BtP Sept15 - Western Front Association

Western Front Association
Behind the Parapet
The Scottish Branches Newsletter
September 2015
A significant new memorial was unveiled on
11th November 2014. It stands on Platforms 1
and 2 of Glasgow Central Station where so
many young men and women left home and
family, never to return.
One wonders how many of today’s travellers
using these platforms every day ponder on the
poignant last line on the plaque.
Contents
Meetings of Branches + Venues. Deadline for copy.
Obituary – Derek Smith
Quintinshill – What’s That?
Quintinshill Snippets. At the Lineside
Further Commemorations
What if? Quintinshill by Denis Muir
Torpedoed as they slept – The Sinking of the Bayano
Torpedoed as they slept – The Sinking of the Bayano (continued)
Torpedoed as they slept – The Sinking of the Bayano (continued)
Torpedoed as they slept – The Sinking of the Bayano (continued)
Torpedoed as they slept – The Sinking of the Bayano (concluded); The Baralong Incident
Double Fatal RFC Air Crash near Glamis – Part 1
Double Fatal RFC Air Crash near Glamis – Part 1 (continued)
Double Fatal RFC Air Crash near Glamis – Part 1 (continued)
Double Fatal RFC Air Crash near Glamis – Part 1 (continued)
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WFA Branches in Scotland
Meetings and Speakers
SCOTLAND (SOUTH) BRANCH
SCOTLAND (NORTH) BRANCH
September 12th Charles Messenger: Tarnished
Brasshat: Brigadier-General Frank Crozier 18791937
6th September (Edinburgh) Niall Cherry – The
Battle of Loos 1915
th
November 7 Members’ Forum and book sale
Short talks by branch members on various aspects of
the Great War (volunteer now!), plus a selection of
books for sale
Meetings will be held in “The Gallery”, Elgin
Library, starting at 2.30pm.All welcome,
refreshments available, admission free but there will
be a collection for branch funds.
For further information contact: Derek Bird,
Eastholme, by Garmouth, Moray, IV32 7LF.
Tel: 01343 870562 or Email:
chairman.wfasnb@virgin.net Website:
www.wfascotlandnorth.org.uk
15th November (Glasgow) Bob Paterson – Lord
Kitchener, was he more than a poster
For information contact the Branch Chairman:
Ian Davidson, 1 Ross Gardens, Edinburgh. EH9 3BS
Tel: 07812454586. email:
WFAscotsouth@yahoo.com
Dates of meetings for 2016:
13th March (Edinburgh).
15th May (Glasgow).
11th September (Edinburgh).
20th November (Glasgow).
Venues
Edinburgh: Old Parish Church Hall, Bellfield
Street, Portobello. (Ground floor)
TAYSIDE BRANCH
Glasgow: Unitarian Church Centre, Berkeley Street.
(Now on the ground floor or basement room)
19 September 2015
Western Front Association Conference:
Scotland in the Great War
Meetings are held on a Sunday at 2.15pm for
2.30pm.
Details of the guest speakers will be announced over
the coming weeks on our websites www.westernfrontassociation.com
www.wfatayside.co.uk
Details of all the meetings in 2016 for the
three branches will be available on the web.
17 OCTOBER
Prof John Derry – ‘1915 – Crisis of Command’
Deadline for the March 2016 Issue
of Behind the Parapet is early January.
The editor of Behind the Parapet is:
5 DECEMBER
AGM and Members medley
Unless stated meetings will be held at 2.30pm in the
Glasite Hall, St Andrews Church Hall Complex,
King Street, Dundee
Public welcome, entrance free but donations to
Branch Funds gratefully received.
For further information please contact the Tayside
Branch Secretary: Dennis Norrie, South Sportsfield
Glenalmond, Perth, PH1 3RY Tel: 01738 880483
wfatayside@gmail.com
John M Cameron, “Lochiel”, 9 Smithy Road, Stranraer,
Wigtownshire. DG9 8LP
Tel. 01776 704161; Email: kniperon.60@tiscali.co.uk
Copyright of articles remains with the
author and permission from the author
should be sought before using any material
in the article.
We urgently need more articles, reports, pictures etc. suitable for the next issue.
Page 1
Obituary – Derek Smith
(by Derek Bird, Chairman, Scotland (North) Branch)
I have the sad duty to report that Derek Smith, Honorary President of the Scotland (North) Branch, has
passed away.
Derek was a stalwart of the WFA having attended the first meeting and been dispatched from London back
to his native Yorkshire to set up a branch there, which he did successfully. However his interest in the Great
War pre-dated the WFA by several decades having listened to his father and uncles talk of the war in which
they had served. His first visit to the battlefields was in the mid-1950s and he subsequently made friends
with many veterans, taking some of them back to the continent. His father’s war-time diary led him on the
trail of his service and some years ago Derek managed to trace the family with whom his father had been
billeted in a village near Amiens. Subsequently they kept in touch and the ‘French cousins’ have visited
Scotland on a number of occasions.
