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Aviation History
1926
1926 - 0377.PDF
JUNE 3, 1926 THE ALDERSHOT COMMAND TATTOO THE Aldershot Command Tattoo, which has been an annual event for some years past, has always been a very popular one—-mainly, perhaps, so far as the Aldershot neighbourhood is concerned, although no doubt many of its spectators have journeyed from afar specially to see it. Since the wonderful Torchlight Tattoos at Wembley in 1924 and 1925, and the more recent successful Tattoo at Birmingham, many thousands of the British public, from all parts of the country, have experienced a taste of this inspiring form of entertainment, and it can safely be said that the " Tattoo habit " has caught on. This year's Searchlight Tattoo at Aldershot—which is to be presented at Rushmoor on June 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19—- will therefore probably draw many more spectators from more distant parts. And it will be well worth it, for a truly magnificent historic spectacle has been prepared, in which three famous fragments of British history will be enacted— the Battle of Hastings, October 14, 1066 ; the Battle of Agincourt, October 25, 1415 ; and the Balaclava Charge of the Light Brigade, October 25, 1854. Some 3,000 officers and men will take part in this tattoo— 1,000 of this number being responsible for the musical side which will form a by no means minor item in the programme. The 2,000 actors in the three episodes have taken up their parts with an extraordinary keenness, and each of the events will be portrayed with a remarkableTdegree of accuracy to detail as regards equipment, etc., thanks to the unique knowledge in this respect of Capt. Herbert Oakes Jones, M.B.E., who contributed so much towards the successes of the Wembley and Birmingham Tattoos. We are afraid there is but little to do with aviation in all this—but the Tattoo is, of course, organised for the benefit of military charity funds, and we wish everyone who can to support it, and see it, and enjoy it. But stop—there is a connection with aviation. In two of the events, the Battles of Hastings and Agincourt, the main feature is centred around the extensive use of arrows, used with such deadly effect by the famous bowmen in these historical episodes. The staging of this early method of aerial warfare in the Aldershot Tattoo presented a somewhat difficult problem, i.e., the employment of arrows that would be realistic but innocuous. However, an ingenious Aldershot officer has contrived such an arrow. These arrows are cut from the rushes which grow in the marshy soil beside the Test, and when dried are as light almost as thistledown, although incapable of stable flight. The aforementioned officer has, however, by some means or the other, induced them to function at the hands of the archers with absolute realism—yet without fear of the slightest harm to man or beast. They fly well, if not with William Tell accuracy. To be Marriedfi The engagement is announced between Group Capt. CHRISTOPHER L. COURTNEY, C.B.E., D.S.O., R.A.F., youngest son of Mr. W. L. Courtney, M.A., LL.D., and CONSTANCE (MICKIE) RAYSON, elder daughter of Mr. G. Edward GREENSILL of H.M. Office of Works and Cannock, Staffs. The marriage between ALAN INCELL RILEY, A.F.C., R.A.F., son of Mr. George Riley, of Clacton, and ELLA ADELE, daughter of the late Mr. S. G. VAN OS and Mrs. VAN OS, of 59, Edith-Road, Kensington, W. 14, will take place at St. Mary Abbot's Church, Kensington, on June 19, at 2.30 o'clock. The engagement is announced between NORMAN SLADDEN (late Maj., R.A.F.), youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Sladden, of The Mall, Southgate, N.14, and MARGARET EVELYN, younger daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. A. LANKESTER, of Avenue Road, Leicester. The engagement is announced between GEOFFREY C. STEMP, R.A.F., eldest son of the late Mr. C. S. Stemp and Mrs. Stemp, of Streatham Common, to FRIEDA, eldest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. GREVENER, of Highmore, Streatham Common, S.W. Killed. Lieut. PETER GRANVILLE SMITH, R.N., attached R.A.F.; who died on May 21 at Dundee, as the result of a flying accident at Leuchars, Fife, aged 23, was the only son of the late Commander Herbert Granville Smith, R.N., and stepson of Captain R. F. Parker, C.B., C.M.G., R.N. At St. James's Palace AT the Levee held by His Majesty the King on Monday, May 31, at St. James's Palace, the following werepresent : Air Marshal Sir John Salmond, Principal Air Aide-de-Camp, Group Capt. P. F. M. F'ellowes, Aide-de-Camp in Waiting. Flight-Lieut. Ian Cullen, etc. Amongst those presented to H.M. the King were :—Flying Officer J. Anderson, Wing Commander P. Babington, M.C., A.F.C., Flight-Lieut. F. Beau- mont, Air Commodore L. Blandy, C.B., D.S.O. ; Squadron- Leader R. Gardner, D.S.C. ; Flight-Lieut. V. Gibbs, D.S.C. ; Flight-Lieut. L. Hollinghurst, D.F.C. ; Flight-Lieut. A. Mackenzie ; Wing Commander C. Nutting, O.B.E., D.S.C. ; Flight-Lieut. A. Orlebar, A.F.C. ; Flight-Lieut. R. Osborne ; Air Commodore D. Pitcher, C.M.G., C.B.E., D.S.O. ; Squadron Leader A. Pryor; Flight-Lieut. R. Read ; Flying Officer C F. Sealy ; Flying Officer A. T. K. Shipwright, D.F.C. ; Flying Officer A. G. S. Tuke ; Flight-Lieut. W. G. Weston, etc. R. A. F. Airmen Reach Cairo WING-COMMANDER PULFORD and his three companions reached Cairo in their Fairey HID biplanes (Napier " Lions ") on May 27, having thus completed the 11,000-mile flight from Cairo to Cape Town and back without a hitch. They were greeted by Gen. Sir Richard Haking (commanding British troops in Egypt) and Air Vice-Marshal Sir Oliver Swann (Air Officer commanding Middle East), and received a very hearty welcome from a large gathering. On May 29 the four machines were flown to Aboukir, where they are being fitted with floats for their flight to England. Capt. D'Oisy Crashes CAPT. PELLETIER D'OISY, who left Paris on May 25 for Tokyo has met with a mishap which has brought the flight to an early end. In attempting to leave Warsaw aerodrome the machine stuck in a mud-hole and overturned. Neither pilot nor mechanic were injured, but the machine was damaged beyond repair. Gordon-Bennett Balloon Race OF the 15 balloons which left Antwerp on May 30 in the race for the second Gordon-Bennett Cup, the following pro- visional placings have been received up to the time of writing : Goodyear III (U.S.A.), Soddeborg, 527 miles; Army S.16 (U.S.A.), Krakau, 372 miles ; Belgica (Belgium), near Ham- burg, 288 miles ; Prince Leopold (Belgium), Oldenburg, 210 miles ; Miramer (Great Britain), Deventu, 102 miles ; Penaranda (Spain), Gorderen, 93 miles; Helvetia (Swiss), Hakamp, 80 miles ; Picardie (France), Kulemborg, 62 miles ; Banshee III (Great Britain), Veghel, 50 miles ; Bee (Great Britain), Walwick, 47 miles ; Aerostiere I (Belgium), Tilburg, 40 miles ; Aerostiero III (Italy), Zundert, 22 miles ; Cam- pino III (Italy), Westweezel, 18 miles ; Campino IV (Italy), Westweezel, 16 miles. Danish Flight to Tokyo LIEUT. BOTVED, the Danish pilot, succeeded in reaching Tokyo on June 1, and received an enthusiastic welcome. Institution of Aeronautical Engineers WILL our readers please note that Capt. W. H. Sayer's paper, " The Modern Theory of Aerofoils and its Application to Aeroplane Design," which was postponed from May 11, will be held on June 8 at 6.30 p.m. (at Junior Institution of Engineers). 323
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