husband, they had lived in Caversham close to my grandmother and Harry worked as a  letter press operator in Caversham.

My research revealed who he was,where he lived, his connection to my family, that his widow received his medal, memorial plaque and a widows pension of thirteen shillings and nine pence a week. Not much for a young mans life but a typical example of the time for so many.

Harry Edward Borton 1885 - 1917 R.I.P

So next time you see some old postcards do not think the picture alone is what makes the card of interest, so much history can be gleened from the messages written on the reverse that really bring the past to life. 

The Cody tree

The pioneering aviator Samuel F Cody who achieved so much in the earliest days of aviation in Britain, primarily from his base at Farnborough was for many years remembered by the preserved tree which he used to tie his aeroplane to when carrying out thrust measurements on his aeroplane.

The inscription below the tree reads.

"Samuel Franklin Cody measured the thrust of his first aeroplane in 1908/9 by tying it to this tree and his flight of 1390 feet on the 16th October 1908 was the first powered and sustained flight in Great Britain" 

By the 1950s the original tree was deteriorating and in 1959 The RAE workshops at Farnborough cast a replica tree in aerospace-grade aluminium alloy and the original tree was replaced by this reproduction.

 

Small sections of the original tree were recovered and are now held for posterity by Farnborough Air Sciences Trust museum.

The replica was eventually moved from its original location and now stands in front of the headquarters of Qinetiq at Farnborough.

Lt Col David Niven
Normandy 1944

Another side to the film star David Niven that many are not aware of and at this time he is worth remembering.

David Niven attended the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, graduating in 1930 commissioned as a second lieutenant in the regular Army.
He served with the Highland Light Infantry for two years in Malta and then for a few months in Dover but resigned his commission in 1933.
When war was declared in 1939 he immediately returned to England from the USA even though the British Embassy had advised actors to remain in the US.
He was re-commissioned as a lieutenant in the Rifle Brigade, however wanting something more exciting he joined the commandos and initially commanded "A" Sqn GHQ Liaison Regiment better known as Phantom, whose role was to provide collection, passage and dissemination of real-time information on the progress of battle back to Corps HQ, usually working at or in front of the line of battle.
Niven landed in Normandy a couple of days after D Day and saw action across Europe,

In his spare moments he also worked with the Army film unit, He acted in two films made during the war, "The First of the Few" (1942) and "The Way Ahead" (1944). Both were made with a view to winning support for the British war effort, especially in the U.S. Niven's Film Unit work included a small part in the deception operation that used actor Clifton James to impersonate Field Marshall Montgomery.

He was awarded the Legion of Merit an American military decoration. Presented by Eisenhower himself in honour of Niven's work in setting up the BBC Allied Expeditionary Forces Programme.

He finished the war with the rank of Lt Col.


A man who far exceeded his film characters in courage and depth of commitment to his country and his men.

.

The Duke of Kent inspects “Phantom” A Squadron in Richmond Park, Escorting is a helmeted Major David Niven commander of "A" squadron
with Lt Col Hoppy Hopkinson on extreme left.

When flying was still a club for the adventurer

In January 1914 when flying was still the preserve of the adventures few a dinner was held in London with many of the great names of early British aeronautics in attendance.This dinner was held in recognition of those who were  first  to loop the loop in an aeroplane. It was named:

                                                  The Upside Down Dinner

Standing on the left, left to right Mr Gustav Hamel, Mr Claude Grahame-White, Mr B C Husk 

When the announcement was made of an upside down dinner in honour of Mr B C Hucks and Mr Gustav Hamel by the Hendon aviators it was expected to be a fun occasion. The dinner was held at the Royal automobile club and was attended only by those intimately involved in aviation.
Everything was done with the aim of embodying the concept of looping the loop and upside down.
The dinning tables were cunningly arranged in the form of a loop in recognition of those attending.

