I'm a writer of historical fiction and have been visiting this excellent site for the past year to glean info for my novels. I'm working on book 2 of the series and have characters, both Canadian and British, who are in the RFC, basing some of their exploits on real pilots, especially the aces. I build a compelling story line over a rigorously researched historical framework, and as such, try to be as accurate as possible in details.
So I need your help!
I came across a reference to the aerodrome at Marquise, and wonder if anyone can give me any info about it. The FANY (First Aid Nursing Yeomanry) who were stationed in Calais, had an outpost at Marquise with two ambulances and three drivers on duty, at least during 1916-1917 and perhaps later. Since I also have a character in a fictionalized FANY corps, I wanted to have some of the action take place at Marquise.
Another question I have is, what happened to civil aviation in Britain during WW1? I came across a reference to Hilda Hewitt, the first Englishwoman to fly, who instructed fighter pilots. She must have done this in a civil aerodrome, as women were not working for the RFC until much later when it was the RAF, and undoubtedly not as instructors! But would civil aerodromes not have been shut down at some time during the war, if for no other reason than because of fuel shortages?
Your help would be greatly appreciated! I expect I'll have more questions in the future, as book 2 begins where book 1 left off, in 1916. You can visit my website for more info about me and my novels at theMuskokaNovels.com
24 March 2007, 11:13 AM
Linear Mode
Similar Threads
