Capt. Andrew King Cowper, 24 Sq. RFC 1917-18

[Frank_Olynyk]

Rod,
You should probably pick up a copy of The SE5 File, by Ray Sturtivant and Gordon Page, published by Air Britain. My review of it is in the books section of the Aerodrome here. The price is given on the Air Britain web site as 20 pounds to non-members. The index lists 6 aircraft flown by Cowper, and involved in combats, or accidents.

Frank.

I had earmarked that one after I read your review for the first time earlier today! Excellent.
Can you explain the use of the letter before the aircraft serial number. Is that a production or delivery batch number or flight number?
Also a little about the 'Home Establishment'?

BTW if anyone likes, I got some good amateur digital video at Avalon this year of the historic flight recreations, dogfighting and blowing up barrage balloons. Awesome! Fascinating to hear the original restored motor and throttle use on the Camel. Had no idea it sounded like that! Like running rough and repeatedly about to conk!
Think I can burn them to disc as mPegs.

[Graeme]

The Squadron history by Robeson and Illingworth shows Cowper as joining 24 Squadron as a member of "B" Flight on 26 August 1917 and becoming Flight Commander on 24 March 1918 (vice Captain A J Brown). He held this post until 11 April 1918.

He received the Military Cross, the citation appearing in the London Gazette of 22 April 1918:

COWPER, Temporary 2nd Lieutenant Andrew King, General List - Whilst leading a patrol of six machines he observed four hostile triplanes, one of which he attacked, succeeding in causing it to break up in the air. The remaining three enemy machines were destroyed by the rest of the patrol. On the return journey he encountered an enemy scout, and shepherding it by the most skilful piloting west of the lines, forced it to land undamaged on one of our aerodromes. On a later occasion, during three separate combats, he and his patrol brought down one machine completely out of control, and two others with their observers wounded, and later in the same day three other machines completely out of control. Previously to this he has assisted in destroying six other enemy scouts, displaying at all times the greatest courage and determination.

He received a Bar to the Military Cross as per the London Gazette of 22 June 1918:

COWPER, Temporary 2nd Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) Andrew King MC, General List - Within a short period he has himself destroyed three enemy ‘planes and has driven down four others completely out of control. During the recent operations he has further destroyed two hostile machines, and has attacked in the most daring manner and with the greatest effect enemy troops and transport. On all occasions his gallantry and skill have been of the highest order.

A Second Bar was awarded (announced in the same Gazette as the First Bar):

COWPER, Temporary 2nd Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) Andrew King MC, General List - He bombed enemy troops who were entrenching, and caused great havoc and confusion. He made repeated attacks, in spite of heavy hostile fire, and eventually forced the enemy to retire from their trench. He returned to his aerodrome for more bombs and ammunition, and, going out a second time, attacked enemy troops and transport and threw them into confusion. He went out on two other occasions on the same day with equal success. Later, while co-operating with an infantry attack, he obtained four direct hits with bombs on an encampment and forced several parties of the enemy to retire from their front line. He showed magnificent dash and determination.

Graeme

That's great Graeme! Just what I was looking for!!
What are the references on that book? Any suggestions on where I can get it? Any links to 24 Sqdn sites/history?

B flight ties in with his serial numbers too, except a possibly borrowed plane S.E 5a C5428 for possibly 6 days on 9-15 Mar.1918 in which he scored an Alb.D.V & Rumpler C.
The same Grub St. 'Trenches' edition record shows he joined and flew in a D.H.5 of ?A flight A9232 from 26 Aug. to about 17 Feb. after which he received & flew a S.E 5a (B664) scoring recorded & verified victories from the 18 Feb. 1918., his (third) first in this type, being a DFW C bomber over La Fere on the 18th.

Thus he appears to have had a period of 2 months & 2 days to 'settle in'. Says something for his CO.,.. & luck, & maybe area, since this was apparantly a very busy time.
Who was that CO, BTW?

Does the book say where they were based, in this time period, and area of ops?

