The Uniform Group of an American volunteer with the RFC

[Belleauwood]

Indeed Tom, it is. The amount of work that you have put into this group is amazing. As we have discussed on several occations, there is a book here somewhere or at the very least, a lengthly artical in Over the Front. I always look forward to your posts!

DJ

[BEAST]

Tom,
Fantastic work as always! Thank you for his story along with the artifacts.

[Croix de Guerre]

A photo from the Thomson group showing a group of flying officers at Karlsruhe Prison. Thomson is standing third from the right; Wardle is standing 6th from the left.

The same photo in the Wardle group of artifacts; with his having many of the men identified.

As a side note; seated second from the left is Col. Fellows, a wing commander who was ahot down and captured after bombing the locks on the Brugge Canal. His daring feat won admiration even from his captors and he was acknowledged with great consideration. Baron Von Richtofen, the father of the "Red Baron" sent him a case of wine to his honor.

Peregrine Forbes Morant FELLOWES was born on 23rd December 1883, at South Yarra in Melbourne Australia. In 1898 he entered the Royal Navy as a cadet. He retired as a Lieutenant Commander RN in 1910. He returned to active service at the outbreak of war in 1914. He received his RAeC at RNAS Chingford on 5th September, 1915. He entered the Air Service on 17th December 1915.

He was promoted to Wing Commander on 31st December, 1917. He was recommended for the DSO on 10th December 1917 and was Gazetted with the DSO on 1st January, 1918. He was twice Mentioned In Dispatches.

Postings at 2/10/16 Cranwell, 4/01/17 was CO of a new Sqn at Dunkirk, and 12/4/17 he was posted to No 1 Wing. He went on to Command No 4 Wing.

His service record states:

“This Officer is entirely responsible for the initial training of any Armament Officers or Armament Ratings in Air Service which he started at White City. These were later transferred to Eastchurch. He has also done a great deal to advance Armament and fighting efficiency of aircraft especially in introduction of gun sights and suitable mountings for machine guns. He is also largely responsible for the introduction of Buckingham Tracer ammunition and Brock ammunition which have already resulted in several Zeppelins being brought down.”

Also:

“On 20/10/17 he went as pilot of the first W/T M/C, although all the fighter escorts were out of action by an enemy attack the night before” (From CO Dover).

He received a bar to his DSO whilst in command of No 61 Wing for a particularly courageous attack on the lock gates at Zeebrugge, in the course of which he completed his mission after he had been seriously wounded by Anti-aircraft fire and he was ultimately shot down into the sea. He was rescued by the Germans and remained a Prisoner Of War for the last 6 months of the war.

He was also in charge of the development of British Airships while the R100 and R101 were being built, and pioneered the Cairo-Baghdad air route. From 1924 to 1929 he was Air A.D.C to King George V.

In 1933, Fellowes was the leader of the expedition that performed the first ever flight over Mt Everest. Fellowes himself did not fly over Everest, but on the day after the successful attempt he flew over Kangchenjunga, the world’s third highest mountain (the highest in India).

Air Commodore P. R. M. Fellowes DSO died at Pietermaritzburg in Natal in 1954 at the age of 71.

[Croix de Guerre]

Here are a few more pics:

Tidworth Barracks where Tommy spent some time in the spring of 1918.

The RFC HQ in Farmborough

Tommy (in flying cap) and some fellow pilots with an SE5a. Note the cammo canvas hanger in the background. I'm not sure if this was taken in England or France. I'm inclined to think it was in England as the plane in missing its Lewis gun from the top wing. (I wish Thomson's maternity coat was with the group!)

[Croix de Guerre]

Edward "Mick" Mannock - Thomson's Flight Commander

Sir Pierre Van Ryneveld (Center) - Thomson's Wing Commander

74 Squadron's airfield at Clairmarais, France (I believe the airfield was in the upper right corner of this photo. If I'm wrong or if any one reading this lives near Clairmarais, please let me know.)

[Croix de Guerre]

This first letter Tommy wrote to Ruth as a POW.

A Cox & Co. Check to Ruth to pay for goods to be sent to him in the POW camp.

Tommy's fiance and the love of his life, Miss Ruth Sanders. Tommy would marry her in 1919.

[Belleauwood]

Tom, Id'ed uniforms are found with regularity. To find groups that are complete as this one is impossible to find not to be improved upon. It would be a welcome addition to the Belleauwood Museum when you have finished you research and lose interest.

Best, DEnnis

[Steven M]

It would be a welcome addition to the Belleauwood Museum when you have finished you research and lose interest.

Best, DEnnis

Geesh Dennis, give someone else a chance...

[Croix de Guerre]

Both you knuckleheads can pound sand,,,

[Steven M]

Both you knuckleheads can pound sand,,,

Naughty boy...but I don't blame you Tom. I say this with all seriousness, although there are some stellar examples of aviation history posted here, other than Rheno's group, I can't think of a more complete, meaningful grouping that "has it all". I NEVER tire of seeing and reading about Tommy.