Transfers of Manchester Regiment Officers to RFC/RAF

[themonsstar]

Lt Herbert Haslam

[themonsstar]

Lt JM.Child

[PhilipG]

 No. 3/15399 Sgt. Stephen Bernard Percival MM, Croix de Guerre (France), Medaille Militaire, 52nd        Manchesters & No. 27 Squadron RAF.

On the 14th August 1918, Sgt.Percival was airborne in the Arras sector flying in a DH9 aircraft No. D1702 of No. 27 Squadron RAF acting as Observer to his pilot 2nd Lt. J.H. Dickson.  The records show Percival and his pilot as being "killed while flying."

However, further investigation reveals that there was a collision whilst in the air with another DH9 aircraft (E634) of the same squadron, this 'plane being flown by 2nd Lt. A.F.Millar with 2nd Lt. J.V.Lee acting as his Observer.   All four flyers were killed and are buried in adjacent graves in Wanquetin Com. Cem. Extn.  Sgt.Percival who was only 19 was the son of the Rev. B.& Mrs E.L.Percival of Warrington.   PhilipG.

[PhilipG]

             2nd Lt. C.H.Case: No.20 Squadron RAF & 11th Bn. Manchester Regiment.

On the 29th September 1918, the battle for the Hindenburg Line commenced, particularly to the north of Bellenglise, where the breakthrough over the St.Quentin Canal in the region of the Riqueval Bridge was amazingly successful and a bridgehead of some size was effected.  The Press described it as "the miracle of the war".   The 2nd Manchesters were involved on that day, the battalion eventually taking up positions near Magny-La-Fosse on the 30th September, preparatory to making an attack on Joncourt the following day having suffered 24 casualties in doing so, including four of Wilfred Owen's brother officers.

The RAF were far from idle during that battle, some 300 or so of its aircraft being in action, one of which was No. E 2561 of No. 20 Squadron , a fighter-reconnaissance squadron operating Bristol F2b aircraft.  This machine was flown by 2nd Lt. N.S.Boulton with 2nd Lt. C.H.Case occupying the rear cockpit as gunner.   They had commenced an operational patrol at 9.05 a.m. and had been seen in good shape flying west of the lines, but they failed to return to base and both officers were reported as MIA.   Subsequently, it was established that both flyers had been killed in action having been shot down by Leutnant Mai of Jasta 5.   Lt. Boulton is buried in Bellicourt British Cem., whilst Lt. Case lies in Uplands Cemetery, Magny-La-Fosse.  Lt.Boulton is recorded as an "Air Ace" having shot down six enemy aircraft whilst operating in the St.Quentin area.

Uplands Cemetery is small and lies just on the outskirts of Joncourt alongside a narrow road leading into Joncourt village.   To the cemetery rear lies a valley once known as Springbok Valley and it was along this valley that the 15th Lancs. Fus. attacked towards the village, suffering heavy casualties from fire from a machine-gun post built into the railway embankment and which still exists today.

The photograph on the CWGC web site for this cemetery is worth looking at, the Lancashire  Fusiliers and later the 2nd Manchesters attacking from the area on the photograph's left to its right.   Whilst  the graves of soldiers of the L.Fus. predominate in this cemetery, there is one  Manchester Regiment officer buried there, namely, Lt. Reginald Webb of the 6th Manchesters, who was a friend of Wilfred Owen.  Lt. Webb was killed in action at Joncourt on the 1st October 1918 whilst serving with the 2nd Manchesters.  PhilipG.

[PhilipG]

For some reason I have confused Wilfred Owen's friend Webb with another of his army friends Gregg.  It is therefore, Lt. Reginald Gregg who is buried in Uplands Cem. Sorry!

[PhilipG]

2nd Lieutenant William Everton Baldwin: 18 Squadron RAF and Manchester Regiment.

