RFC Officer with MC, Identity?

[WingCo]

Calling all RFC and WW1 Aviation buffs,

 

Re-posting this photo from a while ago, in the hope that new leads might emerge. The RAF Museum, IWM, Lord Ashcroft (!), national newspapers and a WW1 air history expert have been unable to help.

 

The photograph is a fairly common 'Carte de Visite' from the early 20th century and was produced by Russell & Sons of 43 Osborne Rd, Southsea - photographers 'By Appointment' at the time. No name or message has been written on the back of it but there is a negative number: 67125 CL (or CC).

 

The officer appears to be a Captain and wears the Military Cross ribbon on the 1912 pattern 'maternity' jacket. Perhaps the photo was taken to commemorate the award of his MC, which, if he won it for 'air fighting' may well have made him an 'ace' (more than 5 kills).   

 

The photo has come down to me from my grandmother and the officer is completely unknown to us.   

 

The only member of our family who served in the RFC during the Great War was my Grandmother's brother, John Roger James, who joined the RFC as a Rigger (Aero) in Oct 1915 and, subsequently, went to France with 28 Sqn on 4 Oct 1917.  

 

No 28 Sqn was formed at RAF Gosport - right next door to Southsea, where the photograph was produced - on 7 Nov 1915. (There were other squadrons around that airfield at the time).

 

I can only speculate that my relative, ‘Jack’ James, was doing his technical training at RAF Gosport, sometime between Oct 1915 when he joined the RFC, and his deployment to France with 28 Sqn in Oct 1917, and that he worked on this pilot's aircraft, perhaps receiving the photo as a memento or in gratitude for services rendered during that time, or afterwards in Flanders or Italy. Perhaps the officer was Jack's flight commander.

Any suggestions would be gratefully received. Please feel free to lift the photo and post elsewhere if you wish.

Peter

[WingCo]

Hi Everyone,

 

I've had a breakthrough courtesy of Andy Kemp, one of the Great War aviation experts at 'The Cross and Cockade'. I would like to put this up for future reference to any RFC types on this site who may be interested.

 

The RFC officer is Captain Lewis Scott White MC.

 

 

The entry in “The Military Cross to Flying Personnel of Great Britain and the Empire” by Giblin & Franks tells his story:

 

“The son of Dr Edward White and Mrs White, of 2 Green Park, Bath, he was born on 7 December 1895. Educated at Bath College and at Kelley College. A trained motor mechanic, he enlisted (number 1883) into the RFC on 20 October 1914.

 

Served as a 1AM with 10 Squadron in the UK and in France. Picked out for a commission, he was gazetted Second Lieutenant to the RFC, via the Special Lists, on 3 June 1916. His training had been on-going for some time and he was confirmed and gazetted Flying Officer on 5 June, just two days after his commissioning. Sent out to, and served with, 2 Squadron in France. On 10 January 1917, in accordance with a carefully prepared plan, White acted as Observer in a machine flown by Captain GC Bailey. The RFC Communique describes the subsequent events, thus:

 

'[Bailey and White] flew over the enemy's trenches just north  of the double Crassier at a low altitude and opened machine-gun fire. They fired Very Lights and generally attracted the enemy in the trenches, who thus had their backs turned to the front line and were firing at the aeroplane with rifle and machine-gun fire.

The Germans were so occupied with this work that our troops were enabled to leave their trenches and Cross no-man's land without being perceived, and without any previous artillery preparation. Two parties entered the German trenches, took eight prisoners, and bombed dugouts which were full of Germans. Captain Bailey's machine was hit in a few places by AA fire but was untouched by rifle or machine-gun fire. During the flight he and his Observer located 13 active hostile batteries'. For this brilliantly executed operation, Bailey was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, London Gazette of 3 March 191 7 , and White was awarded his MC, announced in the same London Gazette: 'For conspicuous gallantry in action. When acting as observer he co-operated in an infantry raid by flying over the enemy's trenches at a height of only 1,500 feet for more than an hour and a half in very adverse weather conditions. He attacked the enemy in the trenches with machine-gun fire, and located 16 active enemy batteries during this flight'.

