DSO Awards

I am close to completing a list of aerial-related DSO awards. However, in a 1928 British "Who's Who in Aviation" are a number of people who, though in air circles at that time, may have won their DSO in previous "ground-pounder" incarnations. Can anyone shed light on the circumstances by which the following would have earned this award and approximately when:

BURNETT, Charles Kenyon
EDWARDS, Patrick Harrington
GROVES, Percy Robert Clifford
LEFROY, Hugh Percival Thomson (possibly for wireless reserach rather than combat)
MALTBY, Paul Copeland
MILLER, Albert Basil
PEIRSE, Richard Edmund
RHODES, John Phillips
RIDLEY, Charles Alward (believed for escape exploits)
TOMKINSON, Edward Launcelot
VYVYAN, Vyell

Hugh,
I have just printed out your list of DSO recipients to check out in some of my reference books. No promises that I'll find anything useful, but will take a look (offline) and get back to you later today with what I find.

Regards,
Liz Milne

As promised, here is what I have been able to discover about these DSO recipients. *I had a very long reply almost ready to post a couple of hours ago, when my computer froze on me and I lost the lot. *I am therefore going to make a series of shorter posts so I don't have to keep retyping the information.
I promise you, I am not just padding my post total!

The main source consulted is "The Distinguished Service Order 1886-1923" by O'Moore Creagh VC and E.M. Humphris (1978 Reprint by J.B. Hayward and Sons). *Although this book is not always 100 per cent accurate, I have been able to glean London Gazette (LG) dates for all but one of your men from it, as well as further details for a few. *Have also consulted Debrett's 1925 "Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage and Companionage" and (in the case of Burnett) 1937 Kelly's "Handbook to the Titled, Landed and Official Classes".

BURNETT, Charles Kenyon *does not appear to have received a DSO. He does not appear in Creagh and is listed in both Debrett's and Kelly's as Brigadier-General CB (1919) CMG (1916). *As he was born in 1868 further service post-1937 seems unlikely.
There is however a Charles Stuart Burnett T/Lt.Col. Reserve of Officers LG 11 April 1918 "for military operations culminating in the capture of Jerusalem". He is listed in Debretts as Group Captain, CBE, DSO and in Kelly's as Air Marshal Sir Charles KCB (1936) CBE (1919) DSO 1918. Might this be your man? His aviation connection seems to be post-WWI.

EDWARDS, Patrick Harrington Lt Col (T/Comdr) RNVR *DSO *LG 24 May 1919 *Bar to DSO *LG 3 Feb 1920
24 May 1919: "As recognition of his valuable services as Commanding Officer of Allied Naval Brigade in North Russia between August 1918 and Feb 1919...very good work under difficult circumstances."
3 Feb 1920:"..distinguished service in connection with military operations in Archangel, North Russia."

GROVES, Percy Robert Clifford *Major (T/Lt.Col) KSLI *LG 1 January 1917
"...distinguished service in the field." *Brief biography in Creagh Pt 2, p 257 shows he was born 26 March 1878..."joined KSLI 1899, served in South Africa...RFC 1914; served with Air Services France 1914-15; Dardanelles 1915-16; Middle East 1916-18; Air Ministry 1918-19; Observer; Pilot...transferred to RAF with rank of Group Captain 1919". Was Air Ministry representative at the Peace Conference.
Debretts shows him to have also received the CB (Mil) and CMG, both in 1919

More to follow

LM

To continue:

LEFROY, Hugh Percival Thomson Major RE LG 4 June 1917
"...distinguished service in the field." Also received the Military Cross. Born 6 Oct 1880, 2/Lt RE 1899, served in South Africa. Attained rank of Major in 1916. Debretts shows he was appointed Head of Wireless Research Work, Air Ministry in 1922.

MALTBY, Paul Copeland T/Major Royal Welch Fusiliers and RFC
"...distinguished service in the field." Debretts shows him as Squadron-Leader and indicates the award of an Air Force Cross during the war years in addition to the DSO.

MILLER, Albert Basil T/Lieut. South Staffordshire Regt. LG 16 Sept 1918
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during an attack. After his senior officers had become casualties he led the battalion with great dash and determination, killing a large number of the enemy and taking 70 prisoners. When withdrawal became necessary, he got his men back to the front line in perfect order. His courage and leadership were of a high order, and he turned a doubtful situation into a brilliant success." Creagh, Pt 2, p 123 Debretts gives his birthdate as 1895 and shows that he was also awarded the MC during the War.

PEIRSE, Richard Edmund Flight Lieut., RNAS LG 10 April 1915
(Creagh and Debretts both give his name as Richard Edmund Charles Peirse)
"He repeatedly attacked the German submarine station at Ostend and Zeebrugge, being subjected on each occasion to heavy and accurate fire." Creagh Pt 1, p 380, quoting London Gazette. No date of action or squadron given. Debretts shows him as Wing Commander DSO, AFC and indicates the AFC is also for war-time service. (You probably already know that the AFC is awarded for valour in the air, not in active operations against an enemy and that it was instituted in 1918 - can give you a bit more on this if you want it.) There is a (not very good) photo of Peirse in Creagh that I will scan and e-mail to you should you so wish. Also a few more biographical/family details.

