Captain Henry Clifford Stroud

[spad]

In my search to flesh out the personnel in 61 Home Defence Squadron I
find the following tragic event.

Captain Henry Clifford Stroud was based at Rochford with 61 Squadron when on the night of 7th March 1918 he took off in SE5a B679 at 23.30 to intercept a German raider heading for London. A minute earlier Alexander Bruce Kynoch of 37 Squadron based at Stow Maries had taken off in BE12 C3208 to intercept the same raider. In the darkness the two aircraft collided and fell in Dollymans Farm.

Only son of Professor Henry Stroud, M.A., D.Sc. (Armstrong College), and Eva M. A. Stroud, of "Denver," Bulstrode Way, Gerrards Cross, Bucks. B.A. (Cantab.), B.Sc. (Durham). Proceeded to France Jan., 1915. Wounded Feb., 1915. (Royal Engineers?) Born at Newcastle-on-Tyne.

According to the LG Stroud was with the Northumbrian Divisional Engineers.
(Lieutenant Henry Clifford Stroud to be temporary Captain. Dated 18th October,1915) but had he any operational experience in France? I don't see him mentioned in Coles collection of communiques 1915-16 or 1917-18.

regards

Keith

[spad]

Apologies, I mean RFC experience...

[josquin]

T/Capt. Henry Clifford Stroud (Royal Enginners-Northumbrian Brigade 2/Lt att
RFC T/Capt)
Newcastle was also Stroud's residence when he joined the R.E. There is a
Medal Index Card for H.C. Stroud WR151571 Corporal Royal Engineers, but I do not
know if this is the same man given the absence of forenames.
His Air 76 service record documents the following:
--to be posted to 36 HD Sqn upon his appointment as a Flying Officer; appointed
FO, seconded to RFC, & posted to sqn 22 September 1916
--posted to 76 HD Sqn 11 January 1917
--posted to 37 HD Sqn 15 July 1917
--posted to 61 HD Sqn 7 August 1917

Captain Stroud had almost a year of RFC experience prior to his posting to 61.

Josquin

[Graeme]

From Flight of 21 March 1918:

Captain H CLIFFORD STROUD, R.E., attached R.F.C., who was accidentally killed on the night of March 7th-8th, aged 24, was the only son of Professor H. Stroud, of Armstrong College, Newcastle-on-Tyne. After spending two years in the O.T.C. of Durham University, he joined the Northumbrian Divisional R.E. Territorials in 1912, and on the outbreak of war immediately
volunteered for foreign service. He went to France with the 1st Field Company, N.R.E., and was severely wounded in the legs on February 18th, 1915. He spent many months in hospital, and on his recovery went to Otley, and was engaged in the teaching of bombing and trench warfare.

As his wounds had prevented his engagement for active field work he joined the R.F.C. in July, 1916, and after he had obtained his theoretical training he qualified for his wings, and was gazetted on September 22nd, 1916. During
the subsequent months he became an experienced and expert pilot. After taking his B.Sc. in engineering at Armstrong College, Newcastle-on-Tyne (Durham University), he proceeded to King's College, Cambridge and graduated B.A.

He was a student of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a graduate of the North-East Coast Institution of Engineers, before which body he had read papers, and received institution prizes. He was gaining his practical experience at Sir William Arrol's, Glasgow, during the university vacations,
and intended to complete his practical training after taking, his degree.

Graeme