This page may contain errors: version 6 Mar 2005.
Known Casualties
Known aircraft losses
AwardsKNOWN CASUALTIES
Any further information about these airmen would be appreciated by the Squadron Association, as would any information suggesting that there are other previously unknown casualties:-
DANZEY, AM2 William Charles (service No. F/1 5990): died 6 December 1917 aged 20 as a PoW after being shot down on 26 April 1917 in HP O/100 3115 off Nieuport. Son of Charles and Jane Danzey of Bracknell, Berks. Buried in Cologne Southern Cemetery (grave XVI I I.A.24).
HOOD, Flt. Sub-Lt. Thomas Samuel Stanley; killed 26 April 1917, aged 22, when HP O/100 3115 was shot down off Nieuport. Son of Edward and Jennie Hood of Buenos Aires, Argentina. No known grave, but name on Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent.
HUTTON, 2nd Lt. William Wallace; seconded to RNAS from RFC and 7th Bn London Regt.; killed 27 October 1917 in HP O/100 3122, which was shot down while bombing St. Denis Westrem airfield, Belgium. No known grave, but name on Arras Flying Services Memorial, Pas de Calais.
WATSON, Ldg. Mech. Richard Henry (service No. F/3307); died 26 April 1917 aged 22, after being shot down in HP O/100 3115 off Nieuport. Son of Emmeline Watson of Carmarthen and the late H. J. Watson of Hong Kong. No known grave, but name on Chatham Naval Memorial, Kent.
YEATMAN, AM1 Percy Maurice (service No. F/15882); died 26 August 1917 while bombing St. Denis Westrem airfield in HP O/100 3137. Son of Henry and Selina Yeatman of Petworth, Sussex. Buried in Cement House Cemetery, Langemarck, Belgium (grave VIIA.F.10)
Four men were taken prisoner following the same raids:
ANDREWS, Flt. Sub-Lt. G. - 27 October 1917
BOOTH, Flt. Sub-Lt. H. H. - 27 October 1917
KENT, Ldg. Mech. G. A. - 27 October 1917DANZEY, AM2 W. C. - 26 April 1917 (died in captivity: see above)
Six 207 Sqn prisoners of war were captured between 1.4.18 and 11.11.18; in other words they were members of the newly-formed RAF.
BARKER, Capt. E. R., DSC 11 April 1918
HUDSON, Lt. E. D. 11 April 1918
KINMOND, 2nd. Lt. D. C. 11 April 1918(The 11th April incident was the forced landing of HP O/400 3119 at Vlissingen, and the other incident was the crash of C9665 during a raid. Presumably Barker and Kinmond were erstwhile RFC men, but the others could have been Lt. RN or Army.)
KEMP, Lt. F. 19 July 1918
BAYLISS, Lt. W., 19 July 1918
ROSE, Lt. L. 19 July 1918This was the crew of HP O/400 C9665 which failed to return from an attack on the railway between Thulin and Blanc Misseron on the Mons-Valenciennes line.
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission database is accessible via www.cwgc.org
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission kindly did a search in April 2002 which came up with the following additional names from the Army of Occupation period. The circumstances are not known. The CWGC says it has no record of 7 RNAS casualties - this will need further investigation - any volunteers?:Casualties of 207 Squadron Royal Air Force
From the Database of The Commonwealth War Graves Commission.GERMANY
COLOGNE SOUTHERN CEMETERY - Koln(Cologne), Nordrhein-Westfal
BARBER, Air Mechanic 2nd Class, J, 219786. 207th Sqdn. Royal Air Force. 7th February 1919. Age 24. Son of James and Margaret Barber, of Church View, Crich, Matlock, Derbyshire. II. A. 10.
BROWN, Air Mechanic 1st Class, GEORGE ATKINSON, 53103. 207th Sqdn. Royal Air Force. 12th January 1919. Age 24. Son of Annie Brown, of Lane Cottage, Backworth, Newcastle-on-Tyne, and the late Peter A. Brown. I. B. 12.
