RFC Flight Training

Knobby · 5 January 2006, 04:58 PM

My father was a pilot with RFC...his flight training took place in Egypt and while I have his Training Record of this training I do not have the location in Egypt.
After completion of flight training in Egypt he was posted to Mesopotamia before going to France.
He was posted to #9 Squadron at Proven France flying RE 8,s [the Harry Tate] He was shot down July 1917 ,he and his observer, a Scot named Brown, were both wounded but my father managed to land the a/c. My father was invalided home [Canada].
Does anyone know the location, in Egypt, where the RFC did their flight training?

TomVrille · 5 January 2006, 07:26 PM

Heliopolis was an early location for flight training in Egypt, which later on became more dispersed. Based on the timeline described in your post, I think Heliopolis would be a good place to start.

APW · 7 January 2006, 02:42 AM

Peter Liddell's "Airman's War 1914-18" mentions the training of pilots in Egypt by three reserve squadrons commencing in the summer of 1916 with the No 3 School of Military Aerronautics being formed at Aboukir in November 1916.
No 21 Reserve Squadron is mentioned at Abassia in 1917. Heliopolis and the "splendid accommodation of the Heliopolis Palace Hotel" are also mentioned.

Knobby · 9 January 2006, 10:58 AM

hanks for the info on Flt Trng in Egypt; am attempting to fill in the squares of my Father's service in the RFC for "the next generation". He emigrated to Canada in 1912 from Crosby England; joined the RFC in '15 or '16...sent to England...then to Egypt for Flt Trng....his Flt Cmdr there was Leigh-Mallory'''posted to Mesopotamia then joined #9 Sqdn at Proven Belgium in July 1917. On 19th op [7/27] was shot down...sent home to Canada.
He stayed on the fringes of aviation and during WW2 wa in charge of aircraft production for GM of Canada [Mosquito fuselage].
Appreciate any help, Bill Knowles

TomVrille · 9 January 2006, 06:10 PM

Hi Bill..
Joining the RFC in Canada in 1915-1916 was no easy chore. I suggest you go to the local library, and look for a rather massive book entitled Canadian Airmen and the First World War by S. F. Wise. The second chapter of this book, Recruiting and Training in Canada, 1914-1916, has a very good analysis of the restrictive requirements for Canadians to join either the RFC or RNAS. At times, volunteers were required to obtain their FAI pilot's certificate at their own expense! This would be good background information for the "next generation" to ponder.