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Description: | Australian officer served with 1 Sqdn, Australian Flying Corps and commanded 40th Wing, Royal Flying Corps in Egypt and Palestine, 1916-1918 1914-1919
REEL 1 Recollections of period in command of C Flight, 1st Sqdn, Australian Flying Corps in Egypt, 1916-1917: question of motives of pre-war flying instructors with temporary commissions in discouraging regular officers from learning to fly whilst at Point Cook, Australia; changes in commanding officer; retraining programme of inadequately officers and ground crews instituted by Royal Flying Corps; attachment for instruction with 14 Sqdn, RFC; initial army co-operation role of C Flight before reorganisation; state of flight on move from Port Said to join flight of 14 Sqdn, RFC at Kantara, 7/1916; initial disruption to reconnaissance flights caused by heat and consequent mid-day activity of Turks; artillery spotting role during Battle of Romani, 3/8/1916; willingness to volunteer to test new aircraft for effects of heat at Aircraft Park, Cairo; question of lack of enthusiasm in 14 Sqdn, RFC; assignment to fly Bristol Scout with role to intercept German aircraft including nature of damage to Bristol Scout caused by castor oil neglect, superiority of German aircraft, improvised nature of Lewis gun mountings , dispute with 14 Sqdn over securing better maintained Bristol Scout from Cairo, reaction to replacement by pilot from 14 Sqdn, RFC and story of how pilot from 14 Sqdn, RFC was shot down by Fokker Eindekker with interrupter gear; superiority of German aircraft and situation, 1916-1917.
REEL 2 Continues: nature of Lewis gun mountings on BE2 C and difficulties for observer illustrated by story of observer accidentally shooting through propeller; question of Turkish Air Force. Recollections of period commanding 1st Sqdn, AFC and 40th Wing, Royal Flying Corps in Palestine, ca 1917-1918: question of importance of youth in senior officers; difficulty in communicating with aircraft within units; composition of wing and role of squadrons; opinion of BE12 A; reconnaissance role of 1st Sqdn, AFC and consequent importance of avoiding aerial combat; opinion of German airmen and activities of Lieutenant Felmy; opinion of RE8; armament of scout aircraft; story of fatal accidents to pilots stalling whilst attempting climbing turn whilst taking off in Bristol Monoplane; lack of proper testing of unique characteristics inherent in new aircraft; opinion of Bristol Fighter and role of gunner/observer; air reinforcements including Bristol Fighter squadrons in Palestine due to Allenby's insistence, ca 12/1917; question of value of experienced observers; reaction to RFC renumbering of 1st Sqdn, AFC and taking it over as 67th Sqdn, RFC, 1916.
REEL 3 Continues: question of British personnel posted to 1st Sqdn, AFC, ca 1916; Williams introduction of policy of recruitment and training of only Australians for 1st Sqdn, AFC, 1917-1918; tactical difficulties in escorting reconnaissance aircraft; making official complaint on effect on unit morale of flying inferior aircraft; reporting initial problems liaising with Bristol Fighters acting in escort role to RE8s in interview with Sefton Brancker and consequent re-equipment with Bristol Fighters for reconnaissance missions without need of escort, 1/1918; effect of re-equipment with Bristol Fighter on unit morale and illustrative story of capture of German Albatross; story of flying captured German pilot to wing headquarters; night bombing role of Handley Page issued to 1st Sqdn, AFC, 8/1918; question of Ross Smith learning to fly Handley Page; reason for Major Rutledge's failure to keep war diary for 1st Sdn, AFC in 1916; contact with 'Aussie' Watts. Question of advances in aviation and establishment of aeronautical laboratories in Australia in 1930s. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Williams, Richard | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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