Irish Aviators of World War 1

[Airshipped]

Hi,

I wrote this book whilst on career break from the Irish civil service. I'm not engaging in any stunts such as having people I know post favourable reviews, as my friends' interests lie outside military history or aviation and I'd greatly prefer an honest assessment of the positives and negatives of this work to be explored.

I'd be grateful should a forum veteran review the book. It's currently available from CreateSpace and should appear on Amazon this weekend. (It'll be another fortnight before the Kindle version becomes available).

https://www.createspace.com/4022538

Regards,

Joe

[depaor01]

Hi Joe,

Any way of seeing inside the book from your link? I can't!

I have a contact in the Air Corps who has knowledge of Irish aviation and has written books (and whom you probably know) I can PM you details if required.

Dave.

[archangel9]

On Amazon now with a "Click to Look Inside" -

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Irish-Aviators-World-War-Volume/dp/1480082325/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365352473&sr=8-1&keywords=Irish+Aviators+of+World+War+I

Good luck with the book Joe. I'll add it to my list.

John

[depaor01]

Thanks John,

Dave

[jdoyle]

looks like an interesting book. Added to my list of future purchases.

I did a blog entry a short while ago re no 2 Squadron which included Dublin born George Dawes

http://johnny-doyle.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/number-2-squadron.html

and Dublin born Henry Deasy who established a company which was later involved in the production of RE8s

http://johnny-doyle.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/henry-hugh-peter-deasy.html

Aviator Kenneth Waller married Marjorie Playfair, daughter of Major Playfair MC - her brother was killed during the Easter Rising raid on the Magazine Fort in Phoenix Park.

The nephew of Gerald Neilan, killed in the Easter Rising, went on to be a test pilot/glider pilot.

[Airshipped]

Thanks for the replies,

If the Amazon 'look inside' is unduly restrictive then I can provide extracts on a particular ace to those with an interest in that individual.

I hope to have the Kindle version published soon: it'd appear to be the preferred format for many readers.

[jdoyle]

I have a copy of "The Cruel Clouds of War" listing former pupils from Belvedere College killed in various conflicts. Two of the Cruess Callaghan family are listed. Would be interested to see the extract re Joseph Cruess Callagahan if possible.

[Airshipped]

I have a copy of "The Cruel Clouds of War" listing former pupils from Belvedere College killed in various conflicts. Two of the Cruess Callaghan family are listed. Would be interested to see the extract re Joseph Cruess Callagahan if possible.

Johnny,

I'll PM you an extract.

Btw it's probably as good a starting point as any for judging a book, e.g. if you're familiar with the subject matter and the author misses something obvious then you can tend to be very skeptical re what they've written about other subjects. (I often do that with political memoirs).

Best regards,

Joe

[David Filsell]

Irish Aviators of the Great War: Volume 1 Irish Aces. £16.47, paperback, pp 471, 19 ills, 2 appendices, bibliog.

ISBN 978148002328

Joe Gleason’s biography of Irish Great War aviators - the first of three projected volumes - strikes me as being one of the very best, and fascinating, of memorial volumes I have read for a long while. It is the work of a committed expert with a deep affection for its subject (and the subjects of hi book).

Handsomely self published, extremely reasonably priced, well and extensively researched, from its introduction to its appendices, this is a work by a natural story teller. Read in quantity brief biographies of the fallen can pall after a while. The author’s skill is to recount each of the aviators with enthusiasm and interest. That the book is frequently, and fascinatingly, highly discursive in its analysis of its subjects, their times and the complicated political environment which existed between Ireland and Great Britain during and after the Great War only adds greatly to its enjoyment.

Of the books 37 biographies of aces – from ‘Spider’ Atkinson (6 victories to Charles service Workman (4 confirmed victories) - inevitably perhaps I turned first to Mick Mannock. Having researched the pilot myself, I consider Joe Gleason’s quite the best, the most rounded, brief analysis I have read on the enigmatic pilot. Other successful scout pilots, the well and the unknown gain similar, although frequently shorter, write-ups as do with 11 unconfirmed aces.

Caveats? One or two. The pictures are well chosen, but too small. Pagination does not relate to the contents list and an index – the great chore of the self publisher - would have been welcome. But these are mere niggles. I greatly look forward to the author’s subsequent planned volumes; Volume 2 will cover the Irish contribution to the R.N.A.S. and volume 3 The Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force. This is a valuable and highly recommended addition to any collection of works on aviation in the Great War.

[David Filsell]

I apologise for the oddities which have appeared in the review - and I have no dea how they happened,

[museumtom]

Captaion Cruess;-The machine had not gained the safety of height when the engine stalled and the aeroplane started to side-slip. In the ravine of Bear Creek a wing struck a tree and was snapped off, and the machine buckled and fell, the engine striking Captain Callaghan on the back of the head, pinning him to the earth.

[Guest Fermanaghman]

On 06/04/2013 at 15:35, Airshipped said:

Hi,

I wrote this book whilst on career break from the Irish civil service. I'm not engaging in any stunts such as having people I know post favourable reviews, as my friends' interests lie outside military history or aviation and I'd greatly prefer an honest assessment of the positives and negatives of this work to be explored.

I'd be grateful should a forum veteran review the book. It's currently available from CreateSpace and should appear on Amazon this weekend. (It'll be another fortnight before the Kindle version becomes available).

https://www.createspace.com/4022538

Regards,

Joe

Hi Joe.

I work at The Ulster American Folk; http://nmni.com/uafp At Easter, we faithfully recreate a Spring Fair day from 100 years ago. In the past I have organised re-enactment scenarios including The Inniskilling Fusiliers who were based in Omagh. This year I'd like to include the RFC; so any info you can give me on RFC personnel from the North of Ireland would be greatly appreciated. I have your kindle book Irish Aces of the RFC. I am also thinking of creating a display for the 5,000 plus visitors we normally entertain over the Easter Weekend...!

Regards.

Geoff H

[Airshipped]

Hi Geoff,

 

I haven't been on the site for the past few weeks, buried in the day job, so apologies for the delay in seeing this.

 

I can certainly provide some names for you. However, there would be a considerable number from what ultimately became Northern Ireland but who'd have connections elsewhere, e.g. Forde Leathley was born in Trillick, Co Tyrone but his father was a clergyman and so the family lived in Co Meath and Dublin at various stages; he served with the Inniskillings at Gallipoli prior to transferring to the RFC. Conversely there'd be people such as Tom Falcon Hazell who served with the Inniskilling Fusiliers but who was from Galway. (From my own rough calculations there were 1,300 men who served with the RFC/RAF who'd previously seen service with an Irish regiment. However, many of those are English, e.g. whether at officer level or in the ranks were simply re-badged conscripts at the later stages of the war: I'd imagine the number of Irish-born to be no more than three quarters of those. I've seen approximately 140 Skins but would not have the material immediately to hand).

 

If you've a particular theme in mind then do please let me know: from rough figures to hand it'd appear that there were about 7,000 Irishmen and women in the RNAS, RFC, RAF and WRAF in WWI, the vast majority enlisting in the final months of the war. With regard to urban/rural profile the majority would appear to have hailed from Belfast and Dublin, though there are many variations, e.g. from the early days of flying many of the Irish would be from a more rural Anglo-Irish background but as the war progressed their importance diminished considerably in terms of the statistical profile. 

 

Do send me a private message if you've any names in mind about whom you'd like more information.