CARLYON, Air Mechanic 2nd Class, EDWARD HENRY, 88150. 207th Sqdn. Royal Air Force. 27th January 1919. Age 19. Son of Edward Henry and Lizzie Gertrude Carlyon, of 5, Park Hill Rd., Harborne, Birmingham. I. D. 22.
JONES, Aircraftman 2nd Class, J E, 21298. 207th Sqdn. Royal Air Force. 10th July 1919. Age 37. Husband of Sarah Jones, of The Cafe, Station Rd., Greenfield, Holywell, Flints. XII. A. 7.
PLUMB, Air Mechanic 3rd Class, WILLIAM ERNEST, 145257. 207th Sqdn. 54th Wing. Royal Air Force. 20th January 1919. Age 19. Son of Alfred and Harriet Plumb, of 2A, Snow Hill, Melton Mowbray. I. C. 3.
WHARTON, Corporal, THOMAS STANLEY, 217552. 207th Sqdn. Royal Air Force. Died of accidental injuries 10th June 1919. Age 29. Son of George Wharton, of Hornsey, London; husband of Charlotte Marie Wharton, of 16, Hornsey Park Rd., Hornsey, London. XII. E. 8.
KNOWN AIRCRAFT LOSSES
(FTR = failed to return: + = killed in action): with thanks for almost all of this to John Hamlin, author of Always Prepared
11 Apr 1917
Zeebrugge
HP O/100
3119 forced landing Vlissingen
Barker
Barker, Hudson, Kinmond POW
15 Apr 1917
Brugge
Short Bomber
9336 wrecked in force landing on beach near Bray Dunes
?
no fatalities
26 Apr 1917
anti shipping
HP O/100
3115 ditched off Nieuport: "Vzflgmstr Müller SFSII haalt een HP 3115 van 7 Sqn RNAS neer in zijn Rumpler 6B1, Nr 1037 om 4u00 bij Nieuwpoort"
Hood
+ Hood: Danzey & Watson POW (both died in captivity)
Kirby rescued by French flying boat29 Apr 1917
Objectives K1, O
Short Bomber
9491 crashed on 5 Wing CO's office
Sands
no fatalities
25/26 Aug 1917
St Denis Westrem airfield
HP O/100
3137 FTR**
Booth
1 kia, 1 POW, 1?
18/19 Jul 1918
railway Mons-Valenciennes
HP O/400
C9665 FTR
Kemp
Kemp, Bayliss, Rose all POW
20 Jun 1918
?
HP O/400
D5408 wrecked
?
?
6/7 Aug 1918
Cambrai (?Peronne)
HP O/400
D5405 force landed after aircraft badly damaged during raid: Batchelor was CO
Batchelor
all safe: (Batchelor seriously injured, Robinson, Gilmour)
10 Aug 1918
Peronne
HP O/400
D5404 emergency landing near Domart, home bound, in poor weather after engine failure
Semple
all safe: (Semple, Mesney, Roberts)
6/7 Sep 1918
St Quentin Station
HP O/400
C9657 W, later A5: crashed homebound, engines failed
Semple
all safe (Semple, G N Hamilton, Phillips)
*15 Sep 1918
Etreux airfield
HP O/400
C9683 FTR
Tapping
all POW (Tapping, Chalklin, Richardson, Hempsall)
19 Sep 1918
?
HP O/400
B8804 crashed on return
Blackling
all safe (Blackling, Mesney, J S Taylor)
23 Sep 1918
1 Aeroplane Supply Depot
HP O/400
C3490 under repair destroyed on ground by enemy aircraft
-
-
29 Sep 1918
?
HP O/400
C9660 D, later N: engine failed on take off
Scott
all safe: (Scott, Fawcett, Vickers)
29 Sep 1918
Grimcourt
HP O/400
D5433 D: lost a propellor outbound, severely damaged on landing at French airfield Famechon
Humphreys
all safe: (Humphreys, Garratt, Dornan)
23 Oct 1918
Namur
HP O/400
D5440 D: crashed on landing, careered into bomb store
Champress
all safe: (Champress, Roberts, H J Taylor)
27 Oct 1918
?
