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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0668.PDF
this is the most attractive proposition that has hitherto been offered for the consideration of civilian airmen. They are given the opportunity of entering the finest Service in the world, on equal terms with those who have made of the Navy their life's profession, with good pay, excellent prospects, and, above all, that equality of rank which counts for so much in a Service which is apt to look rather askance at "Acting" and Reserve appointments. There is one aspect of these Admiralty changes which must not be lost to sight, and that is the influence they will probably exert on aviation generally. Up to the present there has been somewhat of a lack of incentive to men to take up flying, unless they happen to be of the moneyed and leisured class and fond of flying as a sport. It offered very little of a career to the enthusiast who was keen but to whom it represented a means of livelihood. Now, however, with the prospect of entrance into the Naval Air Service the whole thing is changed, and an excellent career opens up to the skilled pilot possessed of the qualifications required by the Admiralty. . , Quite the most terrible, because at the faf£a° same t'me t^ie most dramatic, accident fa T which has hitherto been recorded in the history of aviation was that which happened in Austria the other day, when an Army aeroplane collided in mid-air with a dirigible, involving both in a common ruin and causing the death of all on board the two craft. There have been accidents which involved a greater loss of life, but none which were quite the same as this. The main lesson which seems to be conveyed by this terrible affair is one of the future of war in the air. What seems to have happened was that the aeroplane ® ® Birthday Honours. CONGRATULATIONS to Colonel temporary Brigadier-General) David Henderson, C.B., D.S.O., Director-General of Military Aeronautics, War Office, who, on the occasion of His Majesty's birthday was created K.C.B. ; and to Commander Mansfield George Smith-Cumming, K.N., retired, who recently secured his brevet at the Karman school, who was gazetted a C.B. (ROYAL FLYING CORPS. THE following announcement appeared in the special issue of the London Gazette of Monday last containing the honours conferred in connection with the celebration of the birthday of H.M. the King:— The King has been graciously pleased to approve of the under mentioned officers being promoted by brevet for services in connection with the Military Wing, Royal Flying Corps. Dated June 22nd, 1914:— To be Majors: Capt. (temporary Major) George H. Raleigh, the Essex Regiment. Capt. (temporary Major) John H. W. Becke, the Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment). Capt. (temporary Major) John M. Salmond, the King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment). Capt. (temporary Major) Charles A. H. Longcroft, the Welsh Regiment. Among the Naval promotions announced on the King's birthday was the following :— Commander O. Schwann to be Captain. Dated June 22nd, 1914. The following promotions were announced by the Admiralty on the 24th inst. :— Lieuts. A. M. Longmore and J. W. Seddon to be Acting Lieut. Commanders, to date June 24th. ROYAL FLYING CORPS (MILITARY WING). WAR OFFICE summary of work for week ending June 20th, 1914 :— Concentration Camp, Netheravon.—Headquarters, Head quarter Flight, Aircraft Park, Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 Squadrons.—The training scheme, including Aircraft Reconnais sances M.T. Convoy runs, experiments, lectures, conferences and committees were continued daily throughout the week. The aircraft exercises consisted of locating the headquarters of units, in searching lines of advance and in estimating the length of columns on the attempted to fly above the dirigible, the pilot misjudged the distance and touched the envelope of the larger craft, with the inevitable result that both were wrecked. In time of peace we regard such accidents as these as being very terrible in their character, but they will in the future be the commonplaces of war. It is easy to imagine that devoted aviators, knowing that actual collision in the air is the most effective weapon of the aeroplane against the dirigible will deliberately sacrifice themselves if by so doing they can involve the enemy's craft in their own ruin—and it will be the nation possessing the greater number of such devoted airmen which will win through in the end. • • • It is only a bare four years since Paulhan The Race by his flight from London to Manchester M *? confounded the critics who decried the Manchester ..... . . . . , . ., „ and Back, possibilities of aviation, and incidentally won for himself the ^10,000 prize offered by the Daily Mail. When the prize was first offered, it is a matter of record that many people said it had only been put up because those concerned with its offer knew of a certainty that it would never be won ! A lot of water has run beneath the bridges since then, and a lot of progress has been made in aviation. So great has been this progress, that when last Saturday's race was announced there was none to doubt the possibility, even the certainty, of the accomplishment. In the result the journey was safely carried out by three machines out of eight which started, and of the five failures not one was caused by any inherent fault in principles. Therefore, in spite of these failures having taken place, we feel that we are justified in regarding this event as yet another milestone of those which mark the progress of flight in this country. ® ® road. The M.T. carried out several convoy runs by night. It has only been necessary to deviate from the fixed programme on one occasion. This was in consequence of the prevalence of a thick ground mist. The evenings from 6 onwards are devoted to games and athletics. No. 2 Squadron won the inter-Squadron Football Cup. The annual Sports of the Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing) take place on the 20th. The annual dinner of the warrant officers and Serjeants took place at the Holborn Restaurant, London, on the 13th inst. Serjeant-Major Ramsay, No. 3 Squadron, the senior warrant officer was in the chair, General David Henderson and Colonel Sykes were amongst the many officer guests present. No. 1 and 7 Squadrons, Farnborough.—The organisation of these was continued at Farnborough. The Use of Aircraft in Somaliland. ASKED in the House of Commons as to whether he had any information showing that two British officers were at present in Somaliland conducting inquiries as to the feasibility of using an airship for the purpose of an expedition to subdue the Mullah, Mr. Harcourt, Secretary for the Colonies, stated two British Officers with experience of aeronautics have recently visited Somaliland, but it is at present inadvisable in the public interest that any statement should be made regarding the objects of their visit. Liverpool Flying Corps Scheme Abandoned. AT a meeting in Liverpool on Wednesday, it was announced that the Executive Committee which has been considering the matter had been unable to recommend any practical scheme for the forma tion of a local Flying Corps. It was found impossible to get either the War Office or the Admiralty to guarantee the local facilities which were desired. The general committee decided to return the amounts collected to various subscribers, thanks being tendered to Messrs. W. E. and C. A. Cain for their patriotic offer of two- aeroplanes. The Seaplane Disaster. THE body of Commander A. Rice, the passenger in the seaplane which fell into Southampton Water on June 4th, was washed ashore at Fishbourne, Isle of Wight, on the 16th inst. At the inquest held on the following day, a verdict of " Accidentally Drowned " was returned. 668
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