2nd Lieut. HB Begg RFC

[crankcase]

Here is a photo of HR Begg and some additional info on his life. I urge you to scroll back to Post #10 which contains a fascinating letter he wrote home. He was in Hawker's squadron and died in action the same day as his CO.

Watch this space for some info on Henry's brother Rivers, who was with the RNAS. All courtesy of John Begg and family.
marc

HB Begg RFC.pdf

Henry Berners Begg was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs HC Begg of Watford. He was born at Calcutta on 20 December 1893, entered Oundle (School House) in September 1907 and left in April 1913. After leaving Oundle he went to Calcutta to join the firm of Begg, Dunlop and Co. as an assistant. Later he acquired a knowledge of the jute industry in the firm’s Alliance Jute Mills. He had joined the Calcutta Light Horse but in July 1916 he came to England to join the RFC. By October he had gained his wings and was sent to France to join 24 Squadron BEF under the late Major Hawker, VC, DSO then working on the Somme front. On 23 November he was reported missing during a scouting expedition in the neighbourhood of Achet-le-Grande, and later presumed to have been killed in action on that date.

His Flight Commander wrote: “I was very sorry to lose Begg from my flight, for he had plenty of pluck and would have become a good hun-strafer.”

[crankcase]

I have some info I would like to post about Flt.Sub-Lieut. RG Begg RNAS, who was the brother of HB Begg RFC.

The info is in a 2.67MB pdf and I cannot upload it. Can someone help advise me?

In the meantime, I would like to repeat an exciting letter that HB Begg (the "RFC" brother) wrote home in 1916. I think it is quite remarkable. (HB was in No 24 Squadron and shot down the same day as Hawker!
marc

TRANSCRIPT OF LETTER
FROM

2ND LIEUT. H B BEGG C Flight, No 24 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps
TO
HIS FATHER AND MOTHER

France
20th [Month illegible, but almost certainly, October] 1916

My dear Father and Mother
My last letter to you was written on Friday just before I went out on patrol. Well, I have just got home. At least I did so last night. My machine was going beautifully and I had just had a good fight with a Hun machine and had dived from 10,000 ft to 4,000 ft when bang went my engine and I was helpless. I managed to glide back to almost a mile and a half behind ‘no-man’s-land’ in a mass of British batteries and shell holes. My machine, of course, was badly damaged but I escaped without a shaking. My poor old machine landed with both wheels and its tail in separate shell holes. Of course, the batteries ceased fire till I was under cover. A rather amusing incident was that I cut some telephone wires between the battery I was near and headquarters so that no order could come through to continue firing for some few minutes. This was in the afternoon and I spent the remainder of the day trying to telephone back to the aerodrome. I was in the area of another Army Corps and hence my message did not get through for some hours. The officers in the battery were my hosts and were very good to me. I spent the night in a dug-out. Early the next morning there was a long strafe which was very interesting to witness. By Jove, the Germans must have a rotten time when we all go together. Later on in the day I went to the nearest headquarters to telephone again, here I met a fellow called Raymond, who was the School House housemaster [Bernie attended School House, Oundle School, Northants, England, ed.] when Rivers [Bernie’s younger brother Flt. Sub-Lieut Rivers Gordon Begg R N A S, ed.] was a pre[fect?, ed.]. He is a Staff-Captain and I had breakfast with the Staff, and the old General was very keen on stealing my long flying thigh boots! Later on, the tender trailer arrived and we had to take the machine to pieces. This could not all be done and carried down in the one day. So when it was dark I found a grand dug-out for the men and we got them a supply of food and then I came home to get a change of clothes. Next morning I motored back and, incidentally, took a heap of chocolates and cake etc up to the fellows at the battery. The machine was then packed up and I brought the whole party slowly home. An aeroplane traveling through the streets always causes a great sensation and this was no exception. One thing that pleased me immensely was that the men all thanked me for taking so much trouble in finding them a decent billet, and for the grub I supplied them with. I was jolly glad to get back. Well now I must close. Love to all
Yours
Bernie

[YavorD]

On behalf of marc (crankcase)
Regards,
Yavor

P.S. Marc, it was the fastest option just now

[crankcase]

Originally Posted by crankcase

Attachment 16221

Thanks Yavor! Now we have photos of both brothers posted! Henry Berners Begg (RFC) was shot down in Nov 1916 and his brother Rivers Gordon Begg (RNAS) died in a flying accident in July 1917 in Italy. A double blow to one family!

