Stockbridge WW1 Pilot War Graves

Stockbridge Air Corps World War 1 - 93 Squadron

No 93 Squadron formed at Croydon from a nucleus provided by No 40 Training Squadron on the 23rd of September 1917. They moved to Chattis Hill in October 1917 and then to Tangmere in March 1918. 93 Squadron disbanded on the 14th of October 1918.

 

There are ten war graves in Stockbridge, 9 of which are from the wider Commonwealth.  All in the no longer used cemetery on the Romsey Road and immediately East of Old St. Peter's Church. They mark the burial places of trainee pilots of the Royal Flying Corps, Royal Air Force and the Australian Flying Corps who were killed when learning to fly at nearby Chattis Hill Aerodrome and Lopcome Corner Aerodrome during late 1917 and 1918.

 

This plaque was commissioned from the money raised by the Stockbridge Scout Group, specifically in memory of Commonwealth airmen. It is now mounted on the side of old St Peters Church, Stockbridge.  There was a formal, public service on Saturday the 28th April 2018 at 11am to dedicate the plaque to the airmen.  Military representatives and family members of a couple of the airmen were in attendance.

Stockbridge Airmen and Memorial Location

Stockbridge War Memorial Service 28th April 2018

Honouring Australian Airmen

 

For further information about the Commonwealth Wargraves Commission and the upkeep of the graves, please contact:

Kev Barnes Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Website: https://www.cwgc.org

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

2 Marlow Road Maidenhead, Berkshire , SL6 7 DX , United Kingdom

 

The Pilots are listed here in order of death:

1. Lieutenant Lachlan John MacDonald, RFC - 19/01/1918 aged 37

Son of the late Charles Stuart MacDonald and Margaret MacDonald. Born at Ardmona, Mooroopna, Victoria, Australia. He was one of three RFC pilots killed in the same incident; the others were Second Lieutenant Willie Rhodes Bailey & Lieutenant Charlie Edgar Rowley. The reports initially stated that "two machines collided in the air and both crashed to the ground. A strong wind was blowing and the atmosphere was rather hazy." Later it quotes a letter from Captain P. A. O. Leask of the No. 92 Squadron who said that Willie "was flying very low at the time of the accident. He had just done a "roll" when the machine commenced to spin and he had not height enough to get it out before striking the ground."

Link to Lachlan's Obituary

Link to Grave of Lieut Charlie Edgar Rowley

Link to Grave of Second Lieut Willie Rhodes Bailey

2. Second Lieutenant Donald Kirby Edmund Gee, RFC - 31/01/1918 aged 23

Son of A J E Gee, of 22 Marine Parade, Lowestoft. Formerly 117019, Corporal, 3rd Canadian Signal Company.

His family were originally from Lowestoft but emigrated to Ontario, Canada.  His occupation before joining up was a rancher. He initially served in France before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps.  He was described as having a “good military character”.

 

3. Lieutenant Edward Thomas Curling, RFC - 15/02/1918 aged 24

His occupation is shown as a pupil teacher elementary school, employed by County Council. He was 24, the son of George and Sarah Anne Curling. He was born at Boughton, Faversham, Kent.

 

 

 

4. Second Lieutenant William Erskine Buchan, RFC - 09/03/1918 aged 20

William Buchan, from Montreal in Canada, died in a SE5a B8277 on 9 March 1918, during the squadron's first period of service - he stalled the machine in a turn after take-off and dived in, the machine caught fire.

Link to more information for 2nd Lt Buchan

 

 

 

5. Second Lieutenant Henry George Carr, Australian Flying Corps - 11/05/1918 aged 26

Second Lt Carr was one of 13 children from Tumut in Australia. His brother Roly died on a hospital ship of his wounds sustained in Gallipoli. Lt Carr was considered a very able pilot

Henry Carr was a very able pilot. He was able to stunt the machine. Prior to his solo flight in a Camel, his instructor had told him to stand by until a c.619 was flight tested and ready and not to take it into the air. The Avro had not been tested after an engine change. He took it into the air while his instructor was flying, prior to the test. The plane stalled at 3,000ft and began stall turning. The plane could not be recovered and Henry Carr perished when it hit the ground. The picture to the right is one of Henry's funeral cortege.

Link to more info for 2nd Lt Carr

 

6. Second Lieutenant Eric Percy Johnstone Touche, RAF 17/05/1918 aged 21

Second Lt Touche was the son of Percy and Kathleen Touche.  He was from Simomdium, Cape Province, South Africa,  The court of enquiry showed that Second Lt Touch came out of a spin partly on his back and attempted to pull up to early.  This resulted in a second spin in the opposite direction which he was not able to control. He had just qualified as a pilot and received his wings.

Link to more information for 2nd Lt Touche

Link to more info

 

 

7. Second Lieutenant George William Hawken, RAF - 18/05/1918 aged 29

2^nd Lt  Hawken lived in Brant County in Canada.  He was married to Henrietta on the 1st Jan 1913. He died 18/05/1918 aged 29. 2^nd Lt  Hawken's accident was reported as that his Engine failed, causing it to spin into the ground from 100ft

Link to more information for 2nd Lt Hawken

 

 

8. Second Lieutenant Henry Ernest Warner - 23/06/1918 aged 28

Son of H. B. and Annie Warner, of Shedden, Ontario. Served in France. Born at Wheatley, Ontario. He had worked as a mechanic in Detroit in the USA prior to the war and was accepted onto the pilot training programme because of his experience with engines.

 

 

 

 

9. Second Lieutenant Ray Mallett, RAF - 16/07/1918 aged 21

2^ndLt Mallett  was born in Edmonton. He was a school teacher before he enlisted in the Canadian Army.   He obtained the rank of sergeant and was sent overseas as a physical training instructor.  He then applied for a transfer to the RAF.  He had relatives in Bath whom he found (despite his family having lived in Canada for 2 generations) and he used to meet with them by borrowing a plane and flying down to see them. Ray Mallett's landing site in Bath

On July 16, 1918, Ray Mallet's plane went into a nose dive and he was unable to gain control, so met his death in a terrible crash.

Letter of Condolence from Florence

Letter of Condolence Margaret Mallet

Letter of Condolence Walter Mallett

 

 

 

10. Second Lieutenant Wesley Holford Wilson, RAF - 23/09/1918 aged 21

2nd Lt Wilson was the Son of the late Wesley Wilson and Ellen Maria Wilson of Molesworth. He had a sister called Estella. He lived in Fort Beaufort, Cape Province, South Africa. He spent 2 years studying in London at Dulwich College before becoming a merchant. He Initially served in the South Africa Horse and East African Mounted Rifles campaigns He was discharged with all mounted men soon after October 1916 and a period of recuperation from malaria and fatigue. From 13 September 1917 he served in Inns of Court Officer training Corp. He enlisted as Private No 12008 for the duration of war only. He applied for admission to an Officer Cadet Unit with a view to an appointment to a temporary commission in the regular army for the period of the war on 22 October 1917 noting his preference was for the RFC [Royal Flying Corps]. On 13 April 1918 he was appointed to 17 th Wing. On 18 January 1918 he had been a Cadet, on 7 March a 2nd Lieutenant and on 16 March a 2/3 Lieutenant on probation. He was killed in an aeroplane accident on 23 September 1918 aged 21.

 

 

 

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