HP O/400
D4564 N: wrecked when taking off from field after landing with engine trouble
Crovat
all safe: (Crovat, Wichelow)
29 Oct 1918
?
HP O/400
D4569 R: engine failed on take off, ended up standing in a trench: not clear if a loss
Lt A J Court
safe: apparently no other crew
1 Nov 1918
Namur
HP O/400
D5422 A, later S: crashed on landing at Famechon airfield
Harvey
all safe: (Harvey, G N Hamilton, Boshier)
* research by Wg Cdr Alan Mawby OBE RAF(Retd) has established that this was in fact a crew and aircraft of 215 Sqn: (30 Aug 2004) "The [above] list of aircraft losses includes C9683 with the [then] annotation that confirmation is awaited that it was a 207 Squadron loss. Semple also quotes this as a 207 Squadron loss.
However, Sturtivant and Page/Royal Navy Aircraft Serials and Units 1911-1919/Air-Britain 1992 quotes this aircraft as belonging to 215 Squadron when it was lost in a raid on Courcelles on 14/15 Sep 1918, crewed by Tapping, Chalklin, and Richardson.
I have checked the Service Records of 2/Lt A Tapping, 2/Lt J B Richardson, and Lt W J N Chalklin in the PRO. All three were posted to the Independent Force in late August or early September 1918 and Richardson’s record specifically quotes 215 Squadron, which was part of the Independent Force from 19 August 1918; contrary to some published reports, 207 Squadron was not part of the Independent Force. All three crew are listed as missing as at 15 August 1918, which would tie in with their being lost on the raid on Courcelles on 14/15 September.
Although 207 Squadron was tasked with a raid on Le Cateau Station on 14 September, the raid was cancelled due to unfavourable weather. Tapping and Richardson were both pilots and Chalklin an observer so I assume that Hempsall was the gunlayer. It would thus appear that neither the aircraft nor crew belonged to 207 Squadron."
A Beardmore built BE.2c with No.7 (Naval) Squadron was wrecked on take off from Kondoa Irangi on 7 November 1916 without loss of life.
** Always Prepared appendix p208 says "7A Sqn only - shot down by flak near Ghent 25/26.8.17"
The same page mentions Short Bomber 3122
"To 7A Sqn, shot down during raid on St Denis Westrem 26/27.10.17"
AWARDS TO THOSE WHO SERVED ON 7 SQN RNAS OR 207 SQN RAF IN WW1
Canadians: from Hugh Halliday's 'First World War Honours and Awards to Canadians in British Flying Services' - see Links page
ALLAN, Captain and Flight Commander John Roy - Distinguished Service Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 29 August 1917. Born 18 October 1895; home in Montreal; applied to RNAS, October 1915; in May 1916 Militia Department informed Director of Naval Service that Lieutenant Allan, 1st Regiment, Canadian Grenadier Guards, Canadian Militia, wanted to transfer to RNAS. Trained at Curtiss School, Toronto, passing tests on 20 July 1916; appointed Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant the same day; sailed for UK, 4 August 1916; at Crystal Palace, September 1916; at Chingford, October 1916; at Cranwell, December 1916; to Frieston, 10 January 1917; to Manstone, 1 February 1917; to No.7 (N) Squadron, Dunkirk, 5 April 1917 until 12 March 1918; to No.15 Squadron, March 1918. File Air 1/97/15/9/269 details activities; missing (believed drowned), 11 April 1918. Reported to have taken part in 43 night bombing raids on Handley-Page machines plus three daylight raids. Cited with Flight Lieutenant Lancelot Giberne Sieveking, RNAS:
In recognition of their services in dropping bombs on enemy railway lines and ammunition dumps on the night of the 11th-12th July 1917.