Both attended the Oundle School, which was also Cecil Lewis's school.

Thanks for this info from John Begg, nephew of the aviators (and now residing in Melbourne Australia).
marc

[crankcase]

Originally Posted by crankcase

Thanks Yavor! Now we have photos of both brothers posted! Henry Berners Begg (RFC) was shot down in Nov 1916 and his brother Rivers Gordon Begg (RNAS) died in a flying accident in July 1917 in Italy. A double blow to one family!

Both attended the Oundle School, which was also Cecil Lewis's school.

Thanks for this info from John Begg, nephew of the aviators (and now residing in Melbourne Australia).
marc

In doing a search on Otranto, Italy, I came across another member of the RNAS who is buried in that town (in addition to RG Begg and his observer, EA Planterose):

Harry Hilton, Air Mechanic 1st Class F/23228
British Adriatic Squadron, 6th Wing, RNAS
Died: 8 Sep 1917
Son of Henry and Ellen Hilton of Stotford, Beds.; husband of Katie Hilton, of Baldock (Herts.)
(Source: Roll of Honour: Baldock War Memorial, Herts.)

There are also a number of British seamen who RIP in Otranto.

According to other sources on this forum, "R.N.A.S units serving in Italy: 6th Wing, RNAS, Otranto - Nos. 24 & 25 squadron serving from .6.17 - 31.3.18" (submitted by: “austin08”)

Another forum entry says: "The book Royal Navy Aircraft Serials and Units 1911-1919 by Ray Sturtivant and Gordon Page confirms that four FBA Type H pusher biplane flying boats were presented to RNAS Otranto 21-23 June 1917 and given the serial numbers N1075 to N1078...." (submitted by: Graeme Neale)

Was the FBA Type H the standard aircraft for 6th Wing?
marc

[crankcase]

Permit me to refresh this thread by repeating the question in my last post regarding the standard equipment of 6th Wing RNAS stationed at Otranto (Italy).

- According to other sources on this forum, "R.N.A.S units serving in Italy: 6th Wing, RNAS, Otranto - Nos. 24 & 25 squadron serving from .6.17 - 31.3.18" (submitted by: “austin08”)

- Another forum entry says: "The book Royal Navy Aircraft Serials and Units 1911-1919 by Ray Sturtivant and Gordon Page confirms that four FBA Type H pusher biplane flying boats were presented to RNAS Otranto 21-23 June 1917 and given the serial numbers N1075 to N1078...." (submitted by: Graeme Neale)

What was the standard aircraft of 6th Wing?
Thank you and happy holiday weekend,
marc

[Graeme]

marc

Sorry for the late reply - my wife's been in hospital and I've been busy being the dutiful hospital visitor.

According to the same source (Royal Navy Aircraft and Serials), 6 Wing was variously equipped with FBA Flying Boat, 1½ Strutter, Short 320, Camel, Hamble Baby Convert, Caproni Ca.4, Sopwith Baby, Short 184, DH4 and DH9. By the look of it, there was no "standard" equiment.

Graeme

[crankcase]

Originally Posted by Graeme

marc

Sorry for the late reply - my wife's been in hospital and I've been busy being the dutiful hospital visitor.

According to the same source (Royal Navy Aircraft and Serials), 6 Wing was variously equipped with FBA Flying Boat, 1½ Strutter, Short 320, Camel, Hamble Baby Convert, Caproni Ca.4, Sopwith Baby, Short 184, DH4 and DH9. By the look of it, there was no "standard" equiment.

Graeme

Graeme, just saw your post. Thanks. Hope your wife is OK!

Wow, that's a lot of a/c! If Sub-Lt. Begg was flying seaplanes then it narrows down the list, though he might have been in a land-based 2-seateras well. He was reportedly gliding along the beac (for a landing?) when the crash occurred (he and his observer drowning). This was in July 1917, so I guess one would need to check dates of a/c introductions to the squadron.
Thanks again!
marc