More to follow
LM

Continuing:

RHODES, John Phillips Captain A/Major RE LG 1 January 1918
"...distinguished service in the field."
Debretts: born 19 July 1884 By 1925 was Sir John Phillips Rhodes, 2nd Baronet, having succeeded his father in 1924.

RIDLEY, Charles Alward Captain Royal Fusiliers attached RFC LG 14 November 1916
Both Creagh and Debretts give his first name as "Claude" rather than "Charles".
Creagh Pt 2, p 331: "born 1897...Took Pilot's Certificate June 1915; went immediately to France...wounded (MC)...returned to France in July 1916...when his machine was wrecked escaped with valuable information; decorated on the field by General Haig (DSO)
Creagh Pt 2, p 21: "RIDLEY, CLAUDE ALWARD Second Lieut. MC, Royal Fusiliers and Royal Flying Corps. For conspicuous gallantry and judgment in the execution of a special mission. When his machine was wrecked he showed great resource, and obtained valuable information."
Debretts shows his as Flight Lieut RAF in 1925.

TOMKINSON, Edward Launcelot Squadron Leader RAF LG 22 December 1919
Creagh shows him as "Lancelot" , Debretts as "(Edward) Lancelot"
"Air Ministry....distinguished services rendered during the war and since the close of hostilities".
Also shows him to already hold the AFC for services in North Russia. Creagh Pt 2, p 189
Debretts: entered RN 1905 RNAS 1914 RAF 1918 Now (1925) Squadron Leader.

VYVYAN, Vyell Captain RN LG 14 March 1916
Creagh shows him as "Arthur Vyell Vyvyan"
"Beachmaster at Anzac (Gallipoli) on 25 April (1915) and subsequently. Was frequently exposed to heavy shell fire while carrying out his very arduous duties." Creagh Pt 2, p 5
Debretts: Listed in collateral branches to the family of the 10th Baronet: Sir (Arthur) Vyell [Vyvyan is understood] KCB, DSO, RN b. 1875 became Com. 1906 and Capt 1913; now Air Vice Marshal RAF...cr KCB 1923." Also various foreign decorations etc.
Kellys 1937, entry for his widow shows that he died in 1935.


I hope that all of this is of some use to you Hugh. Several of them, besides Vyvyan, have foreign awards to their credit. If you need these please let me know. There is only the barest of information in what I have about these foreign awards ie, the simple fact of their award to a man.

A question, do you have Sir David Henderson on your list? He was Commander of the RFC from the outbreak of war until Oct 1917 and had been instrumental in the creation of the RFC. He is often overlooked. My interest in him stems from the fact that he was the grandfather of a very dear friend of mine (sadly deceased a few years ago) and despite my interest in military aviation I knew little of him until I met her.
He was also the father of Ian Henderson, listed on the Aces pages of the Aerodrome. My friend's son is the spitting image of Ian Henderson. I digress. Sir David's DSO dates from the South African Campaign in any case, Defence of Ladysmith, so I guess does not fit into your list. Just thought I'd give him a mention.

Regards,
Liz Milne

This is great stuff, and I thank you profusely. Other information from other sources must also be digested, but insofar as compilation of a First World War DSO data base is concerned, the end is in sight. Next question - what to do with it ?

[Graeme]

Hugh

Next you copyright the info, download the database onto CDs and knock 'em out at a reasonable price!

Now I'm back from my holiday in Portugal, I'll get cracking on the rest of the DSO bios (from the tome Liz has already mentioned. Last time I managed to get hold of a copy, my local library got the copy from the British Museum and I had to promise to forfeit my life and those of my family should I not return it by the required date! Thankfully I'm quite a fast reader).

VBR

Graeme

[Graeme]

Hugh

Can't add much to the information provided by Liz but the following may help round things off:

Claude Alward RIDLEY, No 60 Sqn, got the MC as per the Gazette of 16 May 1916, was forced down by engine failure behind the German lines on 3 August 1916 during the course of a spy-dropping mission and received the DSO as per the Gazette of 14 November 1916. An account of Ridley's activities after his forced landing appears in The Sky Their Battlefield, p 100.

Major (Acting Lieutenant-Colonel) Paul Copeland MALTBY DSO (R Welsh Fus) received the AFC per the London Gazette of 3 June 1919;

Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Edmund Charles PEIRSE DSO received the AFC per the London Gazette of 1 January 1919;

Squadron Leader (Acting Wing Commander) Lancelot TOMKINSON received the AFC as per the London Gazette of 10 October 1919.

The details are as shown in the Gazette of the relavant date (although I cannot find my copy of the 1 January 1919 entries to confirm whether Pierse's rank was substantive or acting, I'll see if I can sort this out if you require this degree of detail).

I have a scribbled note that the awards appearing in the Gazette of 10 October 1919 were the first to use the new RAF ranks and were presumably for post-war service since other entries in this Gazette are for "services rendered in connection with the War" and quote the old RFC/RAF rank.

As the AFC was awarded without citation, there is no simple way of determining the reason for these awards, other than being "for an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty performed whilst flying though not in active operations against the enemy."

Graeme

[Stephanie]

[Ira_Silverman]

Stephanie:

Alright, I give up.

We hereby bestow upon you "The Royal Order of the Smiley."



Best,

Ira