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Aviation History
1925
1925 - 0395.PDF
JUNE 25, 1925 THE ROYAL London Gazette, June 16, 1925.General Duties Branch The follg. Pilot Officers are promoted to rank of Flying Officer :—A. S.Lewis (Dec. 14, 1924) H. N. Davies (Feb. 16) ; K. Maconochie (May 15) ; C H W Boldero (May 15! ; C F Caunter (June 10) to take effect from April 9. Flight.-Lieut. H. W. Clarke is transferred toReserve, Class C (June 17). Sqdn. Leader T. B. Meyer relinquishes his short- service comma, on account of ill-health, and is permitted to retain his rank(June 17). The follg, relinquish their temporary R.A.F. commns. on return to theRoyal Navy or Royal Marines :—K. E. Smith, Lieut.. R.N., Flying Officer, R.A.F., (June 7) ; C. J. Fell, Lieut., R.M.. Flying Officer, R.A.F. (June 11). Accountant BranchFlying Officer D. J. Sherlock is granted a permanent commn. in rank stated (June 17). AIK FORCE Medical Branch Flying Officer L. P. McCullagh, M.B., is granted a permanent commu. inrank'stated (June 17) ; Flight-Lieut. W. G. L. WambceU is promoted to the rank of Squadron Leader (June 18). Reserve of Air Force Officers C. H. E. Coles is granted a commission in Class A, General Duties Branch,as a Pilot Officer on probation (June 16) ; Pilot Officer C. G. Gass, M.C., is promoted to the rank of Flying Officer (May 6).The follg. are confirmed in rank (June 18) :—Flying Officers J. J. Flynn, J. H. Halliwell, J. A. Middleton, M.C. Pilot Officers A. D. M. Blair, T. E.Greenough. E. F. D. Gregory, G. H. Smith, M. A. Yachon, K. C. Whitw-'ll, E. T. Shone, D. M. Tomlinson.Flying Officer C. F. D. Evans is transferred from Class A to Class C (June 12). Memorandum The permission granted to Lieut. C. T. H. Page to retain ran!; is withdrawn on his enlistment in the Territorial Army (Feb. 9). ROYAL AIR FORCE INTELLIGENCE Appointments.—The following appointments in the Royal Air Force arenotified :— General Duties BranchFlight Lieutenants : D. W. King, to R.A.F. Depot, on transfer to Home Estab. 3.6.25. R. Gambier-Parry, to R.A.F. Depot. 1.7.25.Flying Officers : A. J. E. Brconifield, D.F.C., to No. 1 Wing H.Q., India. 25.3.25. R. E. H. Allen, to Air Ministry. 25.6.25. L. D. Stewart, to R.A.F".Base, Gosport. 9.6.25. T. O. Oakes. to No. 70 Sqn., Iraq. 3.5.25. \V. C. Yale, to R.A.F. Depot, on transfer to Hume Estab. 22.5.25. Pilot Officer P. Stainer, to No. 1 Sch. of Tech. Training (Boys), Halton. 17.6.25. Medical Branch Flight Lieutenant R. Boog-Watson, M.B., D.P.H., to R.A.F. Officers' Hospital. 1.7.25. Flying Officers : G. Clark, M.B., to R.A.F. Depot, on transfer to HomeEstab. 22.5.25. E. P. Scholfield, M.B., to Station Commandant, Iraq. 12.5.25. A. Harvey. M.B., to H.Q., Egypt. 5.6.25. IN PARLIAMENT Parachute Fatal Accident MR DALTON, on June 15, asked the Secretary of State for Air whether heic aware that Corporal Sydney Ronald Wilson, of No. 12 Squadron, Royal Mr Force was killed on May 25 last while engaged in a practice parachutejump from an aeroplane ; that this was his first flight ; and that the evidence •it the inquest showed that, being unaccustomed to flying, he lost his nerveand failed to pull the cord ; whether it is customary to require airmen to jump from an aeroplane during their first flight ; and, if so, whether he willcause this custom to be discontinued ? The Under-Secretary of State for A.ir (Major Sir Philip Sassoon) : Iheanswer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and 1 should like to express mv very deep regret for the occurrence of this unfortunate accident.As regards the second part, it is not the case that it was Corporal Wilson s first flight On the contrary, he had had previous air experience and had,indeed qualified as an aerial gunner. It was, however, his first parachute iump from an aeroplane. As regards the third part, the evidence at theinquest was to the effect stated, except that I am not aware that there was anv evidence to suggest that this airman was unaccustomed to flying, asuggestion which, as I have already explained, is contrary to the facts. As regards the fourth and fifth parts of the question, no officer or airman would beallowed to carry out a practice parachute jump until he possessed considerable air experience, and it is clearly laid down in Regulations that such jumps areonly to be made by volunteers. . Major Hore-Belisha : Could the hon. baronet say if this death is consideredto be a death caused in the course of duty, and if a pension or other compensa- tion is payable to the dependants ? Sir P Sassoon : I should like notice of that question.Capt 'Gee • Will the hon. baronet consider the advisability of setting up a Committee to go into this matter on account of the increasing number of fatalaccidents taking place in the Air Force ? Capt Beim : Is it not a fact that the increasing use of the parachute would be one of the greatest means of saving the life of the flying men .' British Army and Artillery Observation Balloons VISCOUNT SANDON, on June 16, asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will