DELAMERE, Flight Lieutenant Rudolph Dawson - Distinguished Service Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 22 February 1918. Born 10 June 1891 in Toronto; home there; attended University of Toronto (degree in Applied Science and Engineering). Passed tests at Curtiss School, 30 July 1915; appointed Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant in RNAS, 30 July 1915; sailed on Corinthean, 6 August 1915; arrived UK, 26 August 1915; to East Africa, 7 February 1916; to "Hysainth" {?}, 7 April 1916; to No.231 Squadron, 27 October 1918; repatriated 2 April 1919. In a letter to Collishaw, 4 May 1964 he described his movements in Africa as with No.4 (N) Squadron (Cull), No.7 (N) Squadron (Nanson) and No.8 (N) Squadron (Bowhill) - the last also called No.8 Seaplane Squadron, Zanzibar.
In recognition of the gallantry and devotion to duty shown by him in carrying out reconnaissance, bombing and photographic flights during the military operations in the Lindi (East Africa) area.
FLAVELLE, Captain Gordon Aird - Distinguished Flying Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 2 November 1918 - Born 16 May 1897. Home in Lindsay, Ontario (student). Appointed Probationary Flying Officer with RNAS, Ottawa, 19 January 1917. The card at DHist has several posting dates; his logbook indicates service with "A" (N) Squadron - later No.216 Squadron, 4 October 1917 to 23 March 1918; No.14 (N) Squadron, 23 March to 20 April 1917; No.207 Squadron, May 1918 to 30 August 1918; No.58 Squadron, 31 August to 12 September 1918; No.207 Squadron, 13 September 1918 to 7 April 1919.
On the night before one of out attacks [Battle of Amiens, 8 August 1918], this officer was detailed for a special and most important duty which necessitated patrolling our advance lines. He attempted to leave the ground at 10.00 p.m. but was forced to return owing to low clouds and driving rain. Two hours later he made a second attempt in what appeared almost impossible weather condition; he, however, persevered. Flying on a compass course, and judging the time necessary for the flight, he reached his objective and patrolled the lines for two hours and fifty minutes, returning to his aerodrome in a state of complete exhaustion after a flight of three and a half hours. The courage, skill and determination exhibited by this officer cannot be too highly commended.
[Alan Mawby notes (30 Aug 2004): "In the list of awards, both Flavelle and Peace were awarded the DFC for their contribution to the Battle of Amiens on 8 August 1918, hence the very similar entries in the London Gazette quoted on the web-site. The entry in the 54th Wing RAF Daily Summaries of Work (PRO AIR1/1914/204/230/7) for the night of 7/8 August records:
'Night - very low cloud and thick mist.
207 Sqn
Six machines of the above squadron carried out a Special mission in the area AMIENS - ROYE and River ANCRE, and AUBIGNY to DOMART. 4 machines were compelled to return on account of thick mist: 2 continued the mission until 3.50am.'The 2 machines which completed the mission were flown by Flavelle and Peace who were both on 207 Squadron at the time. Their particular task was to drown out the noise of the Allied tanks massing in readiness for the attack in the early hours of 8 August; in this, Flavelle and Peace were totally successful and the Germans were taken completely by surprise. There is a copy of the original full citation for Flavelle's DFC, signed by GOC 9th Brigade RAF, in the 207 Squadron history file at PRO AIR1/696/21/20/207."]
