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Aviation History
1915
1915 - 0054.PDF
that country by a corps of some 2,000 well-trained aviators, which is likely to give a useful impetus to the question of utilising aircraft for other than military purposes. Notwithstanding the great development of both the road and railway systems in the United States that has been going on for many years, investigation indicates that there are still very many districts in the country where the transportation of the mails could not only be improved and expedited by an aeroplane service, but also cheapened, in comparison with the slow and unsatisfactory means of conveyance at present employed. This is, of course, as we have stated, not the first time that the use of aeroplanes in connection with mail trans portation work in the U.S. has been proposed. Although it is the first promise of a really material advance in this direction, in this country we had a few years ago the aerial post week worked from Hendon, while French workers in the field of aviation have also experimentally demonstrated the possibilities in the way of maintaining postal communication by means of aeroplanes in Morocco and in the scattered outposts of the great Sahara Desert. While we do not suggest that aeroplanes should at present be used for mail transportation work in countries like our own where the network of railways is not only fairly complete, but, where necessary, is supplemented—and this on an ever-increasing scale—by motor road vehicles, yet there is no doubt that there are many places in the world which are as yet not so fully developed in these directions, where an aerial postal service could advan tageously be introduced. The aviation movement has made wonderful strides during the past few years; not only have the machines and their engines been greatly improved as regards design and construction, but much has been learned by builders and pilots that should enable any projected aerial postal service to be carried on with a degree of reliability ® ® THE BRITISH UNDER this heading are published each week the official announce ments of appointments and promotions affecting the Racial Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps Military Wing) and Central Flying School. These notices are not duplicated. By way of instance, when an appointment to the Royal Naval Air Sendee is announced by the Admiralty it is published forthwith, but subse quently, when it appears in the LONDON GAZETTE, it is not repeated in this column. Royal Naval Air Service. THE following was announced by the Admiralty on the 141b inst. :— Temporary Surgeons : A. L. SutclifTe to the " Pembroke III," for Royal Naval Air Service ; K. Wolferston to the " Pembroke III,'' for Eastchurch Air Station, vice McCutcheon; and F. J. Humphreys, to the " Pembroke III," for Royal Naval Air Service. Jan. 13th. The following was announced by the Admiralty on the 16th inst.:— C.P.O. Mechanicians : G. T. Cain and H. H. Square, both pro moted to the rank of Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenants, and appointed to the " Pembroke III," for R.N. Air Service. To date Jan. 14th. The following was announced by the Admiralty on the 18th inst.:— Col. J. R. Oldfield, R.M.L.I. (Reserve list), to the " Pembroke," additional, for special service with the Royal Naval Air Service. To date Dec. 23rd. Royal Flying Corps (Military Wing). The following appeared in a supplement to the London Gazette issued on the 14th inst.:— The undermentioned non-commissioned officer to be Second Lieutenant for service in the field:— The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.—Scrgt. Thomas Fawdry, from Royal Flying Corps. Dated Dec. 17th, 1914. that was not possible when the experiments we have already alluded to were taken in band, so that on this score there would seem to be no reason why the American proposal should not be put into practice. It is not disguised by those responsible for the American scheme that they have as much an eye to the valuable asset to the country a corps of 2,000 trained aviators would prove in time of war as to the service it would render in improving the postal service. The great part aircraft is playing in the European war is not being noted merely by the belligerents ; it is being closely studied by neutral countries, which are realising that a well-equipped military flying corps has become a prime necessity of all modern armies. It is not sur prising, therefore, that one of the strongest arguments that have been advanced in the United States in favour of the formation of a corps of what are familiarly re ferred to as aerial postmen, is the valuable reserve which it would initiate from which a large number of expert military flying officers could at once be drawn should war at any time be threatened, the idea being that, while performing their normal duties in the carrying of the mails, a certain amount of time should be de voted by the pilots to making themselves proficient in scouting and reconnaissance work. It is to be hoped, therefore, that the U.S. Second Postmaster-General's proposal will be given a trial. The scheme, as it stands—that of establishing a corps of 2,000 trained aviators for postal work—may perhaps be regarded as a too ambitious one for immediate realisa tion ; there is, however, no reason why the idea should not be tried on a restricted scale, when, if it proved successful, there would be no difficulty in expanding it to meet the requirements of the postal service, and at the same time bringing its strength up to that considered requisite from a military point of view. It would cer tainly give a further magnificent impetus to the great art which FLIGHT has so much at heart. ® ® AIR SERVICES. The following appeared in a supplement to the London Gazette issued on the 16th inst. :— The undermentioned appointments are made :— Commands and Staff.—General Staff Officer, First Grade.— Brevet Major (temporary Lieut.-Col.) Frederick H. Sykes, 15th (the King's) Hussars (Royal Flying Corps, Military Wing), and to retain his temporary rank. Dated Dec. 21st, 1914. Lieut. C. S. Burnett, Reserve of Officers, to be Flying Officer. Dated Dec. 4th, 1914. Special Reserve. Supplementary to Regular Corps.—Robert Orme to be Second Lieutenant (on probation). Dated Jan. 8th, 1915. The following appeared in a supplement to the London Gazette issued on the 18th inst. :— His Majesty the Kingibas been graciously pleased to promote by brevet the undermentioned officers ;— To be Lieutenant-Colonels : Major (temporary Lieut.-Col.) Hugh Montague Tienchard, C.B., D.S.O., Royal Scots Fusiliers, Wing Commander, Military Wing Royal Flying Corps, and Major (tem porary Lieut.-Col.) William Sefton Brancker, Royal Artillery, Assistant Director of Military Aeronautics, War Office. The undermentioned appointment is made :— Second Lieut. Hugh C. Tower, Special Reserve, to be Flyinc Officer. Dated Oct. 15th, 1914. Special Reserve. Supplemental to Regular Corps.—The. under mentioned Second Lieutenants (on probation) are confirmed in their rank : Clifford A. Hooper and Hugh C. Tower. Leo Francis Page to be Second Lieutenant (on probation). Dated Ian. nth 1915. The following appeared in the London Gazette issued on the 19th inst. : — Second Lieut, (on probation) John T. C. Moore-Brabazon is confirmed in his rank. To be Second Lieutenants (on probation), Jan. nth, 191$: Herbert P. S. Clogstoun, Maurice L. Gardner.
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