make a statement on the Government policy as to a nucleusbeing trained and retained for operating artillery observation balloons ; and whether these could be put into the field ,mmediately on the outbreak of war .' T^e Financial Secretary to the War Office (Capt. Douglas King) : It is not anticipated that balloon units would be required in the opening phases of a war but thev might become necessary as the war progresses. With a view tothp df-veloomcnt Of the art of ballooning and in order to provide a nucleus lor expansion after the outbreak of a war, aschool of ballooning is being maintained by the Air Ministry.Airship Development have led to such a decision ; (2) If it is still proposed to set up an advisory board to deal with aspectsof airship development other than those which are purely technical, and to comprise representatives of the Treasury, Admiralty, War Office, AirMinistry, Colonial Office and General Post Office ; if so, when the Committee will be set up ; whether a representative of the Board of Trade will beadded ; and, if not, what circumstances have caused the abandonment of the intention to form such a Committee '!Sir S. Hoare : The mechanism of technical and advisory boards on airships which the late Government proposed has been before the Committee ofImperial Defence for consideration of terms of reference ; but the matter has not been thought urgent at the present stage, since immediate purposesare served by the. existence of the Airship Co-ordinating Sub Committee of the Aeronautical Research Committee, and by the appointment of a specialAdmiralty liaison officer. In this connection, I would refer my hon. and gallant friend to the answer which I gave him on May 28 in reply to aquestion bearing on this subject. Kenley Aerodrome and Low FlyingCAPTAIN GARRO-JONES asked the Secretary of State for Air whether any complaints have been addressed to the officer commanding Kenley Aero-drome on account of the low flying of aeroplanes over the thickly-populated districts surrounding one side of the aerodrome ; whether he is aware thatone fatal accident has already occurred to two flying officers by a crash on to a house in this neighbourhood ; and whether, in the interests of thesafety of the flying officers and to preserve the residential amenities of the neighbourhood,' he can undertake to reduce the amount of low flying thereto a minimum, and in particular to carry out, in future, at a more suitable place rehearsals of low bombing of targets for the aerial pageant and similarriving operations ? 'Sir S. Hoare : The answer to the first and second parts of the questionis in the affirmative. All possible measures are taken to prevent avoidable low flying, but I would remind the hon. and gallant member of the fact thatthe flying in preparation for the annual display is an integral part of the service training of the squadrons concerned. I regret, therefore, that itis not practicable to adopt the suggestion in the last part of the question. Round Germany Flight and British EnginesCAPTAIN BENN, on June 18, asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he can give any particulars as to what British engines were employed in therecent round-Germany flight ; and what success they achieved 1 The Under-Secretary of State for Air (Major Sir Philip Sassoon) : Asregards the first part of the question, aircraft in which the following British engines were installed, namely, the A.B.C. Scorpion, the Blackburne Tom-Titand the Douglas Flat Twin, were entered for Class A (engines not exceeding 40 h.p.), and the Bristol Lucifer for Class C (engines from 80 h.p. to 120 h.p.).As regards the second part, the aircraft in which the Blackburne Tom-Tit was installed completed 820 miles and obtained fifth place in Class A, andthat in which the Bristol Lucifer was installed obtained twelfth place in Class C, the full course for the latter competition being 3,307 miles, and theplacing'of the aircraft which completed it being assigned according to engine formula. Macmillan Arctic Expedition Starts - THE Arctic Expedition under Capt. Macmillan and Lieut -Comdr. R. B. Byrd, U.S.N., the object of which is to investigate the supposed existence of unexplored land lying between the North Pole and the North-West Passage, left Boston on June 17 on board the steamer " Peary" for Wiscasset Maine where they will be joined by a second ship, the " Bowdoin." The latter is carrying three Loenmg amphibians, which will be employed in making the survey from the air. This type of machine was fully described in " FLIGHT" for May 21 last. The expedition is sponsored by the National Geographical Society, and has the co-operation of the U.S. Government. R.A.F. Flying Accident THE Air Ministry regrets to announce that as a result of an accident at Peshawar to a D.H.9A of No. 60 Squadron Risalpur, on June 21, Flying Officer Norris Carden Bretherton the pilot of the aircraft, and No. 240535 Acting Sergeant Henry Eustace Blanche were killed. 395
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