Gordon William Hall RFC

Does anybody know anything about this young flyer ... far from home ?


In Memory of
Lieutenant GORDON WILLIAM HALL

3rd Sqdn., Royal Flying Corps
and, General List
who died age 27
on 20 August 1916
Son of William De Wolfe Hall and Catherine Jane Allan Hall, of East Bridgwater, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Remembered with honour
NORWICH CEMETERY, Norfolk

http://www.cwgc.org/search/certificate.aspx?casualty=2803152

http://www.flickr.com/photos/spixworth/299974174/in/pool-royalflyingcorps/

 

Is this the same man Annie?

Go down to the letter from Capt. J. W. Margeson, October 6th 1915, 5th paragraph.

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nslssgs/wwone.htm


Phil

 

Oh my ! certainly looks like him .... doesn't it ? ....... he should have stayed where he was !

Thanks Phil !

Annie

 

Lt Gordon William Hall of No 59 Sqn RFC (formerly 17th Battalion, Canadian Infantry) was aged 27 when he was killed in an accident while flying DH 1 No 4631 on 21 August 1916. No 59 Sqn was based at Narborough, where it was formed.

Gareth

 

Just to make it more difficult, there are actually two G W Hall's that died serving with 3rd Squadron.

http://www.cwgc.org/search/SearchResults.aspx?surname=hall&initials=g+w&war=1&yearfrom=1900&yearto=2000&force=Air&nationality=&send.x=43&send.y=6

This is a picture of the grave of the second one:

http://www.ww1cemeteries.com/ww1cemeteries/ww1cemeteries_ext/estourmel_chyd.htm

There is a report on the inquest into your Canadian in Flight, September 7th 1916 (see Fatal Accidents):

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1916/1916%20-%200772.html

 

I think that only one G W Hall died while serving with No 3 Sqn: 2Lt George Wilfred Hall from Shelbourne, Ontario, was killed in action while flying Sopwith Camel B5159 on 20 November 1917. He left Warloy aerodrome at 06:55 for a raid on Estourmel aerodrome, and was shot down at 08:40 [German time] by Offstvtr Josef Mai of Jasta 5 one mile west of the German aerodrome; B5159 was the 3rd of Mai's eventual 30 victories.

Lt Gordon William Hall was serving with No 59 Sqn.

Gareth

 

Gareth,

Is there any connection between the two squadrons, or is it just CWGC confusion?

Phil

 

Phil

I'd guess at CWGC confusion, or an error when the records were complied. In late 1916, when Lt Gordon Hall died, No 59 Sqn was forming up in the UK, while No 3 Sqn had been operating on the Western Front for over two years.

Regards

Gareth

 

Thanks Gareth

 

Annie,

With Gareth pointing me in the right direction, I found this background piece on 59 Squadron and Narborough:

http://59squadronraf.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20&Itemid=31

Phil

 

Phil

Thanks for the link.

Gareth

 

Thanks Phil .... I love looking at those sites ... but it's such a shame to hear of the "take down" happening so fast - when they have been such a hive of industry - I especially like this piece though !! ....

Annie