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Aviation History
1917
1917 - 0327.PDF
APRIL 5, 1917 Casualties. Lieutenant FRED OSCAR BAXTER, M.C., Indian ArmyReserve of Officers, attached R.F.C. (killed in action), had his commission in the I.A.R.O. in January, 1915. Hisaward of the Military Cross was in the Birthday Honours List last summer, and he was gazetted flying officer, R.F.C.,in the following October. Captain GREVILLE OXLEY BRUNWIN-HALES Essex Regi-ment and R.F.C., killed while flying at the Front, aged 27, was the elder son of Canon and Mrs. Brunwin-Hales, ofColchester, and grandson of the late Rev. George Hales, of Norfolk and Yorkshire, and of the late John Oxley Parker,of Woodham, Mortimer Place, Essex. He was educated, like his father, at Winchester and Jesus College, Cambridge,and when war broke out was land agent to Mr. Christopher Turnor, of Stoke Rochford, Lincolnshire, and also to theDowager Lady Carnarvon. He was gazetted Flight-Com- mander last December. His only brother, Second LieutenantH. T. Brunwin-Hales, Lincoln Regiment, fell in the battle of Loos in October, 1915. Second Lieutenant DAVID DENNYS FOWLER, R.F.C., elderson of the late Mr. and Mrs. James Fowler, of Wimbledon and Rottingdean, was born in South Australia, and was 19 whenhe was killed on March 17r.l1. He was educated at Harrow, and after a short time at Trinity College, Cambridge, joinedthe Royal Flying Corps, and spent some months on service in the North of England. In September, 1915, he wasordered to Salonica, and in October was wounded in action and placed in hospital at Malta. In December he was in-valided home, and on recovery was posted to an aerodrome at home. Both his brother officers and his men speak of himas a most fearless and competent airman. He was buried with military honours in Rottingdean Churchyard onMarch 20th. Major MONTAGUE ELPHINSTONE, Army Service Corps,attached R.F.C. (died of wounds received in action on March 22nd), was 37 years of age, and the youngest son ofMr. Henry Walker Elphinstone. He < reached the rank of major in the A.S.C. in June last year, and in the followingDecember was gazetted flying officer in the R.F.C. Flight Lieutenant (Sub-Lieutenant, R.N.) HENRY DAVEN- PORT GRAHAM, R.N. (killed), was the elder son of Harold, J.Graham, C.E. (Cooper's Hill), late P.W.D., New South Wales, and Mrs. Graham, and grandson of the late LieutenantHenry Davenport Graham, R.N. He was born in 1806 and entered Osborne in 1909. At the outbreak of war he was • midshipman in the " Centurion," and in 1915 was selected forspecial service in airships. He was, in 1916, promoted , sub-lieutenant. The same year he went abroad. He waspromoted flight lieutenant in the New Year Honours List, and about the same time qualified for aeroplanes. It was • while serving with the latter he met his death. Major WILLIE GRATTAN-BELLEW, M.C., Connaught Rangersand R.F.C. (died on March 24th from injuries received while flying on active service), was second son of Sir Henry andLady Sophie Grattan-Bellew. He was 23 years of age, and had his commission in the Connaught Rangers in March,1916. His award of-the Military Cross was gazetted last July " for conspicuous gallantry and skill on several occasions,notably the following : (1) With three other machines he attacked and drove off eight enemy machines, and forcingone to the ground. (2) He attacked four Fokkers, forcing one down to 2,500 ft. Another was seen to crash to theground during the fight. (3) When on a bombing raid two of the machines got behind owing to clouds, and were attackedby Fokkers, Captain Grattan-Bellew returned and attacked three Fokkers, one of which his observer shot down and theothers made off. Second Lieutenant VALENTINE FRANCIS HERBERT HUGILL,16th Royal Fusiliers, attached R.F.C., aged 22, reported missing October 16th, 1916, now reported killed in action,was the only son of Dr. G. F. Hugill, Elmfield, 197, Balham High Road, S-W. Lieutenant W. J. LIDSEY, R.F.C., aged 21, whose death isreported, was the eldest son of Councillor William Lidsey, of Banbury. He was educated at Brackley School, and at theoutbreak of war joined the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. Lieutenant Lidsey was given his commissionwhile serving in France. He afterwards transferred to the Flying Corps. Second Lieutenant DUNCAN MATHESON MCLEAY, Argylland Sutherland Highlanders and R.F.C., killed, was wounded at Festubert while