• Royal Flying Corps •



• The Departure of the R.F.C. Expeditionary Force •




DEPARTURES TO 31 DECEMBER 1914

The following list shows the aircraft sent to the Expeditionary Force in France after the departure of the main Force, including all despatches up to the 31st December 1914.

Serial Type Date Pilot Notes
608RE122.08.142Lt C Gordon Bell
626Bleriot23.08.14Capt GH CoxSmith Barry per memo but he left 16th and in hospital on 19th
479BE830.08.14Capt AG Fox
635BE2a30.08.14Capt McDonnell
638Avro30.08.142Lt J Valentine
602BE2c02.09.14Capt W Picton-Warlow(?)BE2c prototype reserialled 1807 on arrival


The first large reinforcement, including the Maurice Farmans of 'C' flight No.4 Squadron:

637Avro09.09.14shippedTo St Nazaire via Southampton
652Avro09.09.14shippedTo St Nazaire via Southampton
380RE509.09.14flown-see belowvia Southampton
613RE509.09.14flown-see belowvia Southampton
617RE509.09.14flown-see belowvia Southampton re-sent 8.4.15 [but pilot went]
660RE509.09.14flown-see belowvia Southampton
651RE509.09.14shippedFlown to Gosport by Bewes 6.9.14 via Southampton
659RE509.09.14shippedFlown to Gosport by H de Havilland 6.9.14 via Southampton
342M Farman09.09.14shipped
345M Farman09.09.14shipped
465M Farman09.09.14shipped
633M Farman09.09.14shipped
487BE2b09.09.14shippedvia Avonmouth (1)
622BE2a09.09.14shippedvia Avonmouth (1)
316BE2a09.09.14shipped no enginevia Avonmouth (2)
612BE2a09.09.14shipped no enginevia Avonmouth (2)
618Bleriot09.09.14
647Bleriot09.09.14
644Bristol09.09.14shippedvia Avonmouth (2)
648Bristol09.09.14shippedvia Avonmouth (2)

Maj Becke was originally ordered to fly all six RE5 with 4 other pilots, one returning for the last machine. In the event two were shipped and the others flown by Maj JHW Becke, Lt PA Broder, Lt RCN Bewes, and  Lt H de Havilland.

662Bleriot12.09.14Ex AID on return 21.10.14 no further trace
399BE824.09.142Lt RR Smith-Barry (?)Possibly Capt GH Cox
344M Farman25.09.14Lt GP Wallace
371M Farman25.09.14Lt B Turner
665Avro25.09.142Lt H Blackburn
484BE2b29.09.14Lt K Rawson-ShawWrecked and returned Farnborough
650BE2b05.10.14Capt HC McDonnellReported as left 30.09.14
681Bleriot05.10.14Sgt FG Dunn (?)


The arrival of 6Sqn:

667BE207.10.14Maj JHW BeckeFarn-Dover 6.10.14, Dover-Bruges 7.10.14
646BE2b07.10.14Capt FJL CoganFarn-Dover 6.10.14, Dover-Dunkirk-Bruges 7.10.14
470BE2a07.10.14134 Sgt CR GallieFarn-Dover 6.10.14, Dover-Bruges 7.10.14
636BE807.10.14Capt GH CoxFarn-Dover 6.10.14, Dover-Bruges 7.10.14
440H Farman07.10.14Capt A Ross HumeFarn-Dover 6.10.14, Dover-Bruges 7.10.14
669H Farman07.10.14Lt CY MacDonaldFarn-Dover 6.10.14, Dover-Bruges 7.10.14
653H Farman07.10.14Lt LG HawkerFarn-Dover 6.10.14, Dover-Dunkirk-Bruges 7.10.14
492BE2b07.10.14Capt ACE MarshFarn-Dover 6.10.14, started for Belgium 7.10.14 but returned to Dover. Left 8.10.14
469BE2a08.10.14Lt K Rawson ShawFarn-Dover 6.10.14, new warps, Dover-Bruges 8.10.14,  Bruges-Ostend 9.10.14. Damaged landing Ostend
373BE808.10.14Lt WC AdamsonNeth-Dover 7.10.14,Dover-Bruges 8.10.14
680H Farman08.10.14Capt W LawrenceFarn-Hawkinge (f/l) 6.10.14, Dover-Dunkirk-Bruges 8.10.14
488BE2b10.10.14Capt CLN NewallFarn-Dover 6.10.14, engine replaced,  Dover-Ostend 10.10.14

BE8 632 (Lt JBT Leighton) flew to Dover on 6.10.14 but the aircraft was wrecked en route and did not cross. The machine was returned to Farnborough for repair.


683Avro10.10.14Sgt AE Barrs
694Bleriot12.10.142Lt D Corbett-Wilsonex AID
609SE224.10.14Capt AG Fox
692Avro26.10.14Lt BC HucksAlso reported as flying a Bleriot
493BE2b26.10.14Lt WC AdamsonOr Sgt Gallie. started 23.10 but engine trouble at Dover
241BE2a07.11.14Lt G de HavillandOriginally Stodard
238BE2a12.11.14
666BE2b12.11.142Lt JR Howett
715Avro12.11.142Lt AB Ford
654Sopwith18.11.14shippedex AID 1.9.14 stored 16.10.14 rebuilt France 18.11.14 flew 1.12.14
716Avro21.11.14Lt JBT Leighton
703BE2b22.11.14Sgt ER Schofield
206BE2a27.11.14Lt FA Wanklynon 18.12?
676Be2b29.11.14Lt FA Wanklyndelayed
687Be2b02.12.14Lt HD Harvey-Kelly
722Be2b14.12.14Capt KP Atkinson
744M Farman14.12.14Lt CG Gould
742M Farman19.12.14Lt LA Strange
745RE519.12.14didn't arrive till 7.1.15
575Bleriot21.12.14Capt GB Stopfordwrecked at Calais. To AP 6.1.15 SOC
519M Farman21.12.14Lt AE Morganorder to fly overseas. NFT

AIRCRAFT SENT TO EGYPT

The following list shows the aircraft sent to the Expeditionary Force in Egypt up to the 31st December 1914.

The Force was under the command of Capt SD Massy, accompanied by 2Lt SP Cockerell. They sailed from Avonmouth aboard the SS Beethoven on the 4th November 1914.

They were reinforced by Lt SC Parr from the Indian Central Flying School on the 21st December 1914, who brought 3 additional machines.

Serial Type Date Engine Notes
369Longhorn04.11.1470RenSmashed at Suez 15.12.14 (2Lt Cockerell). Rebuilt and flown 30.12.14
712Shorthorn04.11.1480RenCollected from Airco on 3rd November. Erected 6.12.14
713Shorthorn04.11.1480RenCollected from Airco on 3rd November. Erected 9.12.14
HF1H Farman18.11.1450GnAcquired from Italian Farman agent in Heliopolis
HF2H Farman18.11.1480GnAcquired from Italian Farman agent in Heliopolis (engine from a Bleriot)
ICFS1BE2a21.12.14No engine fitted
ICFS?Longhorn21.12.14No engine fitted
ICFS?Longhorn21.12.14No engine fitted

The BE2a from the Indian Central Flying School had been a pre-war gift from the Maharaja of Rewa.