F.W. Haig/Australian Flying Corps

Any information, anecdotes etc. of F.W. Haig (WWI) Australian Flying Corps? Please email WTree5@aol.com Thanks

[Andrew_Smith]

G'day Happy New Year,
Lt F.W. Haig served with No. 1 Sqn, he was an engineer (probably a student) before joining up, and was born in South Melbourne on the 29th of July 1895. From memory he flew Martinsydes and was involved in fighting the turks in the middle east, he was involved in bomning raids and general reconnaissance missions, that's about all I have on him, if I find any more info I will send it to you.

Regards,
Andrew Smith.

[Darryl]

FW HAIG, 1 Sqdn AFC POW'ed 1/5/1918 when he landed his Bristol F2b to aid another F2b brought down near Amman. He crashed on takeofff, a wheel breaking. His observer was Lt RT Challinor. The other aircraft (crewed by Capt DW Rutherford and 2Lt J McElligott) and Haig were dropping leaflets on Beni Sakr Arabs when Rutherford's machine was hit by ground fire. They burnt both a/c before they were taken prisioner.

regards

Darryl

Thanks for the message mate, Fred Haig was my Grandfather and hence I know a fair bit,such as he first served with the 5th.Battalion A.I F. and was wounded at Gallipoli 23 May 1914 repatriated to Oz and joined No.1 squadron and Going back to Egypt! I have found him mentioned in books such as "Gallipoli" but was wondering if you had any more
references Thanks

[cam]

Haig is mentioned in Cutlacks official history of the AFC. You can buy that book from the Australian War Memorial at :

http://www.awm.gov.au/

He is also mentioned in Charles Schaedel's " Men and Mahcines of the AFC 1914 - 1919 ". You can buy that from Kookaburra press at:

http://www.sympac.com.au/jtboundy/HkookaFO.htm

Both good books and to a large extent complimentary. For more general information on the AFC on the web. Their is an AFC website at :

http://members.xoom.com/PointCook/index.htm

cam

Thanks for your help, I'll check out the sites -happy New Year.

[cam]

"The Men and Machines of the Australian Flying Corps " has this on Haig.

" Rutherford continued to fly with No1 until the first day of May in the follwoing year when he was again brought down by ground fire. A pick up attamept by Lt F.W Haig ended in a crash which resulted ion the two pilots and their observers finishing the war as prisoners"

The official history has four entries on F.W Haig,

"F.W Haig - engineer; of Kew Melbourne, b South Melbourne 29 July 1895"

It mentions Haig and Vyner in a Bristol Fighter were escort for Potts and Hancock when they came across five Albatros machines, the Germans held the advantage but didnt press the attack and dived away.

Haig flew a Martinsyde in an attack on Kerak with Dowling in another Martinsyde. Haig dropped a bomb dead on the top of the citadel and reported Turks running out of the citadel into the square. Reconn photos afterwards showed the pagoda like towerhad entirely dissappeared. Arabs spies reported casualties were heavy.

The Official history also has more detail on Haigs ateempt to pick up Rutherford, they turied ot squeeze three passengers into a Bristol Fighter but the undercarraige collapsed. They set fire to the biff and then surrendered to Circassian Cavalry which had ridden up to them. Notes were dropped by the Germans to say they were safe and captured including letters from all four of the airmen captured.

sorry should have written that stuff out for you earlier but didnt have time. Was loking up stuff on McGinness and came across those referances ot Haig.

cam