royal flying corps in france ww1

i'm french and live in a village close to bapaume(10 miles from thiepval) called achiet le grand this village was for nearly a year a casualty clearing station (17-18) visiting the cemetery i found quiet a few royal flying corps men buried on this site.i'd like to find out why so many and be able to get records of them,two died in 1915 and most of the others died in 1916-1917
could you help me because i don't know where to start
thanks !!!

[Frank_Olynyk]

Tell us some names, and we should be able to track down, date of death, unit at the time, and the circumstances.

Frank.

if i 'd your mail i could send you the picture of the grave stones

air mecanic w.h cox died 5 dec 1915 rfc
lieutenant a.r.h browne 5 dec 1915 rfc

lieutenant j.m.sim gordon highlanders and rfc died 25 march 1917 rfc
captain eric joseph henderson .m.c died 25 march 1917 rfc
second lieutenant e.j hare died 24 march 1917 see link it says that he was in the 15th squadron ? rfchttp://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/results.aspx?surname=hare&initials=e%20j&war=1&yea rfrom=1917&yearto=1917&force=Air

second lieutenant s.hathaway died 12 june 1916 rfc
lieutenant h.fiske died 20 december 1916 rfc
second lieutenant t.west royal engineers and rfc died 24 september 1916

air mechanic w.h cox died 5 december 1915 rfc
lieutenant a.r.h browne died 5 december 1915 rfc


this is the only informations ican give you

[duckman]

"Why so many?"

Achiet-le-Grand would have served as a CCS after the German withdrawl to the Hindenburg Line (Siegfried Stellung, if you prefer). The British built rail lines through the territory abandoned by the Germans, reaching Achiet-le-Grand on 28 March and Bapaume on April 1 (I think), just in time for the Battle of Arras (April '17). The British were desperate for photo recon. of the area in time for the big offensive planned months earlier, and were active in the area at the time.

Basically, a convenient point to load up casualties onto trains for evac to rear areas or England. It would make sense that any RFC pilots removed to A-L-G. who died in the CCS would have been buried locally.

Not sure about the earlier ones. At that time ALG was in German hands, wasn't it?

[Frank_Olynyk]

From Chris Hobson: Airmen Died in the Great War.

Air Mechanic I, William Henry, #2373, 13 Squadron, observer. Native of Derby, Derbyshire, age 19. KIA Dec 5, 1915. Buried at Achiet-le-Grand (Extn), France.

Lt., Arthur Richard Howe, 13 Sqn, pilot. KIA Dec 5, 1915. Buried at Achiet-le-Grand (Extn), France.

From Trevor Henshaw: The Sky Their Battlefield.
BE2c, serial 2049 of 13 Squadron
Escort to photo mission Bellenglise, combat with enemy aircraft near Bapaume MIA (2Lt ARH Browne Austalian. Died of Wounds/1AM WH Cox POW) shot from behind?, fell with 4092 [BE claimed in combat at Achiet le Grand, 2pm (German time) Ltn G Leffers of KEK Bertincourt]

From Hobson:
Lt. John Moir Sim, Mentioned in Dispatches. 70 Sqn, obs, (6/Gordon Hldrs). Native of Enzie, Banff, age 23. KIA March 25, 1917. BUried at Achiet-le-Grand (Extn), France.
Capt. Eric Joseph Henderson, MC, 70 Sqn, pilot. Native of Johannesburg, South Africa, age 19. KIA March 25, 1917. Buried at Achiet-le-Grand (Extn), France.
From Henshaw:
Sopwith Strutter A2986, 70 Sqn.
Recce, seen at start of combat with 9 enemy aircraft over Cambrai, MIA (Capt EJ Henderson KIA//2Lt JM Sim KIA) left 7-10am (British time) [met Jasta 5?, see entry for A884] (which I do not reproduce)

And that is enough for now.

Frank.

i'll start with this to begin with
thanks
philippe