Captain Seaton Dunham Massy, 29th Punjabis and RFC

[Ian Burns]

I am trying to fill a gap in my knowledge of Captain Seaton Dunham Massy's service.
Note: He is often incorrectly recorded as Massey.
Massy was Commandant of the Indian Central Flying School, Sitapur, India, from its formation in 1912 until WW1 closed it down.
He was at Sitapur in March 1914, but by August he was at Farnborough, apparently attached to No.2 Company.

Essentially I am trying to find out when and why he was "deputed" (in India Office terminology) to the UK in 1914.

For the record :
RAeC Certificate #84, 9 May 1911, Bristol biplane, Salisbury Plain. First Indian Army officer to qualify as a pilot on attachment to the Air Battalion. Returned to India 1912 to establish a School of Aeronautics. No.3 Course, CFS, Upavon May-Aug 1913. At Farnborough (No.2 Company) at the start of the war, he was sent to Egypt late October1914 in command of Egypt Detachment RFC, and later CO 30 Sqn in Mesopotamia.

[Airshipped]

Vol.5 of 'War in the Air' refers to him being posted to Egypt to defend the Suez canal, evading the issue of the prior posting to the UK, e.g. see p.160

Air reconnaissances of the Turkish bases and lines of
communication to give warning of the enemy intentions
would, it was recognized, be essential and, on the 4th of
November 1914, the day before war was formally declared
on Turkey, a Flight of aeroplanes had been dispatched
from England. This Flight, under Captain S. D. Massy,
who had from the end of 1913 been in command of the
Indian Flying School at Sitapur, arrived at Alexandria
on the 17th of November with three Maurice Farman
pusher aeroplanes. Two Henri Farmans, old but in flying
condition, were also acquired from an Italian firm in
Cairo. A site for an aerodrome was chosen at Ismailia,
centrally situated for flying over the whole canal zone,
and Cairo contractors were given orders to erect sheds
to house the aeroplanes".

[Ian Burns]

Thanks, but the period I am trying to fill is from 27 March to 4 August 1914.

On 27 March the ICFS was inspected by Indian Army's commander-in-chief, General Sir Beauchamp Duff who was also taken up for a flight by Massy in one of the school's MF Shorthorn's.

On 4 August Massy was at Farnborough, according to one source attached to No.2 Company.

How and when did Massy get to England?
How was almost certainly on a P&O steamer, possibly Macedonia sailing from Bombay on 30 May. If so he did not disembark in England, more probably at Marseille to save several days on passage. This I have not been able to confirm.

I have found nothing in the India Office files held by the British Library to confirm this. Which for now remains pure supposition.