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A
Pilot's War
Pilots'
stories and Squadron histories
www.airwar1.org.uk
The
following accounts of service in the RFC during World War One have
in common postings with No 2 Squadron Royal Flying Corps (a
Corps reconnaissance and artillery support squadron) from April 1915
to February 1916 and December 1917 to April 1918. Three of the
officers concerned kept diaries
of their time with No 2 Squadron and these are published here in
their original form with additional background.
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Link
to an account of Major Frank Smith's war.
Major
Smith joined the RFC in January 1915 and served through (later with
the RAF) to 1919. He served as a pilot with No.s 2 and 27 Squadrons
(BE2s and Martinsyde Elephants) and then as CO of 62 Squadron
(Bristol Fighters). Click here
to read his story compiled from his diary, pilots log book and
photos. This account also includes a history of No 62 Squadron
and details of the officers and some of the men who served in the squadron. |
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Link
to an account of Captain William Allcock's war.
Captain
Allcock joined the RFC in June 1915, following flying training at
Hendon, attending CFS and subsequently serving in No.s 2, 16, 46
and 40 Squadrons RFC before being posted missing on 5 June 1917. Click
here to read his story
compiled from his diary (while with Nos 2 and 16 Sqns) and photos. |
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Link
to an account of 2nd Lt Seton Montgomerie's war
Lieutenant
Montgomerie, a New Zealander, joined No 2 Squadron RFC as a
pilot in December 1917 and served with them through to the Battle of
the Lys when he was wounded in action. He returned to England to
recover and later returned to flying as an instructor. Click here
to read his story compiled from his diary. |
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Link
to a short biography of the actor/airman Lt Col Robert Loraine
MC, DSO
Robert
"Bobbie" Loraine was a well known actor when he took up
flying as one of the early aviators, setting a number of records in
1910. He joined the RFC in the First World War as a 2/Lt rising to
the rank of Lt Col. Postings included No.s 3, 2, 5 and 40 Squadrons
RFC, and later, 211 Squadron RAF. Committed and sometimes
controversial, he was highly decorated and suffered two major
injuries in action. |
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Link
to the story of Lt Harry Bennett
Harry
Bennett enlisted in the army in Canada and transfered to the RFC in
1917 initially as an observer and then as a pilot. He served an
operational tour with No 2 Squadron RFC in 1917 as an observer
and after completing pilot training joined No 49 Squadron RAF
(DH9 bombers). |
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Link
to the story of 2/Lt Harold Adams
Harold
Adams came to England from Australia to enlist in the RFC to train
as a pilot. He was on an operational tour with No 70 Squadron
RFC (Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutters) in 1917 when he was officially listed
as killed in action though subsequent investigation revealed that he
died of wounds inflicted on the ground. |
Squadron
histories
The
following histories relate to squadrons that served with IX Brigade RAF:
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Link
to a history of 62 Squadron RFC/RAF
A
Bristol Fighter squadron deployed to France in January 1918,
assigned to IX Brigade RFC/RAF. |
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Link
to a history of 80 Squadron RFC/RAF
A
Camel scout squadron deployed to France in February 1918,
assigned initially to IX Brigade RFC/RAF. |
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Link
to a history of 103 Squadron RFC/RAF
A
DH9 bomber squadron deployed to France in May 1918, initially
assigned to IX Brigade RAF then to X Brigade. |
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Link
to a history of 32 Squadron
RAF in 1918
An
SE5a scout squadron originally deployed to France in February
1916, completed re-equipment with SE5a's by March 1918 assigned to IX
Brigade RAF from 1 April. |
www.airwar1.org.uk |