Lt.Col. E.D.M. Robertson

[Regulus]

The sixth of june 1918 another flyingboat was shot down from Felixstowe, by five planes of Zeebrugge Seeflugstation.
Lt. Col. EDM Robertson, de commander of the base, was one of the crewmembers. *They were picked from their wreckaged plane after eight hours of drifting on the Northsea, by a
couple of Curtiss H12 flyingboats from their base, who were apparently searching for them.

Looking for some more info on this commander of Felixstowe naval air base and a possible report on this from the British side.

Thanks !!!

VBR From Regulus

[LizMilne]

I cannot help with details of the action, however can offer the following about the man.
From 1937 Kelly's Handbook to the Titled Landed and Official Classes:
"Robertson, Air Commodore Edmund Digby Maxwell, CB (1935) DFC (1918 ), s. of late col. H. Maxwell Robertson, RA; b.1887; m. 1912 Evelyn, younger dau. of late C.F.R. Simpson; 2 s., 1 dau.; Served in Great War 1914-19 in comd. HMS "Riviera" 1914-15 (despatches) and of RAF station Felixstowe 1918, group capt. 1926, dir. of personal services 1930-35, A.D.C. to the King 1931, air commodore 1931, ret. 1935; chf. aerodrome offr., Croydon Air Port from 1935; RAF club; Tain, Greville Park Rd. Ashstead, Surrey"

From 1950 Who's Who:
"Robertson, Air Commodore Edmund Digby Maxwell, CB
1935, DFC; Ministry of Civil Aviation; b.1887; s. of late Col. H. Maxwell Robertston RA and Mary E.L. Campbell; m 1912 Evelyn J. Simpson; one s., one d. Educ: HMS Britannia. Entered Royal Navy, 1903; Lieut 1907; Commanded HMS Riviera, 1914-15 (despatches) and RAF Station Felixstowe 1918; Lt.Col. RAF 1918; Group Captain 1926; Air Commodore 1931; ADC to the King 1931; Director of Personal Services, Air Ministry 1930-35; Airport Superintendent, Croydon Airport 1935-39; retired list 1935; re-employed RAF 1939-45. Fellow Royal Empire Society
Address: 206 Nelson House, Dolphin Square, SW1...
Club: Royal Air Force"

My next reference book (I have gaps, and alas no Who Was Who) Who's Who 1958 has no entry for him, which may mean nothing, or perhaps that he had passed away in the intervening years.

Hope this is of interest.

Someone else out there may be able to say if the 1918 DFC award is related to the action in which you are interested.


LM

[Hugh_A._Halliday]

The following from a data base on RAF awards between the wars:

ROBERTSON, Edmund Digby Maxwell, A/C, DFC - Companion, Order of the Bath - awarded as per London Gazette dated 3 June 1935 in King's Birthday List; reported in Aeroplane of 5 June 1935. Invested with award, 9 July 1935.

Kenneth James Nelson, THE ROYAL AIR FORCE AWARDS, 1918-1919 gives the following incident (without giving his source and without identifying who "he" is):

"While flying on an H.12 flying boat from Felixstowe Air Station on 5 June 1918, he had the Station Commander, Lieutenant-Colonel E.D.M. Robertson on board. He became involved in a fight with five German seaplanes from Zeebruge and during the scrap lost an engine. He had to make a forced landing on the water and wrecked the aircraft in doing so. The crew climbed aboard the upturned keel and a few minutes later one of the German seaplanes landed and taxied close to the wreckage and told them they were close to the Eglish coast and asked if they would like to be picke up and taken to Zeebruge as Prisoners of War, or would they prefer to take their chances on being found and rescued by British aircraft and ships. Lieutenant-Colonel Robertson declined the offer, whereupon the enemy pilot produced a camera, took a photograph, waved a cheery farewell and took off."

DFC gazetted 1 January 1919, no citation.

I am reviewing back issues of AEROPLANE (presently up to April 1931) and will try to keep this query in mind if I find a biography of him (I say "try" because I am juggling a lot of queries and have been reminded of tardiness in dealing with some).