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Hugh_A._Halliday · 23 March 2002, 03:33 AM

Many thanks for information on this subject (incidentally, I apologize for the whole thread being named "Osborn" when it should have read "Edmonds" - finger trouble on my part).

As many know, I have been patching together an aerial DSO data base, and the entry for Edmonds read:

EDMONDS, Charles Humphrey Kingsman, Lieutenant, Royal Naval Air Service - unit ? - Distinguished Service Order - awarded as per London Gazette dated 18 February 1915. For services in Cuxhaven Raid of 25 December 1914 (see Flight, 26 February 1915 for despatch on this operation). Biographical details courtesy of Graham Neale and Who's Who in Aviation, 1928 (London, Airways Publications, 1928, copy consulted in Canada Air Museum, Ottawa) which identifies him as Wing Commander Charles Humphrey Kingsman Edmonds, OBE, DSO. Born at Lincoln, 20 April 1891, son of Mr.and Mrs. Charles Edmonds, Lymington, Hampshire; held Royal Aero Club Certificate No.206; learned to fly at Bristol School, Larkhill, April 1912 (instructed by Geoffrey Paine); reported to have "served in the Balkan War, 1911-1913" (in what capacity is not known); appointed to Central Flying School, Upavon, May 1914; participated in Cuxhaven Raid (1914) and at Gallipoli (1915); Wing Commander, 31 December 1917. Also awarded French Croix de Guerre with Palm (1918). Passed Army Staff College, Camberley, 1919-1920; instructor at RAF Staff College, 1922-1925. Also decorated by Italian government. On 7 August 1931, G/C E.H.K. Edmonds posted to command No.21 Group, West Drayton. As of 1 January 1945 he was A/V/M C.H.K. Edmonds, CBE, DSO (Mentioned in Despatches for services with Allied Expeditionary Air Force). Aeroplane of 11 April 1917, reporting his marriage, stated:

"He won his DSO by sinking a Turkish transport in the Marmora with a 'projectile' from a seaplane, flying over the Gallipoli Peninsula from the Aegean to reach his objective. The feat was the first of its kind in the history of war."

The magazine was clearly wrong in linking his DSO to the Marmora incident, and the entry will be corrected shortly. Along the way I have been directed to a couple of very interesting websites. By way an aside, in another data base, I find the following (there seems to be some disagreement as to his name - Kingsman or Kingsmill):

EDMONDS, Charles Humphrey Kingsmill, A/V/M, CBE, DSO (Royal Air Force) - Allied Expeditionary Air Force - Mention in Despatches - awarded as per London Gazette dated 1 January 1945. Public Record Office Air 2/9017 has recommendation for a CB.

"This officer has been Air Officer Administration of the Allied Expeditionary Air Force since its inception. The fact that the organization proved adequate for the task, and that the whole of the build-up on the continent was carried out without a hitch, reflects great credit on his work in this capacity."

23 March 2002, 03:33 AM	#7 (permalink)
Hugh_A._Halliday Scout Pilot Join Date: Aug 2001 Posts: 300	Many thanks for information on this subject (incidentally, I apologize for the whole thread being named "Osborn" when it should have read "Edmonds" - finger trouble on my part). As many know, I have been patching together an aerial DSO data base, and the entry for Edmonds read: EDMONDS, Charles Humphrey Kingsman, Lieutenant, Royal Naval Air Service - unit ? - Distinguished Service Order - awarded as per London Gazette dated 18 February 1915. For services in Cuxhaven Raid of 25 December 1914 (see Flight, 26 February 1915 for despatch on this operation). Biographical details courtesy of Graham Neale and Who's Who in Aviation, 1928 (London, Airways Publications, 1928, copy consulted in Canada Air Museum, Ottawa) which identifies him as Wing Commander Charles Humphrey Kingsman Edmonds, OBE, DSO. Born at Lincoln, 20 April 1891, son of Mr.and Mrs. Charles Edmonds, Lymington, Hampshire; held Royal Aero Club Certificate No.206; learned to fly at Bristol School, Larkhill, April 1912 (instructed by Geoffrey Paine); reported to have "served in the Balkan War, 1911-1913" (in what capacity is not known); appointed to Central Flying School, Upavon, May 1914; participated in Cuxhaven Raid (1914) and at Gallipoli (1915); Wing Commander, 31 December 1917. Also awarded French Croix de Guerre with Palm (1918). Passed Army Staff College, Camberley, 1919-1920; instructor at RAF Staff College, 1922-1925. Also decorated by Italian government. On 7 August 1931, G/C E.H.K. Edmonds posted to command No.21 Group, West Drayton. As of 1 January 1945 he was A/V/M C.H.K. Edmonds, CBE, DSO (Mentioned in Despatches for services with Allied Expeditionary Air Force). Aeroplane of 11 April 1917, reporting his marriage, stated: "He won his DSO by sinking a Turkish transport in the Marmora with a 'projectile' from a seaplane, flying over the Gallipoli Peninsula from the Aegean to reach his objective. The feat was the first of its kind in the history of war." The magazine was clearly wrong in linking his DSO to the Marmora incident, and the entry will be corrected shortly. Along the way I have been directed to a couple of very interesting websites. By way an aside, in another data base, I find the following (there seems to be some disagreement as to his name - Kingsman or Kingsmill): EDMONDS, Charles Humphrey Kingsmill, A/V/M, CBE, DSO (Royal Air Force) - Allied Expeditionary Air Force - Mention in Despatches - awarded as per London Gazette dated 1 January 1945. Public Record Office Air 2/9017 has recommendation for a CB. "This officer has been Air Officer Administration of the Allied Expeditionary Air Force since its inception. The fact that the organization proved adequate for the task, and that the whole of the build-up on the continent was carried out without a hitch, reflects great credit on his work in this capacity."