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Aviation History
1915
1915 - 1016.PDF
become of the organisation hitherto set up, remains for the moment a mystery, but if we are to commence all over again—well, it should be a lively time during Christmas and the next month for Londoners. That the gentle Zep-Huns will appreciate the temporary up heaval of affairs is pretty certain, and they will not be true to their traditions if they do not speedily take advantage of the opening offered for their activities, with safety. We can hardly, however, credit such fatuous ineptitude, and give the authorities credit for more com- monsense than to perpetrate such a shocking faux pas. At least one gleam of comfort is vouchsafed us. Admiral Sir Percy Scott, it is understood, is to complete the important developments upon which he has been engaged since his appointment in September, before the General Control under the newarrangement is to be handed over to the Director of Home Defence, General Shaw. Of this latter information there was ample evidence on Tuesday of this week, when Sir Percy was at the Horse Guards, active in the direction of the Navy's portion of the gunnery defences. A sheaf of questions upon the subject are to be fired off in Parliament this week, which may tend to elucidate the position, and we can only hope that the present transfer of London's defences to the control of the War Office will see the last of the shuttle cock business which has been so conspicuous with this little side issue of the European war. So long as the W.O. is recognised as the sole authority in control, there is not likely to be any cause for grumbling, as with General Sir Francis Lloyd, commanding the London District, responsible under General Shaw, it may be felt London's welfare is in good hands, although, except for the very extraordinary hereditary objection to the mixing, like oil and water, of Navy and Army control, we consider it highly regrettable if Sir Percy Scott should not remain in command of the gunnery arrangemer ts. For the aviation world, Vice-Admiral King "Kftnftr Hall's despatch, to which reference was berg's"" made in "FLIGHT" last week, and which End. appears in the current issue more fully, was a gratifying document. Its testimony to the remarkable work of the members of the Royal Naval Air ® & The Roll of Honour; THE following casualties have been announced by the Secretary of the Admiralty :— Under date December ioth : Missing. Flight-Commander Charles E. Robinson, R.N., Capt., R.M.L.I. Under date December nth : Seriously Injured. Flight Sub-Lieutenant George G. A. Armitage, R.N. Slightly Injured. Flight Sub-Lieutenant Stanley Kemball, R,N. Under date December 12th: Died of Injuries. Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant George G. A. Armitage, R.N. Undated from France: Wounded. Gunners C. A. Dunn and J. Polter, R.M.A. An'.i-Aircraft Brigade. The following casualties in the Expeditionary Force have been reported from General Headquarters:— Under date December 3rd : Wounded. Lieutenant G, L. P. Henderson, Royal Flying Corps. Service, who were acting in conjuction with the vessels under the Vice-Admiral's command, was perhaps no more than all who appreciate the point that service flying has reached would anticipate. But the wording of the praise for this branch of our Navy is so straight, that it brings home in no uncertain way the vital necessity of aircraft co-operating with our fleet upon all and every conceivable opportunity possible. It is made perfectly clear by Vice-Admiral King Hall that without the invaluable assistance of the aircraft his flotilla might in all probability be still riding on the waters of the Rufigi River in German East Africa, with the " Konigsberg " away up the river in a practically unassail able position. As it was, this German free-lance was able to be given its quietus in a matter of days, once the pre liminary arrangements had been got through. The un stinted praise meted out to both flying officers and men employed in the expedition is but one more earnest of what support the expansion of the Flying Services is likely to get from all the high commands which have had experience of their actual worth during the present hostilities. That the services in this particular case were of exceptional merit is particularly emphasised in the final paragraphs, referring to the aviator's work, in Vice- Admiral King Hall's despatch. These are. so suggestive that we give them repetition below. Thus writes the Vice-Admiral:— " Most serious risks have been run by the officers and men who have flown in this climate, where the effect of the atmosphere and the extreme heat of the sun are quite unknown to those whose flying experience is limited to moderate climates. "Bumps" of 250 feet have been experienced several times, and the temperature varies from extreme cold when flying at a height to a great heat, with burning, tropical sun, when on land. " In the operations against the " Konigsberg" on July 6th both the personnel and materiel of the Royal Naval Air Service worked to the extreme limit of endur ance. The total distance covered by the two available aeroplanes on that date was no less than 950 miles, and the time in the air, working watch and watch, was r3 hours. " I will sum up by saying that the Flying Officers, one and all, have earned my highest commendations." ® S Under date December 6th : Missing. Second Lieutenant A. R. H. Browne, Royal Flying Corps. Lieutenant G. A. Porter, R.F. A. and R.F.C. Undated : Previously reported Missing, now reported Prisoner of War. Lieutenant A. C. Collier, King's Own (R. Lane. Regt.), attached R.F.C. The following casualties among the Indian Forces have been reported :— Undated from the Persian Gulf: Previously Unofficially now Officially reported Prisoners of War. Second Lieutenant E. J. Fulton, 1st Lancers, attached R.F.C. Major H. L. Reilly, 82nd Punjabis, attached R.F.C. Captain F. C. C. Yeats-Brown, 17th Cavalry, attached R.F.U The following casualty, previously shown as " reported from the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force," should have been shown as "reported from the Persian Gulf" :•— Officially reported Missing, and Unofficially reported Prisoner of War. Captain T. W. White, Australian Flying Corps. 98O
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