HUMPHREYS, Captain William Rowland Spottiswoode - Air Force Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 22 December 1918. Born in London, England, 9 January 1886. Commissioned in 5th Battalion, CEF, Valcartier, 18 September 1914 (previously in 1st Essex Regiment, London, England); attached to RFC, 5 August 1915; gained Royal Aero Club Certificate 1753 on 16 August 1915; appointed Flying Officer and seconded to RFC, 18 January 1916; joined No.14 Squadron, Egypt, 6 February 1916; hospitalized in Egypt following crash, 4 August 1916; to No.20 (R) Wing, Ismailia, 5 September 1916; to No.22 RS, Abiukier, same date; to No.37 (HD) Squadron, 16 March 1917; to No.38 (HD) Squadron, 4 June 1917; to Reading, 21 September 1917; attached No.7 Wing, Norwich, 26 September 1916; to No.35 Wing, 29 September 1917; Headquarters, S.T. Brigade, 1 October 1917; ARS 25 Wing, Castle Bromwich, 27 October 1917; ARS 27 Wing, Hucknall, 7 May 1918; No.24 Wing, 40 TDS, 11 October 1918; HD Southwest Area, 14 TDS, 13 December 1918; No.40 TDS, 23 December 1918; No.14 TDS, southeast area, 21 January 1919; HMS Elope, Archangel, 17 March 1919; RAF Depot, 2 Group, 10 January 1920; Headquarters, TA, 15 May 1920; RAF Depot, IA, 24 March 1921; School of Photography, 2 July 1921; No.207 Squadron, 16 September 1921; R and M Party, Bircham Newton, 25 September 1922; No.100 Squadron IA, 16 October 1922; Reserve, Class "A", 5 December 1922; School of Photography, 31 March 1925. Shown in RCAF List as a Technical Officer, Squadron Leader effective 4 September 1939 through most of the war.
JOHNSON, Flight Sub-Lieutenant Frederick Ross - Mention in Despatches - awarded as per London Gazette dated 11 August 1917. Born 1 April 1894 in Morlebank, Ontario; home in Westmount (business manager). Passed tests at Curtiss Flying School, Toronto, 19 July 1916. Appointed Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant, Ottawa, 19 July 1916; in UK, 27 August 1916; to Cranwell, 11 December 1916; also trained at Crystal Palace, Chingford, Freiston and Manstone (50 hours); to Dunkirk, 4 April 1917; to No.7 (N) Squadron, 9 April 1917, after which he "proceeded on duty", returning to the squadron at Coudekerque on 26 April 1917; also flew in No.15 (N) Squadron. Reported on operations from early July 1917 to December 1917; to Group Pool, 1 July 1918; missing (POW), 3 October 1918; reported prisoner, 14 November 1918; repatriated 17 January 1919. AIR 1/640/17/122/201 (National Archives of Canada MG.40 D.1 Volume 12) indicates he was put up for an MID following a night bombing raid with No.7 (N) Squadron, 12/13 July 1917 (attacking enemy airfields in a Handley-Page).
LORIMER, Lieutenant John - Mention in Despatches - awarded as per London Gazette dated 3 June 1919. Described as being with Independent Force and being Canadian Infantry. Born 28 February 1896; home in Ireland (banker); from 19th Reserve Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force to RFC, 6 August 1917; trained at Reading; to No.75 Squadron, 28 November 1917; to STB, 29 January 1918; to No.16 Training Squadron, 3 February 1918; to No.1 SNBD [?], 15 April 1918; to No.207 Squadron, 1 June 1918; to British Expeditionary Force, France, 5 June 1918; to Southwest Area, 21 June 1918; to No.215 Squadron, 2 July 1918 (serving until 11 January 1919).
PEACE, Lieutenant William James - Distinguished Flying Cross - awarded as per London Gazette dated 2 November 1918. Born 14 August 1893; home in Hamilton (civil engineer); attending McGill when appointed Probationary Flight Officer, RNAS, Ottawa, 19 April 1917; sailed to UK about 23 April 1917; joined Manstone flying school immediately on arrival in England, 21 May 1917; to Cranwell, 5 August 1917; to Manstone Handley-Page Squadron, 21 September 1917; served in No.7 (N) Squadron (later No.207 Squadron), 27 October 1917 [see also entry for Flavelle]; with No.58 Squadron, 9 September 1918 until 28 December 1918. Hospitalized 30 December 1918; to unemployed list, 28 February 1919. Confirmed as Flight Sub-Lieutenant, 5 September 1917; Captain, 9 September 1918.
On the night previous to one of our attacks this officer was detailed for a very important duty, which entailed the patrol of a section of our lines. The weather conditions were most adverse, but after two attempts this officer started in dense clouds and rain. Flying by compass he reached his objective, and for three hours patrolled the line. A very fine performance, calling for high courage and perseverance, in face of the difficulties due to weather conditions.