British Air Forces 1914 - 1918, Images of War

[dinomartino1]

Exhibition of remains of a German Zeppelin brought down in Essex being viewed by civilians and servicemen.

Sopwith Cuckoo dropping a torpedo during trials at the Torpedo Aeroplane School, East Fortune, 24 - 26 July 1918

First Battle of Bapaume. Pilots bringing in their reports near Albert, 25 March 1918. Note the two Vickers machine guns on the Scarff ring in the background.

Bhupinder Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala, examining the motor winch of an observation balloon serviced by the RAF ground crew. Near Chocques, 31st July 1918.

Photographer of 16 Wing Photographic Section (RFC/RAF) wearing leather flying coat and carrying a 'C' Type camera.

British and New Zealand medical officers hunting for souvenirs among the wreckage of the German Zeppelin LZ.85 in the marshes at the mouth of the River Vardar on 6 May 1916, the day after the airship was brought down by gunfire from HMS AGAMEMNON.

Sopwith 5F.1 Dolphin single-seat fighter biplane. Used for ground attack and high-altitude offensive patrols

 

[dinomartino1]

Twin Vickers machine gun mounted on a Sopwith Snipe

A member of Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps (QMAAC) acetylene welding at a Royal Air Force engine repair shop at Pont de l'Arche, France, in 1919.

 

[Whatsit]

@Smithy this is not from the RAF but still a British WW1 picture. It’s from a hospital during the WW1. My great grand dad is the top row third from the left. He had escaped a German POW camp and got mustard gassed while escaping. He still got away and made it back to France. He took a bunch of lads with him too and was mentioned In the dispatches. Anyways if it doesn’t belong let me know and I’ll delete it

 

[Smithy]

That's wonderful Whatsit! I posted a pic or two of one of my rellies earlier in the thread.

Dino seems to be keeping this thread alive. I have a lot of books on the subject but find scanning terribly boring. I should probably pull my finger out and see if I can add a few images which can't be found on the internet.

 

[dinomartino1]

No delete, anything like that is if of great interest to me.

 

[Smithy]

Haven't posted in here for yonks so well overdue. I thought I'd post a photo of one of my "heroes" of the First World War - Arthur Rhys Davids.

Arthur was an old Etonian whose parents were academics. He was quite a gentle boy but fiercely intelligent and a brilliant classicist. War came and put a hold on his dream of pursuing an academic career (he'd won a scholarship to Oxford) and he joined the RFC. Posted to 56 Sqn he was lucky to survive his first combat when he was attacked by Kurt Wolff of Jasta 11 during the fight in which Albert Ball was killed. However he developed at a meteoric rate to become not only a gifted pilot but a highly aggressive and pugnacious air fighter. In a very short space of time he amassed 25 victories including that of Werner Voss, arguably the most skilled German pilot of the war. Sadly, and yet so typical of those who fought the world's first air war he was shot down (killed by Karl Gallwitz of Jasta Boelcke). When he was killed Arthur was just 20 and had only been on the Western Front for 6 months. In that time as well as his 25 victories, he had been awarded the MC twice, the DSO once and had been deserving of the VC according to his CO.

Very sadly in Alex Revell's history of 56 Sqn, "High in the Empty Blue" there is a photo of Arthur lying dead in the wreck of his SE5a. It's a very confronting image even without knowing who this poor fellow is. I prefer to remember him in the following image, he simply loved flying and the sheer joy of it and you can see it in his face in the photo. I'll leave the last words to his squadron mate, one of the most famous aces of WWI James McCudden:


"...if one was ever over the Salient in the autumn of 1917 and saw an SE5 fighting like Hell amidst a heap of Huns, one would find nine times out of ten that the SE was flown by Rhys Davids."

(Apologies the scan isn't of the best quality I was hoping for and I'm starting to think my scanner is on the out, still I hope you like it)

 

[2BM2K]

Here are a couple of colour photographs. These are original WW1 colour photo's taken by Frank Hurley.

Frank Hurley: The Mad Photographer of World War I

Though plagued by controversy Hurley's photos of the Western Front of the First World War stand as some of the most stunning images of the conflict in existence.

wartimes.ca

 

[Smithy]

Those are rather famous. The Biffs are from 1 Sqn AFC and the photos are from when Hurley visited the squadron. And in the last photo, the chap on the left is Capt Ross Macphearson Smith, who was the pilot for Lawrence of Arabia. He was no slouch in the air either, winning the DFC three times and the MC twice.

 

[Smithy]

Seeing as I mentioned McCudden in my last post with the image of Rhys Davids I thought I'd post one of my favourite images of Mac with his bulldog Bruiser. Bruiser was the gift from a female admirer and although very placid and good natured, he had a rather fierce appearance and Mac would use him to scare the WRAF's working next door to his office.

 

[ausreenactor]

Puppies are not for Christmas or the 'front'? What was the woman thinking?

 

[Smithy]

Puppies are not for Christmas or the 'front'? What was the woman thinking?

Couchy, Mac got Bruiser when he was an instructor at Turnberry back in the UK. One of the big changes with the RFC which occurred after the heavy casualties suffered in late 1917 and early 1918 was the realisation that dedicated facilities were needed for the advanced training of pilots. Training was increased from 15 hours to at least 50 and the final stages of this were devoted to instruction in advanced air fighting. Mac had been posted to do this type of instruction at Turnberry at the No. 1 School of Aerial Fighting and Gunnery.

 

[Smithy]

Just had to squeeze in another photo of Bruiser and Mac...

 

[Smithy]

I have a very big soft spot for the Biff because one of the family stooged around over the Western Front in one in 1918 (and lived to tell the tale luckily) so I had to post this wonderful photo of a Biff of 35 Sqn...

(As per usual click on the pic for the big version)

 

[Smithy]

Another Biff pic...

Capt Harvey (26 victories) of 22 Sqn checking the non-standard over wing Lewis gun mounting on E2466 at Agincourt 1st July 1918. Capt Waight (12 victories) is the observer.

 

[Lord Flashheart]

I've learnt something thank you Smithy. Didn't know they were nicknamed Biff. I'm more of an SE5 aficionado myself though I've no connection to it.

 

[Smithy]

I've learnt something thank you Smithy. Didn't know they were nicknamed Biff. I'm more of an SE5 aficionado myself though I've no connection to it.

The SE is actually my favourite from WWI, I've got more books on it than any other type. Also got a 1/48 kit on the go of a Viper engined SE5a which is next to finish after the Fokker I'm working on.

 

[Smithy]

Just for Lord F, a rather nice photo of F'943, a Wolseley Motors built SE5a which served with 92 Sqn...

 

[Lorenzo_l]

What a great thread. Thanks for posting and keep the pictures coming lads!

 

[Lord Flashheart]

Thank you Smithy that's excellent. There's something about the fairing behind the pilot and the blunt nose that makes it purposeful

 

[Smithy]

Thank you Smithy that's excellent. There's something about the fairing behind the pilot and the blunt nose that makes it purposeful

I've always loved the SE too for those very reasons, I just love the look of it. If you're interested in the SE definitely think about picking up the Haynes manual which came out for it a couple of years back as it's an excellent book with much about the SE and those who flew her.

PS - It also includes the fruitcake recipe that Albert Ball's sister Lois used to make for him and send over to France. He used to take a hunk of this up to munch on when he was on patrol if he got peckish.