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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 1358.PDF
MAY 9, 1940 BIRTH OF THE ROY/ Reading from the top downwards areF.5. flying boat, the Avro 504 which started its career in 1913 and is stillabout and the Sopwith Camel of beloved memory. The line up at the bottom isof B.E.2S at Upavon early in 1914. No wonder, when Sir Henry Wilson walked into Brancker's room in the Directorate of Military Aeronautics at the War Office, on Saturday, July 25, 1914, and asked: "Are you ready for war ? '' Brancker put down the sand- wich he was just conveying to his mouth and answered, "Good God, no, sir! " Nos. 2, 3 and 4 Squadrons flew to France from Dover on August 13, 1914. One Flight of No. 4 Squadron remained at Dover for patrol duty. No. 5 Squadron started from Gos- port on the 14th and crossed the Channel from Dover, on the following day. One of the pilots who made a forced landing near Boulogne was arrested by the French and imprisoned for nearly a week before he was discovered and released. As soon as the squadrons had gone, Brancker and Sueter, of the War Office and Admiralty Air Departments, met and agreed on the divi- sion of the national manufacturing resources. And the day after they left Kitchener sent for Brancker and told him that a large number of new squadrons would be required for the New Army. On August 16 and 18, 1914, the R.F.C. moved from Amiens to Maubeuge and were in the war zone while the '' Old Contemptibles '' went up to Mons. The first war reconnaissances were made on the 19th of August ; two aeroplanes, a Bleriot of No. 3 Squadron flown by Captain P. B. Joubert de la Ferte, and a B.E. of No. 4 Squad- dron flown by Lieutenant G. W. Mapplebeck, flew over a wide area, lost their way several
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