The Uniform Group of an American volunteer with the RFC

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I forgot to point out that in this photo there is a German soldier standing to the right that Tommy ID'd as "Corp. Frank". He was the camp interpreter at Tommy's final camp at Camstigall-bei-Pillau on the Baltic Sea in what is now Poland. Apparently he an the Camp commander an old hard line Prussian aristocrat did not get along at all; and at one point the Commandant had Corp. Frank thrown in the "clink" for selling fish to the POWs. When the Reds took over the camp on November 11, 1918, Corp. Frank was freed from his cell to become the Camp Commandant and he then threw the Old Prussian C.O. in the clink!

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Should I keep going or are you all bored yet?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Keep going

Cheers, Ade.

[CThomas]

Yawn....

[Steven M]

You're a Mad Man Tommy Boy...Mad, I say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course keep going ya big dope...

[Belleauwood]

Uh, .................Well maybe......................zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....u h, ok, I guess............zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

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You guys are the best. Here are some drawings of RAF POWs from the Royal Archives.

1. The Officers Camp at Kamstigall-bei-Pillau, North Prussia
2. The chief pastime, writing home
3. A view of an Officers barracks
4. The morning roll call at Kamstigall

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I've done some digging on a man illustrated in a real photo postcard that came with Tommy's group. He was a prisoner with Thomson in almost all the POW camps he stayed in.

His name was Lt. Hubert Mason who was a pilot with 209 Squadron flying Sopwith Camel number D3405. He left his airfield near Bertangles at 5:25 pm June 20, 1918 on a High Offensive Patrol. He was last seen in combat near Proyart with enemy aircraft from Jasta 28. He fell west of Cerisy and was captured. The combat claim was made by Ltns E. Thuy and K. Christ.

Tommy and Hubert remained close friends after the war.

The 209 Squadron was originally a Naval Squadron called the 9th Naval Squadron. Formed at St Pol, France in February 1917, the 9th Naval Squadron began its existence with a mixture of Sopwith Pups, Sopwith Triplanes, and Nieuport Scouts.
By June of 1917, it was equipped exclusively with Sopwith Triplanes, and that same month it was attached to the RFC. By September of 1917, it was finally re-equipped with Sopwith Camels, and it operated over the Channel area until March 1918 when it was sent back to France.
The Royal Air Force was formed on April 1, 1918, and the 9th Squadron became the 209th Squadron, RAF. On the 21st of the month Captain Roy Brown of the squadron was involved in the fight, which ultimately led to the death of the highest scoring pilot of WWI, Baron Manfred von Richthofen, although there is still much debate as to whether he delivered the fatal shot or it was delivered by ground troops. However, whatever is the case, the event is commemorated in the squadron's badge. The emblem of the 209th is an eagle volant recursant descendant in pale, wings overture. The motto reads: "Might and Main". The eagle falling represents the death of von Richtofen.
After the war the squadron remained on the continent until February

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anything????

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I'd like to recall this thread one more time to ask that if anyone reading this has photos, letters or anything pertaining to 74 Squadron that you would be willing to share (and/or have published) to please post it here or contact me. Thank you in advance for your time.
Tom