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Aviation History
1917
1917 - 0792.PDF
AUGUST 2, 1917. Casualties. — Flight Sub-Lieutenant RIVERS GORDON BEGG. R.Nr, who was killed while on a service flight on July 17th, was a son of Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Begg, of Beechfield, Langley Road, Watford, and was born in Calcutta in 1897. He was educated at Dorset House, Littlehampton, and Oundie School. He joined the Royal Naval Air Service in June, 1916, was selected for seaplane service, and after qualifying proceeded on active service in March, 117. His elder brother. Second Lieutenant H. Berners Begg, who came home from India in July, 1916, to join the Royal Flying Corps and took his " wings " in September of that year, has been missing since November 24th, 1916. -- Flight Sub-Lieutenant E. W. BUSBY, R.N., Who was shot down and killed in an air fight on July 10th, Was the second son of Mr. and Mrs. G. E. Busby, of Selly Hill, Birmingham. He was educated at King Edward's High School, Birmingham, and when war broke out Was serving his engineering appren- ticeship with the Birmingham Small Arms Co. He joined the R.N.A.S. in June, 1916, went abroad last April, and was responsible for bringing down one kite balloon and four enemy machines, driving down two others, and assisting in destroying another two. Captain DONALD ALASTAIR LESLIE DAVIDSON, M.C., R.F.C.. killed on April 30th, was the elder son of the late Colonel Leslie Davidson, C.B., R.A., who died on active service in France in 1915, and of Lady Theodora Davidson, sistet of the present Lord Albemarle. He was born in 1891, and educatod at Wellington College, and was a Page of Honour to King Edward VII. from 1902 to 1907. He obtained his commission on March 30th, 1915, and went on service in October of the same year, first to Egypt and then to Meso- potamia. There he was very badly wounded in a fight with a Fokker, which attacked him while he was dropping food over Kut. He was awarded the Military Cross " for con- spicuous determination and gallantry " on that occasion, and was invalided home. On his recovery he was promoted captain, and spent some time as an instructor at the Central Flying School, but returned to active service at the front last spring, was reported " missing " on April 30th. and shortly afterwards notified killed. Captain Davidson, who was 25 years of age, had travelled extensively. He had studied mechanics and science at McGill University, Montreal, and had worked in the Far West in the service of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company. During a long period of inaction necessitated by a breakdown in his health he had studied several European languages, each in its own country. Queen Alexandra sent his mother a message of sympathy and " sorrow for her dear Page of Honour." Second Lieutenant JAMES HAROLD HARTLEY, Royal Munster Fusiliers, was killed on July 25th. He was the third son of the late Robert Hartley, of Green House, Balderstone, near Blackburn, formerly a well-known breeder and exhibitor of hackneys, and of Mrs. Robert Hartley, of Crabtree House, Brindle, near Chorley. He was 20 years old, and was educated at Mostyn House and Shrewsbury Schools. He entered Sandhurst in August, 1915, and obtained his commission in the following April. From September, 1916, to March, 1917, he served with his regiment in the trenches, but in March, 1917, he volunteered for the Royal Flying Corps, and had been flying at the front since May. He was in a recent fight when six British machines attacked 18 German machines. The petrol tank of his machine was shot away, but its occu- pants succeeded in getting back into the British lines. A private letter from a brother officer to his mother states that he was killed while flying on July 25th, but no official inti- mation has yet been received. On the previous day Mrs. Hartley had received a letter from her son to say that he would shortly be home on leave. Lieutenant D. R. C. LLOYD, R.F.C., reported as missing since June 16th, is now reported as being killed at the front on that date. He was the younger son of Mr. and Mrs. Llewelyn Lloyd, of Kerby, Essex. He was 20 years of age, 'and was twenty-second in direct male descent from Bleddyn ap Cynfyn, Prince of Powys and North Wales. On joining the Army, in 1914, he first of all saw service with the Essex Yeomanry in Belgium and France, and in 1915 and 1916 on the same Fronts with the Loyal North Lancashire Regi- ment, to which he had been transferred. He was wounded during the Battle of the Somme, and in the autumn of last year joined the R.F.C. Second Lieutenant HAROLD EMBLETON MACFARLANE, R.F.C., who was killed on July 14th, aged 18, was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Macfarlane, of Northwood, Middlesex. Born at Harrow in 1898, he received his early education at Mr. Douglas Gould's Preparatory School, The Briary, Westgate-on-Sea. From The Briary he proceeded, in September, 1911, to Westminster School, where he remained five years. He played for his house (Home Boarders) at cricket, football, and fives, and took part in the drill com- petition of the 6.T.C. On leaving school at the end of the summer term of 1916/when he received his 3rd eleven colours, he joined tho Army1, and received his commission in February and his " wings " in May. He went to the front in June. Lieutenant DOUGLAS M. F. SINCLAIR, R,F.C, of Heaton, reported missing on the 30th March, 1917, is now1 presumed killed on that date. Lieutenant Sinclair was a volunteer in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and on the outbreak of war he served a year with the Navy. In December, 1915, he received a commission in the Royal Naval Division, and in August, 1916,' he was attached to the R.F.C., and gained a first-class pilot's certificate. Early in March he went to France. Captain R. N. THOMAS, R.F.C., was killed in action on July 23rd while serving with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. For eleven months he was in France, and was recently awarded the Croix de Guerre. He left England only a few weeks ago. Captain Thomas was the eldest surviving son of Brigadier-General Sir Owen and Lady Thomas, Cemaes, Anglesey, and was one of three brothers who served under their father in the Welsh Army Corps in 1914-15, being transferred to the R.F.C. in 1915. He was in the South African War as trumpeter in the Prince of Wales's Light Horse, a regiment which was raised and commanded by his father. His youngest brother, Lieutenant Trevor Thomas, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, was killed in action in France in January, 1916, and his only surviving brother is a flight commander in the R.F.C. Lieutenant MAURICE WOTTON THOMAS, R.F.A. andR.F.C., re- ported missing on August 5th last year, now officially presumed killed on that date, aged 21, was the younger son of Mr. and Mrs. Alick Thomas, of Worcester Park, Surrey. He was educated at Parkside, Ewell, and in September, 1907. passed into Osborne'College, where, as the result of an epidemi'c he contracted an illness, which necessitated his being invalided, as unfit, from the Royal Navy in 1910. After 18 months of convalescence he was allowed to continue his education with Mr. Sellar, of St. Andrew's, and Mr. Tinniswood, of Camberley, whence he passed into Woolwich in 1912, and, passing out in September, 1914, received his commission in the R.F.A. In May, 1915, he went to the front as A.D.C. to a general , commanding an R.A. division, and Was promoted lieutenant in July, when it was decided that he was specially qualified by his training for the R.F.C., to which he was seconded as observer. After many thrilling experiences he was wounded in an accident in December, 1915, and came home. He made 4 speedy recovery, and was sent to a reserve squadron and gained his wings. In May, 1916, he was again sent out, doing much valuable work over the enemy positions. He was a fine revolver shot and a member of the shooting eight when at Woolwich. His elder brother, Captain Alec Vaughan Thomas, E. Surrey Regiment, attached 2nd Hampshire Regiment, was killed in Gallipoli, August 6th, 1915, aged 22. Second Lieutenant MICHAEL TOPHAM, R.F.C., who was reported missing on April 13th and is now officially believed killed on that date, was the eldest sen of Mr. F. D. Topham, 792
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