[Frank_Olynyk]

Rod,
I think you are confused about British aircraft serial numbers. The letter in the serial does not indicate the flight. Basically, when aircraft were purchased for the RFC (and the RNAS, and later the RAF) they were assigned a serial number. They started at 1 and went up to 10000, being allocated in blocks for the RFC and the RNAS. When 10000 was hit, a new series was started, with the letter "A" as prefix, which went from A1 to 9999. They then continued B1 to B9999, C1 to C9999, etc, up into the letter "J" by the end of World War 1. When the letter prefix was introduced, the letter "N" was set aside for the RNAS, and it used the full range N1 to N9999. "G" and "I" were not used, although captured German aircraft were given G serial numbers; aircraft captured on the Italian front were given AG serials. This numbering sequence continued between the wars, although with K they started at 1000, skipping K1 to K999. M was skipped, and N was reused. "O", "Q", "U" and "Y" were skipped. When Z9999 was reached, the sequence was changed to double letters, AA100 to AA999, AB100 to AB999, etc. By the end of World War 2 they had gotten to the end of VN. Today the system is still in use, with allocations in the Zx block, but I do not know where they are at.

All allocations from K through XZ have been covered in a large series of books published by Air Britain, the RAF Aircraft Serials series.

Frank.

[Frank_Olynyk]

Rod,
I believe the history that Graeme has referenced is "A History of 24 Squadron Royal Air Force", by A E Illingworth and V A H Robeson, published by The Aeroplane in 1920, limited to 275 copies. I found a copy through Addall.com listed for just under $300US. The British Museum catalog entry says it is 103 pages long. (Graeme, does the book give full names for the pilots?)

Frank.

[Graeme]

Frank

That's the book.

I managed to obtain a copy on short-term loan by application to my local library and then waiting a couple of months for the British Museum's copy (number 200 if memory serves) to be sent to me - I had to undertake returning the book in the same condition I received it on pain of selling my family into slavery for eternity if it was damaged!

Names are given in the format of rank, initial, surname and awards, so a deal of cross-referencing is required.

Parts I and II are the narrative of the Squadron's history and, if I recall correctly, provides detail of the squadron's movements (at the time I was interested only in the combat details).

Part III is the roll of honour listing those killed in action, accidentally killed while flying, missing, wounded and taken prisoner. Also listed are the awards received by members of the squadron.

Part IV is a listing of decisive and indecisive combats - the summary quotes a total of 1,762 combats resulting in 175 enemy machines captured or destroyed, 32 driven down out of control (confirmed) and 90 driven down out of control (unconfirmed), a total of 297 victories. Under the heading of indecisive combats, a further 31 enemy aircraft were forced to land in their own lines, 76 were driven down damaged, 37 enemy observers reported hit and 250 enemy machines "driven down out of reach".

Following this is a list, by Flight, of the Flight Commanders and flying officers; finally there are lists of Officers' and other ranks' addresses.

Rod - Major Alfred Garnet Moore, MC and Bar was the CO from March to August 1917, followed by Major Jacob Guy Swart, MC to February 1918 and by Major Vyvyan Arthur Hemming Robeson, MC to February 1919.

I'll have to check on the squadron's whereabouts over this period and post another reply here.

The Squadron was equipped with the DH5 until these were replaced with SE5as on 25 December 1917.

Graeme

Fantastic, Graeme!
Hope you got a good copy. This sure is going to cost me.
Deserves to be reprinted, or net published, maybe here, on a small PayPal basis, for the benefit of providing other volumes on-line or running a research service.

The OOC figures match the combined figures here, and I'm sure the extended detail and commanding officers info will be very welcome by others too.

Found *a brand new, still wrapped copy of 1976 VHS Aces High prod. Benjamin Fisz, dir. Jack Gold on Polygram at my local video store sale for $7 recently, starring a very young Malcolm McDowell & Chris Plummer.

Thanks for answering my query on the serial numbers Frank. Was confused!

Does anyone know what a MC bar looks like? Perhaps like the cross-arm? Anything like this?

[Graeme]

Rod

The Bar to the Military Cross, for the period, was a plain silver-plated bar with a small crown (a miniature of those appearing on the arms of the Cross) in the centre.

Graeme

Thanks Graeme. Something like this, then?...or more polished & even?