 

A friend wrote to White's parents describing the action for which their son was given his award: 'His CO told us what a gallant performance it was for which he won the MC and how richly he and his pilot deserved the decoration. They were sent by night to draw the enemy's fire and make them believe there was an attack coming from that point. They sent rockets and signals as if to troops coming up behind, and entirely deceived the enemy, who brought up all his reserves there to meet the danger. They did their work so well that an attack planned in another part of the line came off without a hitch and without loss, while these brave boys were being fired at by every sort of gun, and when they returned, their machine was riddled with shot, but both were untouched.

 

His tour with '2' completed, he was brought home as a Fighting Instructor with 28 Squadron, then stationed at Yatesbury. On 28 September 1917 , White, by then an Acting Captain, was killed in a flying accident in Wiltshire whilst piloting Sopwith Camel, B6343, during a delivery flight from 7 AAP, Kenley, to Yatesbury. He is buried in Bath (Locksbrook) Cemetery, Bath.”

[helpjpl]

Three photos on the White Family Tree on ancestry.

1.

 

 

2.  Best man at his sister's wedding:

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search/british-newspapers?date=1917-09-15&date_offsetdate=1917-09-21&lastname=lewis scott white&modifiedfacets=true&exactnames=true&exactkeywords=false

 

 

3.  Funeral - Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette 06 October 1917:

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search/british-newspapers?date=1917-10-06&date_offsetdate=1917-10-06&lastname=lewis scott white&modifiedfacets=true&exactnames=true&exactkeywords=false&_=1605126654780&o=date

 

 

London Gazette 03 March 1917:

 

JP

[WingCo]

Dear helpjpl,

 

Thanks so much for these links. I have received some other photos of Capt White which seem to post-date the award of his MC. I'm posting them here.All the best, Peter

[pierssc]

Excellent photos!

[WingCo]

Capt White's medal card:

 

[WingCo]

Sadly, it seems as though young White may have tried a beat-up, unsuccessfully!

 

https://www.heraldseries.co.uk/news/15125607.the-sopwith-camel-crash-at-chain-hill-wantage-in-1917-by-trevor-hancock/

 

The Sopwith Camel crash at Chain Hill, Wantage, in 1917, by Trevor Hancock

  

At 1.45pm on September 29, 1917, a Sopwith Camel fighter aircraft was flying above Wantage performing a few evolutions. It came in low over Chain Hill Farm and began to flatten out ready to land. However it was too low and the undercarriage touched the ground with tremendous force, causing the machine to collapse.

 

Witnesses from the Royal Flying Corps and the King Alfred's School OTC rushed to the scene but nothing could be done for the pilot who had been thrown from the cockpit. His name was Captain Lewis White MC.

 

The Sopwith Camel had been landed in a field near Chain Hill Farm just hours earlier by a different man – 2nd Lt Warwick Barnes, 28 Squadron Royal Flying Corps. He had collected it from the Sopwith Aviation Company at Kingston-on-Thames and was flying it to Yatesbury in Wiltshire where the squadron was based.

 

Flying over Reading, the aircraft had developed a problem with its main petrol tank so, low on fuel, 2nd Lt Barnes decided to land to find a mechanic. On landing at Wantage, the King Alfred's School OTC under the command of Captain Liddle came to guard the plane whilst the pilot went to contact Yatesbury and find some lunch in Wantage. On his return to Chain Hill, 2nd Lt Barnes found that his flight commander Captain Lewis White MC, 2nd Lt Bill Winter and three RFC mechanics had arrived from Yatesbury. The aircraft was examined and found to be in perfect order.

 

Captain White got into the cockpit to test the engine whilst on the ground and pronounced all in order. The mechanics then filled the petrol tanks, and Captain White, rather than 2nd Lt Barnes, took the aircraft up on what turned out to be its last flight.

 

The subsequent inquest recorded a verdict of accidental death for Captain White.

 

Captain Lewis Scott White MC was aged 21, and was the youngest son of Dr Edward White and his wife Fanny of  2, Great Park, Bath. Described as 'absolutely fearless', Lewis White had always been fascinated by flight since he was a boy at Victoria College Bath. On the outbreak of war he joined the Royal Flying Corps as a mechanic, later receiving a commission and learning to fly. He had already served a tour of duty on the Western Front with No 2 Squadron RFC flying in BE2c's as an observer.

