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Aviation History
1914
1914 - 0951.PDF
Flight, September 18, 1914, First Aero Weekly in the World. Founder and Editor : STANLEY SPOONER. A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport. OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. No. 299. (No. 38, Vol. VI •>] SEPTEMBER 18, 1914. ("Registered at the G.P.0.1 L a*» Newspaper. J f Weekly, Price 3rt. Post Free. 8Jd. Editorial Office: 44, ST. MARTIN'S LANE, LONDON, W.C. Telegrams: Truditur, Westrand, London. Telephone: Gerrard 1828. Annual Subscription Rates, Post Free. United Kingdom ... 15J. ort. Abroad 20s. od. CONTENTS. > Editorial Comment: PAGR TheR.F.C. in the War 951 The Menace of the Zeppelin 2 " The New Rake's Progress " 3 The " Round Britain " Machines 954 Royal Aero Club. Official Notices 6 Aircraft " Made in Germany" 957 From the British Flying Grounds 960 Eddies. By " .rEolus" 961 The Work of the Royal Flying Corps. Sir J. French's Report 563 Death of Mr. Richard T. Gates „ 964 Aircraft and the War 965 " The Aeroplane of To-morrow." By L. De Bazillac 968 Models. Edited by V. E. Johnson, M.A 969 ESMTOR2AL COMMENT. The R.F.C. in the War. Since we quoted from the first despatch of Sir John French the epic terms in which he spoke of the work of the British aviators during the retreat from Mons, the summary of another despatch from the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief has been published. This speaks in greater detail of the work of the R.F.C. in the field, and the record is truly one of which the nation may justly feel proud, even though it is only in general terms that Sir John French refers to its doings. He tells us in due course certain examples of what has been effected may be specified and the "far-reaching nature of the results " fully explained, but, as he says, the time is not yet arrived. These are pregnant words which make us long to hear the brilliant story of how the officers and men of the junior arm, the R.F.C., have called forth so deep an appreciation from a commander so little prone to award indiscriminate praise as we know Sir John French to be. The full text of the summary as it refers to the R.F.C. we print separately, so that we need not further refer to it here—it speaks more for itself than would be possible for us to do. It is a plain, soldierly tribute from a great commander to men who have done their duty nobly and in the finest spirit of self-sacrifice. As such it needs no embroidery. And now the time is ripe to ask the question, what are we going to do for these officers and men who have manifestly by the excellence of their work—work calling for courage and nerve of the highest quality—in alt human probability made possible the successful issue which has emerged from the operations of the past two weeks ? We. know that they are simple soldiers, who are content with the knowledge that they have done what was expected of them unflinchingly and without hesita tion. They do not think of reward. Duty is their sole watchword. But surely for such special duty as that which the R.F.C. is expected to do, duty which is hazardous far beyond the ordinary hazards of war, there should be some special recognition. We like the sug gestion of Mr. H. G. Wells, when he puts forward the idea that there should be an order of knighthood— real knighthood—sacred to the air service. Let us give it in his own words :— "The task that we are asking from our aviators is one of the most dazzling and terrible that men have ever faced. The single combats that distinguished the age of chivalry, when champion rode against champion in front of the closing hosts, were but tame exhibitions before the starry deeds these men will have to do. Up they will go, to dash themselves into Zeppelins, to slash the Zeppelin envelope with trailing knives, to outfiy the hostile aero planes and pick off the pilots—duels in the giddy void in the sight of armies. So at least it seems to me such fighting must be done. . . . " And there is something more. We owe these men honour. Our common men are brave, but these men who will fight in the air will be something more than common men. They will be the aristocracy of thearmy. No man fights the worse for the knowledge that the world regards him. Whatever else is kept from us, one thing we must have from the front, and that is the story of every such encounter as I have foreshadowed, and the names of the men who did the thing. Nothing can be too good for such men. " I want to make a proposal for these men who, more than any others, are destined to save Europe from Germany. It is to make for them an order of knighthood. Nelson could be stirred by the thought of a peerage or Westminster Abbey. Every aviator who goes up to fight —I do not mean to reconnoitre, but to fight—will fight all the more gladly with two kindred alternatives in his mind—a knighthood or the prompt payment of a generous life insurance policy to his people. Every man
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