http://www.gwpda.org/photos/rfc56.htm Gerald Maxwell, W. Melville, H. Lehman, C. Knight, L. M. Barlow, K. J. Knaggs Sitting: C. A. Lewis, J. O. Leach, R. G. Blomfield, Albert Ball, R. T. C. Hodge Does anybody know anything about the flyers on this photograph ? ( apart from Albert Ball ) http://ww1talk.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=160&highlight=albert ball Gerald Joseph Constable Maxwell (8 September 1895 – 18 December 1959) was a British Flying Ace in World War I credited with twenty-six victories. Maxwell was born in Inverness, Scotland, the nephew of Lord Lovat, notable for raising the Lovat Scouts in the Boer War. Maxwell was commissioned at the outbreak of war and fought at Gallipoli. He then served in Egypt before returning to the UK, where he transferred to the RFC in September 1916. Maxwell completed final pilot training at Central Flying School, Upavon and joined No. 56 Squadron in London Colney in March 1917. He was attached to 'A' Flight which was commanded by Captain Albert Ball, flying SE5 aircraft. In April 1917, Maxwell's squadron was sent to France and he achieved a 'victory' on his first patrol. On 26 July 1917 Maxwell was promoted to flight commander, by which time he had been credited with eight victories. He was awarded the MC on 18 October 1917 http://books.google.com/books?id=Y8...5JDDDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5 http://books.google.com/books?id=rL...=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=8#PPT24,M1
C A Lewis is Cecil Lewis, the author of Sagittarius Rising, a classic of WW1 aviation published in 1936. He was barely 19 when this photo was taken, but already had a tour of operations the previous year with 3 sdn as a Morane pilot. He mentions Melville and Hodge (Hoidge?) but not in any detail - and of course he refers to Ball. He is credited eventually with 8 victories He died in 1997 aged 98, the last surviving British WW1 ace.
They are all well known names in Great War aviation, and some were aces: Capt Gerald Constable Joseph Maxwell MC DFC was credited with 26 victories; Lt Leonard Monteagle Barlow MC** was credited with 20 victories; Lt Cecil Arthur Lewis MC was credited with 8 victories; Capt Albert Ball VC DSO** MC was credited with 44 victories (13 with No 56 Sqn); and Lt Reginald Theodore Carlos Hoidge MC was credited with 28 victories (27 with No 56 Sqn). Gareth
Do you know anything else about them Gareth ! I have their victories ..... I was hoping for a little bit extra !! Annie
Lt Leonard Monteagle Barlow MC** was from London, and trained as an electrical engineer. He joined the RFC direct in 1916 and was posted to No 56 Sqn in France in April 1917. He was a very successful pilot from the outset, and was known as 'The Gadget King' due to the various modifications he made to his SE 5a, including arranging for both the Lewis and Vickers guns to be fired from the same trigger. He died in the UK in February 1918 while testing an early Sopwith Dolphin. Lt Reginald Theodore Carlos Hoidge MC served in the Canadian Royal Garrison Artillery before transferring to the RFC. He was one of the first to be posted to the newly-formed No 56 Sqn flying the SE 5 and, later the SE 5a. In October 1917, with 27 victories to his credit, he was posted to Home Establishment for a year. In October 1917 he returned to France as a Flight Commander in No 1 Sqn, and shot down a Fokker D.VII on 29 October, and saw the pilot escape by parachute. He died in 1963. Gareth
