54 Squadron and Camel B7407

Lufbery · 4 November 2009, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangowhiskey

Hey, Lufbery.... since you found the plane info interesting:

Squadron 54's records show that two days BEFORE my grandfather crashed B7407 (i.e on 20th April 1918) the same aircraft, piloted by T. Lt. CS Bowen downed one German Pfalz scout over Vieux Berquin at 5.30 p.m.. Lt Bowen was with a patrol of 4 Camels when they spotted 10 EA at 2,000 feet. Lt Bowen drove one down to 200 feet, firing "10 or 12 good bursts" on the way, and the EA was observed to crash north of Neuf Berquin and he was credited with the kill.

best
Tom

Tom, wouldn't it be great if those planes could talk?

Serious question: how are you doing your research? By that I mean, how are you finding 54 Squadron's records?

Regards,

tangowhiskey · 4 November 2009, 11:46 PM

Drew,

Friendly folk on this and other Forums have helped me find y way a bit, so far. I have managed to get Jan-November 1918 Combat Reports for Squadron 54 from National Records Office at Kew; these were available as Pdf files at £3.50 a pop! May 1918 records are missing from their files. C.S Bowen's action aboard B7407 was contained therein.

I also found online the complete copy of the 1920 book by Clapp, Frederick Mortimer: "A History of the 17th Aero Squadron" and this book (scanned from the US Library of Congress) detailed several incidents/combat where Camel B7407 was involved, piloted by "Goodie" as Liet WW Goodnow was known.

Finally, a kind gentleman in the US in Dallas has accessed two collections of records there and there's a fair bit of 54 Squadron info from that source (which I have yet to get my hands on).

cheers
Tom

bristol scout · 9 November 2009, 07:15 AM

Pics. in post today Tom--hope they help.

cheers,
Dave.

tangowhiskey · 10 November 2009, 09:13 AM

Dear Friends,

I have scanned my grandfather's logbook and it's all beginning to come together now!

He went through the usual training/courses before ending up being sent out from 40 Reserve Squadron posted to 54 Squadron and he arrived in France with his Camel to 54 Squadron on 17th April 1918 having got lost in mist on his way and having overnighted with 98 Squadron! They broke him in it seems by getting him to fly 'Defensive Patrol for Huns, 2 sent off' Hazenbroch to Pojor on 23rd April as well as participating in a scrap with Lockwood and another with Cuffe. (I am guessing, but were the older aces making a habit of assessing the new joiners/putting them through their paces?). On 1/5 he was learning the new aerodrome (not sure which) and then the next 12 entries between 1/5 and 11/5 get very interesting as there's no comments, record of heights or other details except 'Camel' and entry for flight duration. I am guessing that there must have been a reason for no details - that he was in action rather than the previous training and build up flying entries that had preceeded these flights. The last flight was on 11/5 and years later there has been a note added 'Crashed - shot down'.

I cannot find any Squadron Record Book for this period as it’s missing from Kew. I'd obviously like to find out more about what happened on 11/5/18 for 54 Squadron (and my grandfather RTT Waring). Anyone got any ideas/help me in the right direction. I have all the Air Combat reports for 54 Squadron in 1918 but the only one missing from Kew in May 1918! Just my luck!

Prior to being active with 54 in France from 18th April 1918 his logbook shows he had had 16 hours dual instruction, 36 hours solo and just 7 hours prior in a Camel....

After he was ‘shot down’ on May 11th he had a gap from flying for 4 weeks and next entries are for Old Sarum with 11 TDS. He then did flying on a number of types at Old Sarum (mostly Avro’s and DH 6’s) until late August when he was at Turnberry and Stonehenge on DH9’s and BE2E’s Looks like he was instructing at Stonehenge and doing bombing/gunnery practice (?instruction?). Then, at beginning od October !918 he was bck to France, this time as a ferry pilot at Marquise where he did a lot of flying DH9’s and some DH4’s etc. He has one entry in his logbook on 12 11 1918 when he “flew over Paris to see crowds on the Boulevards”

His last flight before being end of his service was a DHP test flight at Maequise where he recorded: “Test OK. Fine bus. Last Trip”

When he stopped he had about 175 hours solo and had flown a number of different types including: Maurice Farman’s (3h 15), Avro (33h 15), Sopwith Pup (11h 25), Sopwith Camel (28h 55), DH4 (6h 15), DH4 Rolls Royce (8h 45), DH6 (4h15 ), DH 9 (29h 50), DH9A (23h 30), Handley Page (6h 10)

Lufbery · 10 November 2009, 01:11 PM

Tom,

That's absolutely fascinating! Thanks for posting more information. It makes you wonder what the powers that be were thinking when they gave your grandfather his different assignments. Going from single-seater pursuit pilot to teaching gunnery and bombing in two-seaters is an interesting progression. Obviously, he or his commanders were keen to keep him flying.

Regards,

tangowhiskey · 11 November 2009, 12:47 AM

I am not sure why he was rotated as much as he was either. I believe he was injured in his last Camel outing on 11 5 18 (hurt his lower back, my 84 year old aunt tells me) but I don't know. He certainly clocked up the variety of machines, skills that were necessary as a Ferry Pilot which is what he was at the end of the war.