Leiutenant Arthur T Dickinson RNAS

toofatfortakeoff · 10 March 2005, 02:02 AM

I had the pleasure of meeting this man's widow many years ago and just wondered if anyone had any information on him. He served with Leefe robinson and was very dissappointed not to put the final shots into the balloon over Potters Bar. Being young at the time I took my notes I just wanted to know how many kills he got-his daughter had a fantastic album stuffed with crash and mess photos wonder if it ever got onto the market-his wife 92y.o. then, had a large propeller driven "teardrop" bomb in her spare room of the 1914 type. She was still able to pick it up-it must have been twenty pounder looking back Has anyone any more information on this flyer. I know that he crashes in 1918 and there was a photo of his mates having a drink and a laugh on his wreck.

MikeW · 10 March 2005, 11:14 AM

If AT Dickinson served with Leefe Robinson he would have been RFC, not RNAS. I have no reference to him, as RNAS or RFC, taking part in any home defence sortie against Zeppelins or anything else for that matter.

Mike

Graeme · 10 March 2005, 11:43 AM

The closest I've got is 2nd Lieutenant T A Dickinson, a pilot with No 27 Squadron RAF in 1918 - he scored a victory in DH9 D2873 on 20 September (RAF Communique number 26).

Graeme

MikeW · 10 March 2005, 11:49 PM

I can now further add that AT Dickinson wasn't an officer in the RNAS in 1916 or 1917.

toofatfortakeoff · 16 March 2005, 02:56 AM

Hi all, I will have a look at my old notes again and see about writing another letter to his daughter. I may have to go on another visit, now that Im older and er...wiser

toofatfortakeoff · 19 March 2005, 09:21 AM

Further Noos-Tern Hill Market Drayton Salop? was one base he was based at...

Graeme · 20 March 2005, 01:04 AM

Toofatfortakeoff

Cross and Cockade International (Volume 32, Number 1, Spring 2001) carried a review of the book "Shropshire Airfields". The reviewer states:

RAF Tern Hill was established in 1916 as a training station equipped with Avro 504s and later Sopwith Camels, but suffered a calamitous fire in 1919, when it was in use for working up the new Handley Page 0/400s, which destroyed two of the main hangars as well as four 0/400s and some 504s. The airfield was sold in 1920 to a race horse trainer.

Graeme

toofatfortakeoff · 20 March 2005, 07:03 AM

Thanks Graeme I have noted this accordingly. Would the Potters Bar fight have involve take off from Tern Hill? I imagine it would be a bit too far.

toofatfortakeoff · 20 March 2005, 07:17 AM

it would seem there is still an air base or port of sorts at Tern Hil. Was it perhaps reaquired by the MOD? It is big horse racing country down there. The house they stayed at is now a hotel.

Graeme · 20 March 2005, 03:05 PM

Toofatfortakeoff

After taking responsibility for defence of the UK from the RNAS and a number of RFC home defence units were created during 1916. No 39 Squadron was based at Woodford in Essex and three pilots were successful in the space of a month - Robinson bringing down SL11 over Cuffley on 3 September 1916, Sowrey L32 on 24 September over Billericay and Tempest L31 on 2 October over Potters Bar.

While aircraft from training stations might have been used on local defence flights, the distance from Tern Hill to anywhere close to London would have severely limited the patrol time, so I would seriously doubt deployment from airfields that distant.

Graeme