2/Lt. V. G. Stanton, DOW as POW.

Hello

I'd like to ask for help in researching one of three brothers who enlisted in the Canadian army in WWI please. The brother in question transferred to the R.F.C. and died of wounds. Below is the information I have on him, but there are several things I'd like to know.

1. The date he was wounded.
2. I was wondering if the circumstances of his being wounded are known?
3. Is it possible to identify the pilot who shot him down, if this was the case?
4. What type of aircraft was he flying?
5. Were there any well known pilots in the 62nd Squadron he may have flown with?
Any additional information would be very welcome.

2/Lt. Victor George Stanton (C.E.F. serial No. 551891)
R.F.C. 62 Sqn., Pilot.
Died Mar. 29/18. Buried in Peronne Communal Cemetery Ext. St. Radegonde, France.
Age 25, Died of Wounds as Prisoner of War.

Thanks
Ron O.

[MikeW]

Ron,

2Lt MH Cleary was kia, and 2LT VG Stanton was wounded and taken POW on 28th March 1918. They were flying Bristol F2B serial B1211 on a trench strafe mission somewhere east of Villers Bretonneaux after midday.

I assume Stanton was not the pilot as he is listed second. I would also guess that their Bristol Fighter was brought down by ground fire.

62 squadron lost 5 Bristol Fighters on that day. What did that do for morale?


Hopefully someone more informed on 62 squadron will be able to fill in more details.


Mike

Mike
Thanks for the detailed information! Great stuff.
Ron

[Darryl]

Mike,

In answer to your question on morale......due to a set of lucky circumstances 62 were not required to fly again offensively until 1/4/18 Bad weather and a change of airfield. From then until the 11/4/18 no further combats were apparently reported. *So they had a bit of a "breather".

They arrived in France 1/2/18. First losses were injuries to Miller and Collis 14/2/18 sustained in a crash.

Then 12/3/18 they lost Kennedy/Gill KIA, Ferguson/Long (Lough??), Fenton/Boyce, Clutterbuck/Sparks all POW (to the "Circus" as it happens, after diving on what was most probably a "bait" two seater.)

13/2/18 Well/Crammond, Allen/Watson all EOL Allen dead, rest POW. Sgt Lake was WIA as an observer

To rub salt, Batt (an American who had arrived 3 hours earlier) crashed due to pilot error killing himself and McNiff, his new observer.

Spirits were probably still high at this date although there was some "release" of nervous tension in the mess the night of the funeral of Batt.


24/3/18 James (POW) / Hay (KIA), and then Kieth WIA

27/3/18 Hilton WIA

28/3/18 Arthur, Symons, Boxall all WIA and Cleary/Stanton POW

26 killed, wounded, injured or captured in 2 months. 24 of them in the 16 days leading up to 28th March. Not sure of total establishment at that time but I am sure that the casualties are a decent percentage. *

I suspect the 10 days without combat were probably allowed to happen, rather than a happy coincidence. *



Ron O,

Michael Hugh Cleary, Pilot and your relative claimed a single victory OOC on the 24th March 1918.

If you would like an article on 62, send me a private message with your address and details. It is in Vol 17 / 4 of C&C USA by Frank Bailey, Rick Duiven and Russell Manning.

regards to you both

Darryl

[MikeW]

Darryl,

awesome!

I thought that tactics for the Brisfit had been well and truly sorted out by then, or were the losses just down to the inexperience of the squadron?


Mike

[Darryl]

Mike,

48 pioneered Bristol tactics IIRC?

I've just re-read my post, should have made it clear that there was a combat on 1/4/18 with two victories claimed, then a ten day break.

The losses seem to be inexperience, at least the crashes and the "bait" incident.

W.E. Staton had scored 3 OOC and 3 Dest (Ok, as one of the 3 Heretics, you know what I am saying!) by then. He went on to be their highest scorer with *26 -- with 16 Dest, 1 Capt (15/9/18 *G/HQ/6 Pfalz D.XII 2486/18 Paul Vogel, J23b KIA) and 9 Overly Optimistic Claims.


The trench strafing you can have all on your own and would always lead to heavy casualties. Perhaps they were in need of some break and saw trench strafing as a relatively easy change. After a day of that they were probably ready for a rest!!

regards

Darryl
*

His pilot, Michael Hugh Cleary was trained on the 1st course, NSW State Aviation School, Richmond.
Parents, Mr & Mrs John Cleary,Suva, Fiji.
Served as 2nd Lt, 62 sqn. KIA or DOW, 28-3-'18.
See the entry in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site.
See photo page 7, "Highest Traditions" by Bennett.

Hmm. My first reply has not shown up yet.
Michael Hugh Cleary trained in 1st course, NSW State Aviation School, Richmond.
Parents, Mr& Mrs John Cleary, Suva, Fiji.
See photo page 7, Highest Traditions" by Bennett.
see Commonwealth War Graves Commission site for details on both.
Search also, Aust War Mem site, www.awm.gov.au
under Red Cross Wounded and Missing, (try Site Search for the easy way).
You get 5 pages of report. P2 and p5 the same, p5 clearest. Best of luck if you try to print it. Sometimes it works like a dream...today it sat there just grinding at me.

Neville
Thanks for the leads on his pilot! I was able to print the 5 pages for my records. The Australian War Memorial site is really well done.
Thanks
Ron