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Aviation History
1916
1916 - 0576.PDF
fUcHf] German lines. Further away a German plane was up. Our anti aircraft guns were searching lor him with their shells, which dotted the sky with snowballs." Mr. W, Beach Thomas, in his description in the Daily Mail of the fight, says :— " It must also be understood that the struggle was on three planes, below the ground, on it, and above it. To give just one local instance, a deep mine, packed with many tons of the highest explosive known to science, was blown up near La Boiselle (east of Albert) by our miners, who had tunnelled to astonishing depths. At the other extreme our towering aircraft had succeeded by the end of the morning in driving off every visible enemy from * the layers of the upper air' in the neighbourhood of the battle ; and scores of our great kite (sausage) balloons hung like clothes on an invisible washing line, at a commanding level along all the battle front. I counted exactly twenty-two to my right, and could not detect a single German with the strongest glasses. . . . " One after another our balloons had risen to the full height of their tether in a long line stretching quite out of sight. Their kite- ® ® JULY 6, 1916. tails streamed to the eastward, advertising the arrival of a good, steady west wind about to blow Heaven knows what fumes and smoke and dust and ashes from the front to the back trenches of the enemy's first line. But as yet the observers could look clear into the cockpit of battle : into the village of Fricourt, into Ser£e, into Beau- mont-Hamel, where every leaf had been blown from the shattered trees by our fire, and every shelter and dug-out was a mangled mess. " The highest thing I saw in the place was one ten-foot wall or so ; and the trenches running into it looked like the first shale-tips of a deserted mine. And our Army had yet better eyes than the balloons. Right over-my head, against the clear background of a fleecy layer of cloud, a whole squadron of our aeroplanes, almost cloud high, but pencilled in marvellous distinctness against the cirrus flakes, flew as the crow flies, direct for Jheir target. Argus- eyed and with more than a Cyclops voice they saw and shouted back the news of the guns' precision, untouched by the monstrous tumult below. They left the dappled puffs of shrapnel in beaded ropes behind them, as a fish leaves bubbles, till soon I could not tell which was cloud and which was smoke." ® ® PERSONALS. UNDER the above heading will be published weekly particulars of a personal character relating to those who have fallen or have been wounded in the country's service, announcements of marriages and other items concerning members of the Flying Services and others well known in the world of aviation. We shall be pleased to receive for publication properly authenticated particulars suitable for this column. Casualties. Lieutenant ERIC HINCKES BIRD, Koyal Fusiliers, attached K.F.C., who died on June 27th of wounds received in action, was the second son of the late Dr. Arthur Hinckes Bird. He was gazetted Second Lieutenant in the Royal Fusiliers at the outbreak of war. Second Lieutenant STEWART GORDON RIDLEY, R.F.C., whose death is officially announced, was a son of Mr. T. W. Ridley, of Willimoteswick, Redcar. He was educated at Mr. J. Roscoe's school at Harrogate and at Oundle, where he was in the O.T.C. for three years. He left school shortly before the war, and was preparing for business, but enlisted in September, 1914, with his brother, as private in the 4th Yorkshire Regiment, and in February, 1915, received a commission in the 12th Yorkshire Regiment. He left that regiment in July for the Royal Flying Corps, and went to France in August, 1915, as an Observer. He was out for four months, and returned in December, and subsequently took his pilot's certificate. He was killed on June 15th within a few weeks of attaining the age of 20. Captain LEONARD HERBERT SWEET, Hampshire Regiment and R.F.C., aged 23, who was killed in a fight with an enemy machine on June 22nd, was the youngest son of the Rev. C. F. and Mrs. Sweet, of Symondsbury Rectory, Bridport, Dorset. He was educated at Sherborne School and Sandhurst, which he entered in 1912. He obtained his commission in the 1st Hampshire Regiment in March, 1913, and was with his regiment at Le Cateau and during the subsequent retreat. He joined the Royal Flying Corps in December, 1914. In February last he was promoted Flight-Com mander in the R.F.C., with the Army rank of Temporary Captain. X ® ® LEGAL INTELLIGENCE. Zeppelin Raids and Liability for Rent. A UNIQUE case—Barton and another V. Allocca—was heard in the King's Bench Division on June 30th. The plaintiffs claimed £35 as arrears of rent for Michaelmas quarter, 1915, for a ground floor shop and basement in Addle Street which was damaged by a Zeppelin bomb, while the defendant counterclaimed for loss of profit at .