The dinner itself started at the end with the announcement that coffee was served and the chairman,  Mr Claude Grahame-White toasting the King, followed by the instruction  "You may now smoke".
The waiters, dressed in mechanics overalls served coffee, liqueurs and toothpicks.
Next came the savoury, Canape` a la chenteloup, sweets of souffle` a la Hucks, the vegetable of Asperges renversees , the roast being becassines a la Hamel with salad a` la Bleriot, the entree  a vol au vent a la Hendon and the joint baron de Pauillac a` l' aviation.

Wow next came the Fish "The Looping Lobster" announced as " the lobster is now looping". The great dish of one huge lobster upside down surrounded by smaller lobsters was paraded around the loop of tables prior to being distributed to the assembly.
The dinner concluded with a consume de volaille a la Grahame White and hors d`oeuvres.

It would seem that they really knew how to live it up in those days.

In true recognition of the event Mr Hucks endeavoured to honour the health of the king by drinking Giesler from a glass, upside down.
Speeches followed with reminiscences by Mr Grahame-White. In mentioning Mr Hucks as being the first to loop the loop in England he also mentioned Mr Hamel  as being the first to take up a woman to loop the loop although he was extremely sorry to say that Miss Trehawke Davies the courageous lady in question was at the moment very seriously ill and it would echo the sentiments of everyone present if he sent Miss Davies a telegram on behalf of all assembled to wish her a speedy recovery.

Gustav Hamel and Miss Trehawke Davies

Lastly the directors of the London aerodrome had contributed to a Special gold medal to be given to each attendee of the dinner to commemorate the event.

Signatures of those attending the dinner.
Capt E Bass, E Baumann, G W Beatty, W Birchenough, G Biss, W L Brock, R H Carr, J Cates, N Chereau, M Dessouter,  H le Forestier, R T Gates, F W Goodden, C Grahame-White, C Greswell, C G Grey, Gustav Hamel, F Handley Page,           G Holt Thomas, B C Hucks, Bernard Issac, J H Ledeboer, Sir Bryan Leighton, Robert Loraine, P Marty, M D Manton,       L Noel, J D North, J W Orde, H E Perrin, H Pontefract, Lieut J C Porte, A M Ramsay, A G Reynolds, J C Savage,     Stanley Spooner,     L A Strange, T K Walton, R Whitehouse, W E de B Whittaker, E T Willows, J E Withers, P Verrier

Foot note:
Mr Gustav Hamel died whilst crossing the English channel on the 23rd May 1914 aged 25

Miss Davies who lived life to the full died at her London home in November 1915 aged 35

Mr Bentfield Charles Hucks (the first to loop the loop) in England. During WW1 he served with honour in the RFC and following Illness as a test pilot for the aircraft manufacturing co ltd. 
He died as a result of contracting influenza on  7th November 1918 aged 34

Sparkling lives that made history despite of being cut so short.

The Royal Flying Corps Today in 1915

This week in May 1915

The advance on Aubers Ridge was still in progress this week but crucially hesitated on the 17th as understanding of the true position was unclear. Additionally a persistent mist fell upon the field of battle at this time.

Air actions of note  for the week were:

10th May 

2 Sqn Lt J L Jackson  wounded in face

Morane L  of 3 Sqn shot down by AA fire over Fournes
crew Lt D Corbett-Wilson and 2nd Lt I N Woodiwiss both KIA

Voisin LA of 4 Sqn on reconn damaged by shrapnel 
Crew Capt E F Unwin and Lt H Lygon

Vickers FB5 of 5 Sqn on reconn entered combat with and shot down Albatros over Lille
Crew Lt W H W Acland and 1AM Rogers (Rogers Awarded DCM for this action)

Vickers FB5 of 5 Sqn in combat with two Albatros over Staden 
Crew 2nd Lt R Maxwell-Pike and 2nd Lt Andrews

Martinsyde S1 of 6 Sqn combat with an Otto over Polygon wood
Crew Capt L A Strange  ( pilot was thrown out of a/c after combat but managed to crawl back in. see recollections of an Airman.)

