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Aviation History
1919
1919 - 0089.PDF
JANUARY 16, 1919 CORRESPONDENCE The W.R.A.F. Mai-administration [1971] Some time ago I wrote you with reference to my having been " turned down " at Eltham Training College as an officer in the W.R.A.F. The sequel to this occurred on New Year's Day when I was brought before the magistrates at the Manchester City Police Court charged with being an absentee. I defended my own case with the enclosed statement. When I had concluded my defence the Clerk turned to the W.R.A.F. officer in the witness box and said : " Did you know of these circumstances and this official letter ? " To which she replied " No," which was untrue as she knew all about it. After consulting with the magistrates (there were five) the Clerk with a contemptuous gesture said " The Bench unanimously dismiss the case." " Miss Parker you are discharged." The officer brought two escorts from Scotland to take me back, when I still refused she brought a sergeant of police and a policeman. I was allowed out on bail for £20. You are quite at liberty to use this letter if you wish. I was charged with being an absentee from the 19th Decem ber, 1918—as I had previously been given leave until the 18th (King's grant for Home Services). (Signed) L. PARKER. Halifax, January 5, 1919. (Enclosure.) The reasons for which I have taken tiiis step are two. In the first instance it is one of necessity, in the second instance is is one of principle. In June, 1918, I was passed by Selection Boards and Medical Boards as a suitable candidate for a commission in the W.R.A.F. On the paper notifying me of my appointment it expressly stated that I should be required to undergo a period of training for three weeks. Two weeks were to be devoted to attending lectures on administrative work and one week had to be spent at a camp. This period might be extended if the authorities thought fit to do so. I was called up for training on August 6, 1918, at Eltham Training College. At the end of 10 days which had been spent in attending lectures and drills the course was brought to an end, and we were required to sit for an examination. Myself, with a number of other candidates were informed the following day that " our training having proved unsatisfactory the W.R.A.F. could not utilise our services " and we were given no reason for this rejection. The following day the Com- mandant-in-Chief requested the unsuccessful candidates to go to the W.R.A.F. Headquarters in London, and she expressed her regret at our " bad luck," and said if we would go to camp as N.C.Os. at the end of a month a report would be asked for on our work, and if satisfactory, we would be sent to the next training course. With several others I consented to join the W.R.A.F. on these conditions. When I had been stationed in camp six weeks I wrote a letter to the Command- ant-in-Chief requesting that I should be sent for my second course as promised. This letter was returned by the Wing Adjutant with a " chit " attached stating " This candidate must wait for a vacancy." I again sent in a letter to the Commandant-in-Chief, this time with a letter of recommenda tion from my Officer, asking that I should be sent at an early date. This is four months ago and I have had no reply. As I had given up a post of ^130 per annum and had also been to a considerable expense in going to London twice for Selection Boards and training, and as now I am only getting 17s. 6d. per week, I was not able to meet my financial liabilities. I applied to the local commissioner for Civil Liabilities, but was 0 <$> An Airship Mishap WHEN passing over Mid-Calder, West Lothian, on January 8, trouble was experienced with the engines of an airship, which drifted in a westerly direction until it came into contact with some trees, with the result that the envelope was punctured and the airship was wrecked. Fortunately the crew were able to land uninjured, and a party of soldiers took charge of the wreck. 4,000 Miles Across U.S. ACCORDING to a message from Washington, four U.S. Army aeroplanes which left San Diego, California, on January ^ arrived on January 7 at Bollingfield, near Washington. The purpose of the trip was mainly to locate suitable landing places for future trans-Continental flights, and to map an air route across the southern part of the country. During the journey, 20 stops were made, the aggregate flying time was told the scheme was for " men only." My friends wrote to the Commandant-in-Chief and I was informed that action had been taken in a letter to the Officer Commanding the North Western Area. But I have heard nothing about it. The Armistice was signed and recruiting was stopped pro tern., also training courses for officers. I applied at once for dis charge on grounds of " Urgency." About 10 days after I sent in this application I went to the " Wing " to see the Adjutant, to ask him if he would kindly hurry up my dis charge. He had not even troubled to send it to the Group. It is now seven weeks since I sent in this application. During the last few weeks I have apolied twice for leave, without pay, pending discharge in order to take up a remuner ative post, to meet my financial liabilities caused by my being inveigled in the Service by a method if adopted by a private firm would bewailed sharp practice. Both these applications were refused. I then sent a letter to my officer stating that I refused to return to the service of the W.R.A.F. as an N.C.O. and that I was quite prepared to defend my rction in a civil court. I also wrote to the Commandant-in-Cluef stating my reasons for this action and asking her to intercede on my behalf, as I should not have joined the W.R.A.F. had I not been assured by Miss Douglas-Pennant that I should be granted a commission at the end of a month. The reply to this letter is as follows :—; Air Ministry, December 21, 1918. Dear Madam, With relerence to your letter dated December 20, 1918, I am directed to inform you that your discharge certificate was forwarded to your Unit on December n, 1918. The delay is regretted, but unfortunately your number was omitted when the application was made and the Officer i/c Records was not able to trace you. Yours faithfully, E. R. HAMILTON, Assistant Commandant, W.R.A.F. [The mistake may I add, was on the official side, as I had never been supplied with a number.—L. Parker.] [If this correspondence is read in conjunction with our Editorial Comment on the administration of the W.R.A.F., we believe our readers will readily agree with us that there has been, and still is, serious need for a full enquiry into all matters connected with the Force.—ED., " FLIGHT."] The Phoenix Cork Flying Boat [1972] In your issue of January 2 we note you publish an illustration and description of what you term " A Pro mising Flying Boat " built by the Phoenix Dynamo Co. We would point out that so far as this boat is concerned, and also a second boat of the same type, the whole of the construction of the hull was carried out by our allied firm, Messrs. May, Harden and May, Ltd., in conjunction with the Technical Department of the Air Ministry, at our experimental works at Hampton Wick, Kingston-on-Thames, under the super vision of our Mr. Harden, who has been responsible for the construction of many of the new types of flying boats, amongst them being the first and second of the large experimental Porte boats in 1914-1915. I think it is only right to draw your attention to this fact. THE AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURING CO., LTD. G. HOLT THOMAS, Managing Director. January 10. 50 hours, while the distance was estimated to be between 3,600 and 4,000 miles. A Sunset Airway AMONG several projects for commercial aviation which are being advocated in the Dominion of Canada is one for a " sunset airway " to be established by the Government between St. John's, Newfoundland, and the Pacific Slope. Dinner in an Aeroplane BY way of celebrating Thanksgiving Day, a party of seven prominent members of the Aero Club of America, including Mr. Alan R. Hawley, the President, partook of a typical turkey dinner on board one of the twin-engined Handley-Page machines which are now engaged in the New York to Chicago mail service. The machine was piloted by Capt. Waller, R.A.F. A message was sent to President Wilson and the chief officials of the Government. 89
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