O.T. - for Steve Drew

[DukeIronHand 8]

Steve,

 

At the excellent webpage you post (http://www.ww1aero.org.au/) there is a article I read that (going by memory) is an interview with a Camel pilot from a Australian fighter squadron serving in France.

 

In the article he states, near the end, that he had some kind of "dust up" with his CO and is sent to the infantry IIRC.

 

He said, basically, that is a "story for another time."

 

As an old infantryman myself (USMC 1980-88) I am curious: Did he ever say why he was sent to the infantry?

[Check Six 2]

DukeIronHand,

 

I had not read that article before. These are merely selected articles from our past journals to pique the interest of prospective members. That particular article was in the journal for 1967.

 

"One day, while flying towards the lines, things were fairly quiet & we were taking things easy. I was shocked to suddenly realise that the aircraft alongside was drifting in on me, and before I could do anything about it, the leading edge of his starboard wing bumbed into the outer struts on my port wing. It was rather a terrifying situation, with a lot of grimaces and snarling at one another. Fortunately everything turned out OK, as we both had the presence of mind to pull away in opposite directions with a kick on the rudder. We continued the flight and had a look at the damage when we returned to the drome. His wing was damaged along the leading edge, and I recall that my strut was chipped. I do not remember the result of the incident, but as the poor fellow has now passed on, I think we can leave it to Squadron Records. I notice that the pilots of the last war refer to their duty flying as 'sorties', I might mention that, according to my log book, I carried out 96 sorties during my sojourn with the A.F.C. It also seems to me, considering the time I spent in France, that the action of my C.O. in transferring me to the Infantry was rather drastic, and remains something that should be explained, even after all these years."

It would appear to me from reading that, that he was held to blame for the mid-air collision, or perhaps both pilots were transferred to the infantry, maybe to prevent this sort of event recurring (I'm sure it put the "wind up" both of them so badly that they might fear flying in formation again, and may lag behind their patrol too far). Perhaps a spot of fisticuffs ensued upon landing. He does mention there was much "snarling".

 

 

Semper Fi

Edited July 10, 2009 by Steve Drew

[DukeIronHand 8]

DukeIronHand,

 

I had not read that article before. These are merely selected articles from our past journals to pique the interest of prospective members. That particular article was in the journal for 1967.

 

"One day, while flying towards the lines, things were fairly quiet & we were taking things easy. I was shocked to suddenly realise that the aircraft alongside was drifting in on me, and before I could do anything about it, the leading edge of his starboard wing bumbed into the outer struts on my port wing. It was rather a terrifying situation, with a lot of grimaces and snarling at one another. Fortunately everything turned out OK, as we both had the presence of mind to pull away in opposite directions with a kick on the rudder. We continued the flight and had a look at the damage when we returned to the drome. His wing was damaged along the leading edge, and I recall that my strut was chipped. I do not remember the result of the incident, but as the poor fellow has now passed on, I think we can leave it to Squadron Records. I notice that the pilots of the last war refer to their duty flying as 'sorties', I might mention that, according to my log book, I carried out 96 sorties during my sojourn with the A.F.C. It also seems to me, considering the time I spent in France, that the action of my C.O. in transferring me to the Infantry was rather drastic, and remains something that should be explained, even after all these years."

It would appear to me from reading that, that he was held to blame for the mid-air collision, or perhaps both pilots were transferred to the infantry, maybe to prevent this sort of event recurring (I'm sure it put the "wind up" both of them so badly that they might fear flying in formation again, and may lag behind their patrol too far). Perhaps a spot of fisticuffs ensued upon landing. He does mention there was much "snarling".

 

 

Semper Fi

 

Thank you for your thoughts on this.

I guess I presumed that since the collision was apparently minor that it wasn't the direct cause for a transfer but there certainly could be other factors as you mention. In my reading of WW1 aero books a lot of pilots made a lot mistakes (some very "dumb" in hindsight) that seemed to be treated as a "cost of business" kind of thing and they blew over and the pilots kept flying.

I don't recall anyone being transferred to the infantry for a flying mistake but I guess they would not be the ones to write a book on their aviation career!

 

And Semper Fi to you!

[Check Six 2]

DukeIronHand,

 

Australia's higest scoring fighter pilot of all conflicts, Robert Alexander Little took a long time to get "good" at piloting his aircraft. His Service record states he had a "trick of landing outside the aerodrome", and it mentions his inability to command men. It even mentions that if he receives just ONE more unfavourable report, his commission will be terminated.

 

Within a month, he started gathering an impressive collection of victories and medals to go with it, ending up as a formidable opponent in aerial combat, and quite fearless (I posted a thread some time ago where an artillery officer writes to the CO of the RNAS outfit where Little was stationed about how a single pilot in a Sopwith Triplane attacked 11 Albatrosses from Richthofen's Jasta, and completely outclassed them)

 

http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showtopic=42902

 

Lucky they didn't send him to the infantry.

[DukeIronHand 8]

Lucky indeed!