11th May

BE2a of 4 Sqn on reconn was shot up but returned to base
Crew Capt R M Vaughan and Lt Hankin

12th May

BE2c of 4 Sqn was shot up creating a fuel leak but returned OK
crew Lt G W G Lywood and 2nd Lt Benett

Voisin LA of 4 Sqn on a photo reconn mission over Courtrai involved in combat over Warneton
but returned OK
Crew Capt Murphy and Lt H Lygon

Voisin of 1 Sqn RNAS  Came down taken prisoner following  Attack on  a Zeppelin
Crew Flight Lt J O Groves and Lt Cdr H Dobell  both made POWs

14th May

the first FE2b aeroplanes arrived in France assigned to 6 Sqn at Abeele

15th May

Voisin LA of 4 Sqn on reconn was shot up and crashed into tree close to aerodrome
Capt E F Unwin  injured  Lt H Lygon shaken both taken to hospital

BE2c of 8 Sqn hit by shrapnel  
Crew  Capt A D Gaye and Lt G Graham both wounded (the first WIA casualties for 8 Sqn)


The Aeroplanes 



Vickers FB5



Martinsyde S1



Morane L



RAF FE2B Pusher

Royal Flying Corps today in 1915

May 9th 1915

The Battle of Aubers Ridge commenced this day, the purpose for the allies to advance onto an earlier objective of the battle of Neuve Chapelle. This day would prove to be the busiest day of the air war to date. The plan was to use aerial bombing prior to the general bombardment with the intention of disrupting enemy communications, results were limited due to the lack of effective bomb aiming techniques at that time.
Additionally 16 sqn provided reconnaissance for army headquarters, as troops arrived at various key positions they were to deploy white signal sheets. The aeroplanes were able to send some 42 messages to special ground wireless receiving stations.
Nos 2 , 3, 4, 5 & 6 sqns were also fully deployed.

As one might expect the day was not without loss as the following illustrates.

                Aeroplane              Crew          

4 Sqn   Voisin LA         Capt E F Unwin                                              Hit through boot   OK

5 Sqn   Vickers FB5     Lt W H D Ackland / Lt Andrews                    Reconnaissance 

5 Sqn   Vickers FB5     Lt S Graham-Gilmour / 1AM Sutcliffe          Shot down Albatros   

6 Sqn    BE2a                Lt Hargrave / Capt Bovill                               Shot up but OK 

6 Sqn    BE2b                Capt Macdonnell / Capt B T James             Combat 

16 Sqn  Voisin               Lt H F Glanville                                                Wounded in leg

16 Sqn  Voisin               Lt F H Eberli / Lt S A Sanford                        Shot down  became POWs 

16 Sqn  Voisin               2ndLt  Hon F W Rodney / Lt C B Spence     Killed in action

16 Sqn  Voisin LA         Capt A G Fox                                                   Killed in action


Our aeroplanes of the day

BE2a

Vickers FB5

Voisin 

So Little changes in 100 years

Our recent activities in Afghanistan are far from new to the area as I discovered when researching the early history of R.F.C later R.A.F No 31 squadron . I found this little snippet of information .

In 1919, after quelling riots by Sikhs around Amritsar, the squadron was employed in Afghanistan where tribesmen had declared a new Jihad against the British. The squadron carried out almost daily bombing attacks, including one raid on the Afghani Amirs palace in his capital Kabul. The bombing helped to demoralise the Afghanis who sued for peace. "Peacekeeping" operations with new Bristol aircraft continued sporadically in the troubled north-west region where tribesmen continued their resistance to British rule.
The aircraft used at this time were the BE2C

And later the Bristol Fighter F2B

Tornado GR4 as used by No 31Sqn today

How sad that in 100 years life in this part of the world seems to have changed so little.