Reports Of Planes Being Shot Down

Deanstalton · 18 February 2010, 07:47 AM

Hi
Tring To Comfirm If Pilot Called Captain A E Palfreyman Had Shot Down Some Planes.
Ive Checked On This Website And Found Nothing Of Him Being A Ace;
Below Is Report-Friends of Soldiers Walk Inc: Newsletter-Issue 12-May 2004
transferred to the
Royal Flying Corps, in which service he rose
rapidly from the lowest grade until he
attained the rank of Flight-Captain. He
gained his final promotion o the field of
battle, having greatly distinguished himself
both as a fighter and a scout in many
engagements with the flying forces of the
enemy. On one occasion he brought down
tow enemy aeroplanes in individual
encounters in the same day; and shortly
before his death, he was recommended by
his CO for that coveted decoration, the
Military Cross.

The Mercury as a matter of standard practice regularly published letters received from men
overseas and also letters of condolence received by next of kin from unit commanders and
fellow soldiers. The following appeared on 19 October 1918 p8.

Rev I H Palfreyman, of Hobart, has received the following letter from Major Douglas Hill,
Officer Commanding 27th Squadron Royal Air Force – A note was dropped on our side of the
lines telling us that your son, Captain A E Palfreyman, had been killed on the 23rd of May.
Your son was leading a formation which was attacked by several German machines, and your
son’s machine was seen to have been hit, but, of course, we all hoped for the best, and quite
thought he might be a prisoner. Alas! I am afraid that there is now no doubt he has gone.
From the same source we learn that his observer is a prisoner, seriously wounded. I offer
you, from us all, most sincere sympathy n your loss. All of us, without exception, knew your
son to be the best, bravest, and most reliable fellow in the squadron. His record here has
never been, and never will be equalled, and just before he was brought down he was being
awarded a decoration. Personally I am heart broken he has gone, for, besides being my best
officer, he was my friend and help – just everything, and I know that for certain that no
finer, truer fellow ever stepped. I am so proud to have known him and to have had him in my
squadron, and I know how proud you must feel in your great sorrow to have possessed such a
gallant and fine son. With all my sympathy to you and Mrs Palfreyman in your great loss.

Thankyou Any Help Welcome

Graeme · 18 February 2010, 01:22 PM

I know of only one, a Pfalz scout that crashed south of Douai at 10:45 on 20 May 1918; he was in DH4 A7840 and had 2nd Lt W G Hurrell as observer. He was lost in this same machine three days later (with 2nd Lt W I Crawford who was taken prisoner).

Graeme

Deanstalton · 19 February 2010, 12:44 AM

Thanks Graeme
Captain A E Palfreyman Was From Hobart, Australia, And One 1st 200 Aussies in RFC WOULD cO Pilot 2nd Lt W I Crawford Been Australian Or English?
Does Information Come From Books about plane Being Shot Down By which pilots?
Also Does Anybody Know What w i crawford first name was
Dean

Graeme · 20 February 2010, 05:21 AM

Hi Dean

The definitive work on combat casualties is Trevor Henshaw's

The Sky Their Battlefield; an on-line source is the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website. The entry for Capt Palfreyman is at

CWGC :: Casualty Details

Crawford is not mentioned in the several lists of ANZAC aircrew I've seen nor does he appear in any listing of Americans and Canadians that served in the RFC/RAF, so I would imagine that he was British.

Crawford was granted a temporary commission as a 2nd Lt Observer Officer on 21 April 1918. I have a note that he relinquished his commision on 18 December 1919 on account of ill health caused by wounds.

So far I've not been able to confirm his Christian names.

Graeme

Deanstalton · 20 February 2010, 05:41 AM

Thanks Graeme
I Believe That The Observer Was Called William Ivan Crawford-information From GREAT WAR Forum
Dean

Graeme · 20 February 2010, 05:53 AM

Hi Dean

That makes sense; I've got information in different text files (which I'm slowly pulling together as a single database) and had W I Crawford as definitely with No 27 Sqn in one list and William Ivan (without a squadron) in another.

Thanks

Graeme