Capt A. De Pass. RFC

10 January 2006, 03:19 PM

Can any one help me trace this pilot?

I have gained possession of a silver RFC cigarette case inscribed with this pilots name and I would like to know more about him. It would appear that he once lived at 23 Queens Gate Terrace London SW, as this is also inscribed.
Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

MattyBoy · 11 January 2006, 01:21 PM

Hi,

From www.gazettes-online.co.uk

13-June-1916
2nd Lt E. A. DePass is seconded for duty with the R.F.C.
Dated 27th May 1916.

16-June-1916
The undermentioned appts. are made:
2nd Lt E. A. DePass, 3rd Co. of Lond. Yeo., T.F. Dated 27th May 1916.

17-October-1916:
'2nd Lt E. A. DePass is granted the temp. rank of Lt whilst employed with the R.F.C.' Dated 01st September 1916.

20-March-1917
2nd Lt (Temp. Lt) E. A. DePass to be Capt., with precedence from 08th November 1916, and to remain seconded. 21st March 1917.

31-Jan-1919
Capt. E. A. DePass relinquishes his commission on account of ill-health contracted on active service. Dated 01st Feb 1919.

I think his forenames were Eliot Arthur....
Regards,
Matt.

ronnoco · 24 January 2006, 02:16 PM

Eliot Archibald de Pass, born 10/12/92, Reading 14/2/15, Shoreham, 3 Reserve Sqn, 41 Sqn 1/5/15, 40 Sqn 10/5/15, 5 Training Wing, to 17 Sqn Salonika 16/5/17 as a flight commander, to HQ Middle East Training Brigade 14/1/18, then 86 Sqn, relinquished commission due ill-health 1/2/19. West Indian planter and merchant with E A de Pass and Co Ltd, London, June 1913 to July 1914. In late 1918 there was also an R D de Pass in 17 Sqn who, though not a brother, was probably related. One of R D'd brothers earned a posthumous Victoria Cross in 1914.
Regards
Mike

MattyBoy · 24 January 2006, 03:22 PM

Hi forum,

If dePass was in 40 Sqn at this time, he may be one of the people in the squadron photo in Winifred Loraine's book.
The photo was taken just before the squadron went to France....

Graeme · 27 January 2006, 11:45 AM

No 40 Squadron wasn't formed until 26 February 1916, so I would imagine the reference is to No 40 Reserve Squadron; Robert Loraine took command on 15 March. It wasn't until 2 August 1916 that the squadron begain its move to France. Judging by Mike's earlier posting, de Pass was with No 5 Training Wing at this time, so it's unlikely that he appears in any photographs of No 40Squadron's personnel.

Graeme

Frank_Olynyk · 29 January 2006, 06:31 PM

There are eight combat reports for de Pass scattered through the 16 Wing records. The first (Oct 5, 1916) as a 2ndLt, the last (Aug 19, 1917) as a Capt; all those between those dates are as a Lt. All are for 17 Squadron, in Salonika. The first is as pilot of a Be 2c two seater, the remainder as pilot of a Be 12 single seater. They are at the PRO in Air 1/2353/226/4/105 Part 1 and Part 2.

Frank.