Flight Lieutenant Pruett Mullens Dennett

[SoFarQ]

I, like many of your newer members, have been trawling through this site for a few weeks now and have found the content invaluable. The reason for me doing this in the first instance was to find out more about a certain pilot.
Flight Lieutenant Pruett Mullens Dennett R.N.A.S 8 & RAF 208.
Some 20 Years ago I was passed a Document/Manuscript which is a collection of letters sent during his short life to his sweetheart who had lived next door to him since he was 12. The letters contain many stories relating to his adventures leading up to and including his postings to the front and many of the pilots posted with him in Naval 8 including the last few before it was finally disbanded.
The reason for writing this is to ask if anyone has any Photos of Naval 8 in a line up or individual pictures of his airplane B6447 Sopwith Camel. I would also like to find out how he died and who shot him down, thanks to this site I know it was near Estaires Saint-Eloi

[tcrean7828]

Originally Posted by SoFarQ

I, like many of your newer members, have been trawling through this site for a few weeks now and have found the content invaluable. The reason for me doing this in the first instance was to find out more about a certain pilot.
Flight Lieutenant Pruett Mullens Dennett R.N.A.S 8 & RAF 208.
Some 20 Years ago I was passed a Document/Manuscript which is a collection of letters sent during his short life to his sweetheart who had lived next door to him since he was 12. The letters contain many stories relating to his adventures leading up to and including his postings to the front and many of the pilots posted with him in Naval 8 including the last few before it was finally disbanded.
The reason for writing this is to ask if anyone has any Photos of Naval 8 in a line up or individual pictures of his airplane B6447 Sopwith Camel. I would also like to find out how he died and who shot him down, thanks to this site I know it was near Estaires Saint-Eloi

Mate,
Welcome to the flagship of the Aerodrome - where the greatest minds on the planet get together and talk about their favorite subject - WW1.

ttfn

tcrean7828

tom

P.S. Werner Voss and Kurt Wolff fan here.
p.s.s. Here is some info you seek:
- Flight Lieutenant Pruett Mullens Dennett RAF 208 Sqdn, Native of Southsea, Hants - Age 19 - KIA 12:15 on 2.6.18 - NKG (no known Grave) listed on Arras Memorial, France.

- Sopwith Camel (D1854) arrived 208 Sqdn 11.4.18. (130-hp Clerget)

-Name: Pruett Mullens Dennett
Country: England
Rank: Lieutenant
Service: Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Air Force
Units: 8N (RNAS) 208 (RAF)
Victories: 10
Born: 21 January 1899
Place of Birth: Southsea, Hampshire
Died: 02 June 1918 Killed In Action
Place of Death: Near Estaires
Memorial: Arras Flying Services Memorial, Pas de Calais, France

- Victories (10)
Date Time Unit Aircraft Opponent Location
1 06 Dec 1917 0900 8N Sopwith Camel C (OOC) 1 Henin-Lietard (Shared)

2 03 Jan 1918 1005 8N Sopwith Camel (B6447) Hannover C (DES) 2 Arras (Shared)

3 04 Jan 1918 1130 8N Sopwith Camel (B6319) DFW C (DES) 3 Oppy-Monchy (Shared)

4 19 Jan 1918 1125 8N Sopwith Camel (B6447) Albatros D.V (OOC) 4 Wingles (Shared)

5 19 Jan 1918 1515 8N Sopwith Camel (B6447) Albatros D.V (OOC) Henin-Lietard

6 29 Jan 1918 1530 8N Sopwith Camel (N6356) Albatros D.V (OOC) Henin-Lietard

7 17 Apr 1918 0715 208 Sopwith Camel (D1873) Albatros D.V (DES) 1 mi S of Merville

8 22 May 1918 0800 208 Sopwith Camel (D1853) C (OOC) 5 2 mi NE of Lens (Shared)

9 31 May 1918 1110 208 Sopwith Camel (D1854) Fokker DR.I (OOC) 6 Merville (Shared)