On the morning of the 29th August 1918, 2nd Lt. Baldwin and his pilot Lt. W.Hogg were flying in a DH4 type aircraft No. A 7957 of No. 18 Squadron RAF taking part in a bombing attack on Herdan, near Lille.  They met strong enemy resistance and the engine of their machine was hit during the raid, resulting in a difficult landing at base having to be made and the 'plane was damaged in doing so.   Lt. Hogg was uninjured, but it was discovered after landing, that Lt.Baldwin had been wounded during the fighting and he subsequently died of his wounds.   There is doubt about his date of death, for the CWGC gives this as being on the 25th August 1918.  He is buried in Varennes Military Cemetery.

Notes:

It was on this day that the German Army decided to abandon Peronne. The "Advance to Victory" was continuing.

I have not been able to discover the battalion in which Lt. Baldwin served before his transfer to the RFC/RAF.

PhilipG.

[PhilipG]

         2nd Lt. Harry Stanley Gough: 48 Squadron RFC & 8th Bn. Manchester Regiment.

At 6.10 a.m. on the 17th August 1917, acting as pilot of a Bristol F2b of No. 48 Squadron RFC numbered A 7210 and with Captain L.F.Reincke in the rear cockpit, Lt. Gough set course for an operational patrol over the lines, possibly in the region of Dunkirk.   It was not long before they were engaged in combat with a superior force of German aircraft during which the aircraft's engine was hit by enemy fire, Captain Reincke killed and Lt. Gough wounded.   However, the squadron log reports that Gough managed to reach base at 7.30 a.m. and to land his damaged machine without further mishap.

It would appear that Lt.Gough was eventually posted to England, possibly to recover from his wounds, for there is a record that he was "killed whilst flying" and is buried in the Military Cemetery at Tidworth.  Salisbury Plain and its surrounds were well provided with areas for flying training, but what caused his aircraft to crash is not known.   Captain Reincke is buried in Zuydcoote Mil.Cem.
PhilipG.

[PhilipG]

             Lt. John Reginald Orrell  : llth Manchesters and RFC.

The 1st August 1917 should have been the day for the Army to go on the offensive, but the weather for the following days proved to make it impossible for the infantry to proceed and, as General Gough wrote, "deprived the Army of the use of our eyes", i.e. the Royal Flying Corps".

Lieutenant Orrell was a graduate of No. 1 (Observers) School of Aerial Gunnery and in due course was posted to No. 34 Squadron RFC.   On the 6th August, with some improvement in the weather, he was flying on patrol with 2nd Lt. R.T.Barlow as his pilot in a RE8 type aircraft - No. A99- over the North Sea shore line of the Belgium coast, the flyers having left their airfield at around 2 p.m.

The aircraft came under enemy observation and about 3 p.m. whilst over the sea near La Panne, the machine's engine was hit by anti-aircraft fire.  2nd Lt. Barlow managed to "ditch" the aircraft in the sea about 100 yards from land and both men reached the shore uninjured.

The report on this occurrence advises: "the aircraft was salvaged".   PhilipG.

[PhilipG]

The Hon. 2nd Lt. Bernard Henry Esme Howard M.C. : 3rd Manchesters & RFC/RAF.

This gallant officer was later promoted to Captain (SR).  His home was in Greystoke Castle, Penrith and for the purpose of casualty reports, his mother Lady Mabel Howard was named NOK, her address also being recorded as Greystoke Castle.

Certain records show that he was with the Manchesters in 1915 and gained Captain's rank in 1915 whilst serving with the RFC.  His award of the M.C. was gazetted in February 1917.   He is also listed as being wounded, although no date is given in that respect.

With the amalgamation of the RFC and RAF, more details of his military service became available.   Thus, from April 1918 he served with RAF squadrons, 124,253 & 117, finally relinquishing his commission in January 1919.    There is an intriguing annotation in one of the records indicating that he served with the "French Flying Corps".

I have confined myself to what little can be obtained as to his military service, but there is considerable info. available elsewhere in respect of this brave officer's upbringing and service to the community.

It would be interesting to learn of the circumstances which resulted in the award to him of the Military Cross, his wounding and indeed, his service with the "French Flying Corps".   Help in this respect is wanted.  PhilipG.

[PhilipG]

RE 2nd Lieutenant H.S.Gough  (see above).