 

White was awarded the Military Cross in 1916, for conspicuous gallantry in action: "When acting as an observer, he co-operated in an infantry raid by flying over the enemy trenches at a height of only 1,500 feet for over an hour and a half in very adverse flying conditions. He attacked the enemy with machine gun fire and located 16 active enemy gun batteries during this flight."

 

After transfer back to the UK in 1917, Captain White became a flying instructor with No 28 Squadron RFC at Yatesbury.

 

The week before his fatal flight he had attended an investiture to be awarded his medal by King George V and had been due to be posted back to France.

 

A military funeral with full honours took place in Bath on October 2, 1917.

[WingCo]

His casualty card from the RAF Museum. Sadly, they reached the same conclusion:

 

http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/archive/white-l.s.-lewis-scott

 

Full name	White, L.S. (Lewis Scott)
ID	OC0245607
Object	CC2_25523
Collection	Archives
Classification	Casualty Record Series
Series	Casualty Card Type - Incident
Initials	L.S.
First names	Lewis Scott
Surname	White
Service no
Rank	Capt
Organisation	Royal Flying Corps
Unit	28 Squadron (RFC)
Trade	Pilot
Prisoner of war	No
Casualty date	September 28th 1917
Accident	Misjudged distance whilst diving and flew into ground.
Result of accident	Killed
Death date	September 29th 1917
Remarks
Terms of enlistment
Awards
Attached from
Place	Yatesbury/UK
Death details
Aircraft	Sopwith F.1 Camel
Aircraft serial	B6343
Engine type	Clerget 130 hp
Engine numbers
Manufacturer	R1613
War Department	WD14742
Hover over the image to enlarge and scroll on mouse to zoom.
http://fotos.crowfile.com/_fotos_/37/51/3881930000001286.jpg?1   http://fotos.crowfile.com/_fotos_/45/60/1891330000002286.jpg?1

[quemerford]

Many thanks again. For completeness here, this is his arrival chit on 28:

 

 

[quemerford]

On 12/11/2020 at 18:43, WingCo said:

Dear helpjpl,

 

Thanks so much for these links. I have received some other photos of Capt White which seem to post-date the award of his MC. I'm posting them here.All the best, Peter

 

 

 

I don't suppose you know the names of the other officers? 

[WingCo]

Sorry, I don't but I'll ask a man who might. Wait out.

[WingCo]

Dear quemerford,

 

Names are; Mulholland White Tanner and Chadderton. Mulholland was from Halifax and went to Italy with 28 Sqn. I'm trying to find precise date and location.

 

The attached photo names are White and Galbraith.

[quemerford]

@WingCo: Photo was taken at Yatesbury; these officers were with 55 TS and the common date range is 9 May 1917 (when Chadderton arrived) and 4 June 1917, when Percy Tanner departed. Thanks for providing names!

[quemerford]

48 minutes ago, WingCo said:

Dear quemerford,

 

Names are; Mulholland White Tanner and Chadderton. Mulholland was from Halifax and went to Italy with 28 Sqn. I'm trying to find precise date and location.

 

The attached photo names are White and Galbraith.

 

This one is also Yatesbury: Avro 504A at rear. At right is 2Lt JA Galbraith, who arrived 14 May 1917 and moved across to 66 TS, still at Yatesbury, on 10 July. Many of the men on 55 TS were training to be scout pilots, but with the effective transfer of personnel to 28 Sqn, those deemed unacceptable as scout pilots were transferred out to train on BE.2e/RE.8.

[quemerford]

PS the Avro is B941, which also moved across to 28 Sqn.

[WingCo]

Brilliant information! Thanks so much for your help.

[sprogman]

Does anyone here have access to Captain Scott White's family tree? If so, I'd be most grateful if someone could check something for me.

 

Regards,

[Simon Birch]

It is on Ancestry - what is it you need?

 

Simon

[BullerTurner]

My wife lived in that house in, I suppose, the late 60s/early 70s.  I think a trip to Locksbrook is indicated, when the all-clear is in effect.

[Tofrek]

I hope you don't mind, but I've plagiarised your notes for a tour I am doing of Locksbrook Cemetery for the CWGC and the least I can do is leave you with a photograph of the grave.

You will see he has the incorrect badge. Hopefully, that will be corrected with the correct RFC badge when it is replaced.

Cheers,

 

[WingCo]

Dear Tofrek,

Just picked this up. Glad the research helped. Many thanks for the photo.

WingCo