serving in the ranks. He was 23 years ofage, and received his commission last year in recognition of his soldierly qualities in the field. Second Lieutenant McLeay,who had been in the service of the North British Railway Company, was a son of Mr. and Mrs. McLeay, of Inverness,, who lost another son at Loos. Major LEONARD PARKER, Hussars and R.F.C. (now reported*killed on January 7th, previously reported missing), was born in February, 1886, the fifth son of the Rev. the Hon. AlgernonR. Parker and Mrs. Parker, of Maesfen, Malpas, Cheshire. :Educated at Marlborough College and Christ Church, Oxford,v he was captain of the Rugby Fifteen at Marlborough, and inthe cricket eleven, and at Oxford he got his Rugby Blue in the 1905 team that just lost to Cambridge. Major Parkerobtained his flying certificate before the war, and at its outbreak joined the R.F.C., subsequently becoming flightcommander and captain, and later major and squadron commander. He went out to France early in 1913, andremained for a year at the Front, being slightly wounded in the summer of 1915. He returned to England in February,1916, and went to France again in command of a squadron in the following November. On Sunday, January 7th, hewent out over the German lines to take photographs, and never returned. Subsequently he was reported to have beenattacked by two enemy aeroplanes, and his machine was seen to come down in German lines. Reports from Berlin statethat he was shot in the air and picked up dead near Peronne on January 7th. This report has now been confirmed by a**'letter from his observer (now wounded) and a prisoner in Germany), and accepted as official by the War Office. Second Lieutenant EDMUND DANIELL SPICER, R.F.C.,previously reported missing, now stated to have been killed in action, was 18 years of age, and was the younger son ofMr. and Mrs. Newton Spicer. He took his pilot's certificate at Hendon in August, 1915* obtained his commission in theR.F.C. in April of the following year, and went on active service on July 4th. Second Lieutenant LESLIE GOTTFRIED HARCOURT VERNON,M.C., Royal Welsh Fusiliers and R.F.C. (previously posted as missing, now reported killed), won the Military Cross lastyear " for conspicuous gallantry and skill. With Capt. Adams as pilot he attacked a flight of six enemy machineswithin their lines. They brought one down in flames, and, after being joined by a second British machine, drove off theremainder, one falling out of control. He has previously done fine work." Lieut. Vernon had his commission in theRoyal Welsh Fusiliers in December, 1915, and was appointed an observer, R.F.C., in July, 1916. Second Lieutenant GEORGE MACDONALD WATT, R.F.C.(killed), was the second son of Mr. George Watt, K.C., Sheriff of Inverness, Elgin and Nairn, and was 27 years of age. Hewas educated at Fettes College, and, after leaving, played Rugby football for Edinburgh Institution. Second LieutenantWatt went to Burma in 1912, but returned to join the Army, subsequently getting his commission. Lieutenant MELVILLE RICHARD HO WELL AGNEW ALLEN,.R.F.C., who was accidentally killed while flying on March 21st, was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Richard William AgnewAllen, of Woodlands, Clapham, near Bedford, and was 25 years of age. He was educated at Harrow and TrinityCollege, Cambridge, and after leaving the University he entered the works of Messrs. W. H. Allen, Son and Co., of.Bedford, as a pupil, passing through all the departments. He joined the Royal Flying Corps in January, 1915, and wentto the Front with his squadron early in September, 1915, returning home in December of the same year for specialduty in the construction of aviation engines. For seven months he had the sole charge of testing engines. In thisconnection he successfully organised a factory on a bare piece of ground, where engines are now being turned outregularly each week. Eventually he returned to the Royal Flying Corps in September, 1916, and was appointed a flyingofficer to the Testing Squadron. He was an experienced pilot, and was much respected by his brother officers, non-commissioned officers and men. He was the cheeriest of companions, and his kindness and camaraderie endeared himto all who knew him, and he died as he wished to die—flying. He married in August, 1915, Dorothy Drina, elder daughterof Major and Mrs. Lightfoot, of Anchoret, Bedford. 3*7
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