10 02 Jun 1918 1215 208 Sopwith Camel (D1853) Albatros D.V (DES) 6 N of Lestrem (Shared D1889, D1923 &D6698)
=========================================
1 Shared with FSL William Jordan
2 Shared with F/Cdr Robert Compston, FSL William Jordan
3 Shared with FSL William Jordan, FSL Edward Johnstone, FSL A J Dixon (B6278)
4 Shared with FSL William Jordan, FSL Edward Johnstone
5 Shared with Capt William Jordan, Lt Reginald Johns, Lt John McDonald, Lt Edward Johnstone, Capt Gerald Cooper, Lt Herbert Fowler
6 Shared with Capt William Jordan, Lt Reginald Johns, Lt John McDonald

- Sopwith Camel (D1854) 208 Sqdn. P left 11am combat with Albatros Merville-Estaires seen after combat over Estaires MIA (Lt. PM Dennett (KIA)

Hopes this helps a bit.

tcrean7828
tom

[SoFarQ]

Many thanks for the reply old chap. Much of the info you have given me is all @ this site! "That's what's so blody great about Aerodrome a what"
On a more serious note the death of Pruett holds quite a lot of importance to me because through distant relations he has left me his letters.
Example:
3.11.18
6.35.pm
No 8 Squadron
Just a line to let you know I arrived safely after a very exciting journey. I left England at 10.30 at which time it was rapidly getting dud but decided to go on as they thought I should get accross before it became impossible. The bus I was taking was a jolly good one, & I got away only to find the clouds at 4,000 ft & a fog over France however I managed to reach the coast alright & got about half way when my engine cut right out & I came down in a ploughed field. Did not smash anything but had to phone for a lorry to take it away as I could not take off again. We have been very busy today & had some scraps but I personally had no luck. Well - - - - - we had an awfully decent time together didn't we ? I shall soon be home again so keep cheery.
Prue.

A welth of information that may help to solve outstanding questions?
or fill the gaps.

[MattyBoy]

Hi,
There is a WW1 history about his squadron called 'Naval Eight', written by E.G. Johnstone.

[SoFarQ]

Thanks for that.
Pruett mentions Johnston in his letters?
and others shuch as
Gilmore
Baily
Green
Bulmer
Howell
Ivens (may be coloured doubt it?)
Hopewell
Sneath
Compston (commander)

[PFFF]

Bio at Pruett Mullens Dennett - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Shot down by Kurt Schönfelder http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/ger...chonfelder.php

Links at I looking for Kurt Schoenfelder (Jasta 7)

http://www.theaerodrome.com/isearch/...jasta-7-a.html

[josquin]

Tom

You (and the Aerodrome site) have Dennett's birthplace wrong. He was born at
New Southgate, London, the son of Ralph Mullens Dennett & Eva Lavinia Dennett.
This is confirmed by the 1901 and 1911 Census as well as the birth registry index for England and Wales (the BMD). I hope Dennett's letters get published eventually. Ltn. Schoenfelder met his fate later in 1918 at the hands of 210 Squadron.

Josquin

[SoFarQ]

Thank you for those links PFFF. Sometimes you just don't see the timber for the trees! Ha Ha but when you do, you cover them with canvas, strap an engin on them and fly?
:-)

[tcrean7828]

Originally Posted by josquin

Tom

You (and the Aerodrome site) have Dennett's birthplace wrong. He was born at
New Southgate, London, the son of Ralph Mullens Dennett & Eva Lavinia Dennett.
This is confirmed by the 1901 and 1911 Census as well as the birth registry index for England and Wales (the BMD). I hope Dennett's letters get published eventually. Ltn. Schoenfelder met his fate later in 1918 at the hands of 210 Squadron.

Josquin

Mate,
Thanks for the info - now I can update the books that I referenced so that they are correct.

tcrean7828
tom

[SoFarQ]

Thank you for that Josquin. His mothers name was Ethel Levinia (Gilburd) my Grandmothers sister. I have only just recently discovered this!