British Military Aviation in 1915 - Part 3

Part 2

19 August
Colonel Hugh Trenchard assumes command of the Royal Flying Corps in France in succession to Sir David Henderson. Trenchard was promoted to Brigadier General and quickly requested another squadron by the middle of September. He further suggested that one squadron be provided for each Army Corps for artillery work, photography and close reconnaissance, and one squadron for each Army headquarters, for Army reconnaissance.

Trenchard also suggested that there should be a headquarters squadron for General Headquarters (GHQ) work and that a further squadron be provided for each Army for special work such as bombing raids.

23 August
Captain A.J. Liddell of the Royal Flying Corps is awarded the Victoria Cross for valour while flying a Royal Aircraft Factory RE5.

24 August
Major Lanoe G. Hawker of No.6 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps (RFC) is awarded the Victoria Cross for shooting down three German Albatros biplanes while flying a Bristol Scout C biplane and armed only with a bolt-action rifle mounted beside the cockpit.

September
The Royal Flying Corps Machine-Gun School is formed at Hythe to instruct students in air fighting.

23 September
No.2 and No.3 Wings of the Royal Flying Corps begin the first concentrated interdiction campaign aimed at disrupting German communications, in support of the Allied offensive at Loos. The attacks continued until 16 October. Rail lines were damaged in 16 places, 5 trains were destroyed and a signal box and railways sheds at Valenciennes were wrecked.

4 October
In a special order of the day, the Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force Field Marshal Sir John French expresses to Brigadier General H.M. Trenchard and all ranks of the Royal Flying Corps his appreciation of "the valuable work they have performed during the battle of Loos, he desires especially to thank pilots and observers for their plucky work in co-operation with the artillery, in photography and bomb attacks.... Throughout these operations the RFC have gallantly maintained the splendid record they have achieved since the commencement of the campaign".

8 October
No.26 Squadron is formed at Netheravon from personnel of the South African Air Corps previously engaged in the campaign in German South-West Africa. The squadron subsequently embarked for East Africa in December 1915 to participate in operations against German forces in Tanganyika.

November
The Royal Flying Corps' 5th Wing, consisting of No.14 and No.17 Squadrons, supported by an Aircraft Park, arrives in the Middle East. The Wing was commander by Lieutenant Colonel W.G.H. Salmond.

3 November
The first land plane to be flown from an aircraft carrier is piloted by Flight Lieutenant H.F. Towler of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS), when he flies a Bristol Scout C from the seaplane carrier HMS Vindex during launching experiments.

7 November
Lieutenant G.S.M. Insall of No.11 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, is awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during a fighting patrol across German lines. Air Mechanic T.H. Donald was observer-gunner in a Vickers FB5, 5074.

19 November
The Victoria Cross is awarded to Squadron Commander R. Bell-Davies of No.3 Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service, for rescuing a downed airman (Flight Sub-Lieutenant G.F. Smylie) after completing a bombing attack on Ferejik Junction in Bulgaria in a Nieuport 12, 3172.

18 December
The first British multi-engined aircraft is test flown. The Handley Page O/100 is piloted by Lieutenant Commanders Stedman and Babington.

Part 2