Shiloh 12 Posted April 13, 2013 101 years ago today the great RFC became active and the rest is history. Here is a wiki excerpt: With the growing recognition of the potential for aircraft as a cost-effective method of reconnaissance and artillery observation, the Committee of Imperial Defence established a sub-committee to examine the question of military aviation in November 1911. The following February the sub-committee reported its findings which recommended that a flying corps be formed and that it consist of a naval wing, a military wing, a central flying school and an aircraft factory. The recommendations of the committee were accepted and on 13 April 1912 King George V signed a royal warrant establishing the Royal Flying Corps. The Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers became the Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps a month later on 13 May. http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/royal-flying-corps-founded' https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted April 13, 2013 Thanks for the reminder, Shiloh! I recommend McCudden's book "Flying Fury" to all who want to read also about the RFC before they entered the war. I like this recruiting poster. Can someone read and explain the wages? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maeran 20 Posted April 14, 2013 British money at the time was £SD. Pounds shilling and pence. The divisions between these were shown by back slashes /. So the wages here are using the last two sections of the register: shillings and pence. No pennies are actually involved, it's all in shillings. In 1912 the shilling was worth about £3.29 today, but this of course makes no consideration of the huge inflation experienced in the second half of the 20th century. Today it would get you 2 loaves of bread, but not lunch in a city centre. Back then 2 shillings a day was a good rate for a tradesman. Bear in mind that the RFC would not consider men without an appropriate trade until well into the war. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted April 14, 2013 Yeah, I see - thanks for the detail, Maeran. Here in Germany, I guess they would have also just received some Mark - amounts which wouldn't look much today. But back then it had a much better value. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
