Field Artillery Lt. Hart-Davies observer in RFC?

Pietoe71 · 13 March 2007, 03:11 PM

Doïng a bit of research on a crashed plane in our village I came across following information in The London Gazette:

8050 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 26 JUNE, 1919.
SUPPLEMENTARY TO REGULAR UNITS OR CORPS.
ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY. ,
The undermentioned 2nd Lts. to .be
Lts.: —
H. R. Hart-Davies. 8th Apr. 1918.

6430 SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 9 JUNE, 1920.
SUPPLEMENTARY TO REGULAR UNITS OR CORPS.
ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY.
Lt. H. R. Hart-Davies is placed on the
ret. list on account of ill-health caused by
wounds. 10th June 1920'.

Is it possible that this same H.R. (Hugh Roland?) Hart-Davies, from the Royal Field Artillery, functioned as an observer-gunner with 48 Sdn RFC in august 1917 (and taken POW after crashing in our village)? If it is, he promoted from 2nd Lt. to Lt. during his prisonership?

I'm totally new in these things, any help welcome!

Thnx,

Peter

Graeme · 14 March 2007, 03:57 PM

Peter

Also from the London Gazette:

War Office,
25th October, 1916.
SPECIAL RESERVE OF OFFICERS.
The undermentioned, from an Officers Cadet Unit, to be 2nd Lts. (on prob.). 8th Oct. 1916: —
ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY.
Hugh Roland Hart-Davies.

So far I have not found the Gazette in which he was confirmed in rank nor the Gazette in which his attachment to the RFC was announced.

The Sky Their Battlefield shows that Hart-Davies was lost with his pilot, 2nd Lieutenant Richard Dutton, in the area of Ostende on 19 August 1917 in Bristol F2a A7171; Dutton died of his wounds the same day. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission website states that Dutton was buried in Larch Wood (Railway Cutting) Cemetery.

An article on No 48 Squadron, by Frank Bailey and Paul Chamberlain, was published in Over The Front some years back. In it they say:

Also on this date 2/Lts Dutton and Hart-Davies, who had departed on a 0545 hours patrol, were last seen being attacked by two E.A. over Ostende and were seen to descend in that area. A German publication stated that Dutton was killed and Hart-Davies was a severely wounded prisoner. They quite possibly fell victim to Leutnant Brachwitz of Jasta 17, who claimed a B.F. near Oudenberghe, at 0750 hours for his first victory.

Graeme

Pietoe71 · 19 March 2007, 03:57 AM

Thanks Graeme! As soon as I have my article I post it.