WWI squadrons in Mesopotamia

this is a request for info.
Is there anywhere on the 'net which would allow me
to search for squadrons supporting Lawrence's campaigns.
More specifically is there a listing anywhere of pilots
shot down but surviving the campaign TIA

>>>this is a request for info.Is there anywhere on the 'net which would allow me to search for squadrons supporting Lawrence's campaigns. More specifically is there a listing anywhere of pilots shot down but surviving the campaign TIA
<<<<<

Lawrence was for the most part in Palestine and Syria. In late 1918 he received two BE12a's from 1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps to help bolster his Arab Armies abilities. With it came a detachment of Australian Mechanics and armourers as well. I believe one of the BE12's got shot up or crashed so lt P.Kenney's Brisfit was used in detachment with the remaining BE12 for a few weeks. There is some more info on it at the Australian Flying Corps page at :

http://members.xoom.com/PointCook/index.htm

In palestine the squadrons there were :

Allied : 14 RFC , 17 RFC ( transferred to Salonika 1916 ) , 1 AFC , 111 RFC , 145 RAF , 144 RAF , 113 RFC , Escadrille de Port Said , My Ben Chree Seaplanes

Central : FA 300 , Jasta Flemy , Jasta 1F , FA 301 , FA 302 , FA 303 , FA 304

In Mesopotamia there were :

Allied : Indian Army Corps flight and Australian half lfight ( disbanded end of 1915 ), 30 RFC

Central : Turkish 14 squadron , FA 305

hope that helps.

cam

just looked it up in Cutlacks " Official History of the AFC "

It says ' At Cairo a special detachment known as X Flight RAF was formed to work in the Desert with Lawrence. '

It mentions , a detachment of two BE12a's but doesnt mention the pilots. However it does say that the BE12a's were next to useless ( this may have been in May of 1918 , so by then the BE12a's had seen over a year of operational service ) at Akaba which is at the head of the Red Sea and Maan the HQ of Prince Fiesel

It also says the Bristol Fighter of Murphy and Hawley ( observer ) from 1 AFC was attached to X Flight on August 12th of 1918 , posted from Ramleh. They moved with Lawrence to Azrak on Aug 30th. On Sept 16th Murphy destrotyed an enemy plane but was forced to fly to Ramleh due t need for repair. 144 Sqn RAF in DH9's flew bombing attacks on the Deraa area ( railhead ) to assist raiding by the Arabian Forces in the Area.

Cutlack also mentions Lawrences Camp at El Umtaiye was bombed by German Airmen on the 18th and 19th, The two BE12a's couldnt catch the German Raiders and one was put out of action in an air fight and the other bombed. Murphy apparently was delivering a British Officer to Akaba at the time of the raids.

Peters and Trail flew to Azrak and transported Lawrence to Allenby's HQ ( Ross Smith had done the same on the 19th of May 1918 ) the Arabs retired to Um es Surab and it seems though it isnt clear that three Bristol Fighters of 1 AFC remained at Um es Sarab with them including Peters and Traill , Ross Smith and Headlam , the third Kenney and Maughan. Seems they arrived Sept 22nd and left on the 27th.

Kenney's brisfit and Peters Brisfit intercepted a bombing raid on Lawrences Camp on the 22nd and shot down three planes. The three brisfits also attacked Deraa aerodrome continually.

cam


cam

G'day Roger,
The book "The sky Their Battlefield" from Grubb Street covers all allied air casualties from all theatres. It is a little expensive but it is a great book.

Regards,
Andrew Smith

the cross and cockade website now has an BE & RE databse online , so if u wan to go browsing for the serials of those BE12a's u can do it there. It is at :

http://www.crossandcockade.com/bere.htm

cam