£5 a week and further damages equivalent to the rent until the damage was made good. Counsel for the defence intimated ithat plaintiffs had obtained judgment on the claim, and in delivering judgment on the counterclaim, Mr. Justice Darling said that he found that the allegation that the plaintiffs had broken their covenant to repair was not established. The premises had been damaged by a bomb, and the plaintiffs had to get permission from the authorities before they could undertake the necessary repairs, and they got that permission and did the work as soon as they could, without any undue delay. The covenant did not say that while the landlords were carrying out the structural repair the tenant should not be in any way interfered with. On the facts he found that there had been no breach of the covenant for quiet enjoyment. The counterclaim therefore failed, and there must be judgment for tlie plaintiffs. The Use of the Trade Mark "Sunbeam." AN interesting decision was given in the Chancery Division on Monday, Mr. Justice Younger issuing an order directing the Flight - Lieutenant GEOFFREY RICHARD HENRY TALBOT, R.N.A.S., whose death is officially announced, was killed instan taneously at Dover on June 29th when starting on a flight to France. The aeroplane was caught by a gust of wind and side slipped, and was wrecked. The mechanic accompanying him was also killed. Flight-Lieutenant Talbot, who was born in 1888, was the younger son of the Hon. Alfred Talbot, of Little Gaddesden, and grandson of the 18th Earl of Shrewsbury and Talbot. He was educated at Eton, and having a great taste for mechanics entered the service of the East Indian Railway Company. His services were given to the public for the war, and he joined the Naval Air Service, rapidly becoming an expert and steady pilot. He obtained his "Wings" in 1915, and received promotion shortly before his death. He made many flights to and from France, whence he had only returned the previous day to his death. Married and to be Married. Flight-Commander OGILVY DALGLEISH, R.N.A.S., was married at Ulverston Parish Church last Friday to Miss SYBIL GUINEVERE BUTLER KENNEDY, youngest daughter of Mr. Myles Kennedy, of Stone Cross, Ulverston. The bridegroom is the only son of Captain James Ogilvy Dalgleish, of Glebelands, Wokingham, and nephew of Admiral Carden. An engagement is announced between Flight-Lieutenant CONWAY WALTER HEATH PULFORD, R.N., youngest son of Colonel R. R. Pulford, CLE., R.E., and ELINORE MILDRED (MINDRA) NORMAN, only daughter of Mr. G. H. Norman, M.A., of Park Lodge, Budleigh Salterton, formerly of Petergate, Tiverton, Devon. —. ® ® Registrar of Trade Marks to proceed with the registration in clause 6 of the Trade Marks Act, 1905, of the mark " Sunbeam- Coatalen " for internal combustion engines and parts thereof for aeroplanes and all motor vehicles other than motor cycles. The application was resisted by the Registrar on the grounds that the goods bore such a strong resemblance to those for which various " Sunbeam " marks had been registered by John Marston, Ltd., which was closely connected with the applicant, as to be calculated to deceive, and that any further splitting of the mark was highly undesirable. His Lordship said in his opinion the businesses were quite distinct, the goods were not identical, and there had never been any confusion in the public mind. As the firm was carrying on an honest and legitimate enterprise, he should exercise his discretion in its favour and issue the order. The Bleriot Manufacturing Aircraft Co., Ltd. UNDER the winding-up of the Bleriot Manufacturing Aircraft Co., Ltd., a summary of the state of affairs has been issued by the Official Receiver, the liabilities being returned at £4,515, with an estimated surplus in assets of £86,206. The assets include cash, £41,452; investments in shares (War Loan), £29,100; a book debt, £14,242 j unpaid calls, £5,157; and Deperdussin stock, £100. The Official Receiver has also issued a report outlining the career of the company, with the main details of which, however, readers of FLIGHT are fully conversant. 576
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