Original rudder of dh9 # d

[Froggy]

Bonjour à tous

Samuel, one of my fellow on a French forum, had posted some days ago the photo of a Rudder he just acquired (after some difficulties)
This rudder belonged to a DH9 (not DH4 as depicted here on theaerodrome)serial number D 2878
He belonged to a unit of 104 Squadron IAF shot down July 7, 1918 during a bombing over German territory,near Kaiserslauten
Lt MJ Ducray had been taken prisoner but unfortunately his co-pilot Lt. NH Wildig was killed

A message from a grand son of MJ Ducray, had been posted here on theaerodrome, in the 'Guest' in 2009

Guestbook =

"My, Dec 28, 2009 13:09 pm 7400
Edward Ebden
Great resource. I Was looking up Flight Lt
M.J.Du Cray (Mikey), my granddfather.He WAS
shot down over Germany in 1918 and co-pilot caputured.His NJWilding WAS Killed
in action.

D2878
D.H.4 104 Squadron
Lt MJ Ducray

D.H.4
104 Squadron 2Lt NH Wildig

Edward Ebden "
My correspondent Samuel (he live in Alsace) is a collector and an avid fan of aviation. He wanted to contact him, Mr. Edward Ebden,
for sending him more photos of the rudder and have more information on his Grand father, because he likes to know the history of objects in its collection
and share it, especially for those who were part of its history has a way or another

But I am unable to send a message by clicking the small envelope at the top of his message on the
Guestbook section (see my link above) because neither my nickname nor my password are recognized ?

Does anyone have an idea about how to senf a message to Edward Elben?

If you ,monsieur Edward Ebden , you read this message, could you contact me via private message ? I'ill communicate -Email address of my friend Samuel,



Cordialement
Bruno

[ONEALM]

Bruno - Try this - edwardebden@googlemail.com

Mike

[Froggy]

Thanks Mike for your suggestion

I had sent a message with that adress
I hope that he his the right Edward Ebden....

Bruno

[Froggy]

Bonsoir

Ok thanks to you Mike, I have found the Grand son of
Ltn Ducray
He tells me that the complete name of Ltn Ducray wasFlight Lieutenant Michael Joseph Giblot Du Cray,
He came(Ltn Du Cray) from an old French Mauritian family and his family moved to Durban, South Africa, in the 1890's

Cordialement
Bruno

[JOESAN21]

Amazing piece Bruno! How did he find such an item?

[le rampant]

Hello, I'm the proud owner of this authentic DH9's rudder.
It's been 20 years since I tried to buy it.
The previous owner had found in a shed of a flying club in Alsace (at the time of World War I Alsace belonged to Germany).
I am very happy to find the history of the aircraft and also very moved to think that the co-pilot Lt. NH Wildig died in that plane.
Looking more closely at the rudder, I discovered the bullet holes in the structure, I guess Lt. NH Wildig died in flight.
Now I will take the time to contact the family of Lt MJ Ducray.
A big thank you to Bruno and Mike for helping me in my research.

Sam

[ONEALM]

Sam -

If you have not already done so, you might wnt to get a copy of Keith Rennels excellent book "Independant Force". There's a good description of this mission and the others by 99 and 55 Squadron that same day. 99 Was also assigned to bomb Kaiserlauten that afternoon.

Keith surmises that Ltn. Sauermann of Jasta 70 was credited with this DH-9 although he identified it as a DH-4 - a common error.

VBR,
-Mike

[le rampant]

Thank you Mike, I just bought the book!
Sam