Further research reveals that Lt.Gough was killed in an accident whilst flying an Avro 504J, No. C.4334 of No. 116 Squadron RFC.   The squadron operated from the airfield at Andover and this would account for his interment at nearby Tidworth which is on the Hampshire/Wiltshire border.  The RAF station has a lot of history attached to it, not least in respect of the German attack upon it in WW2.   PhilipG.

[PhilipG]

              2nd Lt. Fred Poulton Whittaker : 8th Bn.Manchester Regiment & R.A.F.

This officer was killed on 25th October 1918 in a flying accident whilst based at No. 54 Training Depot Station at Fairlop near Chingford.  The circumstances surrounding the crash of his aircraft are not known, but his name is one of 14 trainee pilots included in the Station's list of deaths between July 1918 and the end of hostilities.   The Station would seem to have concentrated on the training of pilots for service with fighter squadrons and for this purpose utilised two aircraft types, namely the Avro 504 and the Sopwith Camel.   The Avro machines, used for dual instruction as well as solo flying were apparently not easy to control on "take off" and the excellent Sopwith Camel has been described as "difficult to handle".   I have been unable to discover in which type of aircraft Lt. Whittaker met his death, or indeed, as stated above, its cause - technical fault or pilot error.  The Station appears to have operated some 48 aircraft, equally divided in number between the two types and at one stage was undertaking the pilot training of 120 officers and nco's.

Lt. Whittaker is buried in Blackpool (Layton) Cemetery, Blackpool being the town in which his parents resided at the time of his death.  PhilipG.

[mack]

Mack,
 Once again thanks for your info.   During this research I discovered, as you have certainly done, that there is an interesting mystery here.

My research indicated that both Hilton and his "driver" - Lt.S.T.Payne- died on the 6th April 1918. (CWGC).   "Officers Died in the Great War 1914-19" states that Hilton died on 29th April 1918.  However, notwithstanding that both aviators were flying together, Lt. Payne is indicated in that publication as dying on the 6th April 1918.

Turning to the squadron report, this indicates that on the 6th April 1918 both officers were MIA.   It also reports that both officers DOW on 29th April 1918.  Again turning to "Officers Died" it reports Hilton as being in the 16th battalion.

I do not know whether or not you have ever raised a query with the CWGC, but they are adamant that their source of material is always correct and emanates from the War Office itself.   Thus, in those circumstances, I tend to feel that not only did those brave officers die on the 6th April 1918, but also that Robert Hilton served in the 5th battalion.   (But when?).    Do you agree?  Again thanks for your input. Philip.

hello Philip
the red cross and german records state that Hilton was serving with the 16th manchesters,his ID disc was sent to the central office of effects by a german intelligence officer on 5-7-1918,a report was sent to the inspectorate of air force personell at charlottesburg on 29th april 1918,both reports state "DIED".there was nothing similar reported about payne of 15 elm cottage,marlpot hill,kent,both listed that,robert Hilton lived at 4 st.malo drive,wigan,the southport address was his parents address.

mack

[mack]

as a afterthought,if Robert Hiltons ID disc was found,then they must have found a body,and also that of Lt payne,who was in the same aircraft,so why is there no record of a burial for either officer.

mack

[PhilipG]

Mack,

Many thanks for your continuing interest.   The Index for Wills re Hilton I have seen was uncertain as to date of death, so I have today sent for his Certificate of Death to see what that document reveals.

Your remarks were very interesting relating to the discovery of the ID disc and Hilton's body.  I suppose much depends on the severity of the crash and the incidences of fire and explosion?  Philip.

[charlie]

I hope I have read Macks post correctly. Lt Payne is listed as died on the same page as 2/Lt Hilton but his name has been wrongly transcribed as Vayne. His ID Discs are not recorded as being sent to the office for effects. I am 99% sure this is the same man as there is no record of a Vayne - Lt or otherwise listed by the CWGC. Strangely enough there is only the one record for Lt Payne/Vayne as opposed to the two for 2/Lt Hilton as he must have been identified to some degree for his death to have been recorded by the German authorities. I have searched the German/ICRC records using permutations of Payne and Vayne, there are no further entries that could relate to him.
Hope this is of interest
Charlie