Born in Halifax in September 1928, Derek went on to do his National Service in the Royal Army Service
Corps shortly after the end of the Second World War and had postings to Italy and Egypt. As a mark of his
intelligence and ability he achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant, a notable achievement for a national
serviceman. Settling back into civilian life he worked as Company Accountant for Wadsworth Paints and
later Croda Foundry Chemicals, both of Halifax. He met his wife to be, Esther, and they married in October
1953, before having a daughter, Rosalind, and son, Richard, who very much follows his father’s interest in
the Great War. Derek was also interested in other conflicts and built up a large collection of books ranging
from the Napoleonic era, through the American Civil War, to the Great War. He gave numerous lectures on
the Great War, including Gallipoli, The Paris Gun and the Shootings at Guise; he and Esther also fully
researched the Dufftown War Memorial. He was also involved in amateur dramatics for many years and had
a life-long love of jazz music.
Upon retirement, Derek and Esther moved to Scotland to be near Rosalind and her young family in
Dufftown. At that stage there was just one branch in Scotland with its meetings held 150 miles away, so it
was not long before Derek looked at the feasibility of setting up another branch. In early 1994 the fledgling
Scotland (North) Branch emerged under his tutelage and over the next five years became firmly established.
At the end of 1998 he persuaded me to take over and we made him our Honorary Branch President. He
always remained a great supporter of the branch and the wider WFA and was always a wise mentor to me. I
was delighted that two years ago I was able to award Derek and Esther a certificate on behalf of the WFA to
mark their dedication to the association and its ideals.
Unfortunately old age caught up with Derek and by the end of last year he was finding it difficult to manage
the branch meetings and then, after a spell in hospital, he moved into a nursing home where he died on 21
June.
Pre-deceased by Esther, Derek leaves his two children and four grandchildren. The WFA for its part has lost
one of its founding members, possibly a unique one in that he had established two branches. Our branch has
lost a loyal supporter and I have lost a great friend - I will miss his phone calls that almost invariably started
with ‘Hello there, it’s t’oother one’, said in the way that only a Yorkshireman can say it.
I echo his son Richard’s comment; ‘If I can be half the Great War supremo he was I’ll be more than happy’.
Page 2
Quintinshill – What’s that?
by John M Cameron
(Ian Davidson has written a report for the WFA Bulletin on the events associated with the 100th anniversary
of the worst rail disaster in British history. This article is my view of the events of Friday 22nd May 2015.)
One would have to be Rip Van Winkle not to have read in recent newspapers or seen on television, the story of events
on 22nd May 1915.
Perhaps the analogy with Rip Van Winkle is not appropriate as if he’d been around 100 years ago, he’d have seen
newspapers from the London Times to the Glasgow Herald, the Scotsman and other Scottish newspapers, some long
condemned to history, and read lurid headlines telling the story of Britain’s worst railway disaster which occurred just
outside the Caledonian Railway signal cabin at Quintinshill, a mile or so north of Gretna Junction station. Over 220
people were killed and many more injured when five trains were involved. The main casualties were the 1 st/7th (Leith)
Battalion, Royal Scots who lost 25% of their number while on their way to Liverpool to take part in the Gallipoli
Campaign.
As the past chairman of the Scotland (South) Branch of the Western Front Association I had the honour of laying one
of the three “official” wreaths at the memorial cairn at the Gretna Visitor Centre on Friday 22nd May 2015.
Royal British Legion Scotland standards on parade
The main car park is converted to a parade ground
The main car park at the visitor centre was converted into a military parade ground where present day members of the
Royal Scots, a military band and a large number of veterans stood in ranks for the ecumenical memorial service
conducted by the three local ministers in the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Anne.
Wreaths at the WFA
Memorial Cairn after the
Commemoration
WFA wreath with that of
HRH (white) on right
together with “private”
wreaths and memorial
crosses
Order of service
After the service concluded with the National Anthem, the three official wreaths were laid at the memorial cairn, the
first by Her Royal Highness, the second by Colonel Gibson of the Royal Scots Association and the third by me on
behalf of the Western Front Association.
(A more detailed description of the erection of the memorial cairn can be found the WFA Bulletins of the time.)
P.S. When I mentioned on the Monday following that I’d been at Quintinshill on the previous Friday I was asked
“What’s Quintinshill?”
Page 3
Quintinshill Snippets
Members of the Army Cadets were handing out the programmes. What pleased them most? A morning off school or
seeing Her Royal Highness Princess Anne? A brief snatch of an overheard conversation – “I’m here because I was
told I lived in the house where one of the casualties had lived”
At the Lineside
After the service at the Gretna Visitor Centre, the army contingent and the veterans marched down to the
lineside so as to be as near as safely possible to the site of the crash for the commemoration there.
Awaiting the arrival of Princess Anne.
Her Royal Highness chats to the VIPs
After the commemoration at the lineside a wreath was laid at
Blacksyke Bridge by Captain Robin Bell in memory of his
late father Lieutenant Ian Bell who survived the crash.
The wreath was originally placed immediately under the
plaque on the bridge. It was moved to a better location on the
grass where memorial crosses were also laid.
On the North side of Blacksyke Bridge a bunch of flowers
appeared to have been planted. No-one seems to know about
them. Were they also part of the commemoration?
Page 4
Further Commemorations
Her Royal Highness left the commemoration at the lineside and visited Stormont Hall in Gretna Green where an
exhibition about the Quintinshill disaster had been prepared. She listened to the recitation of the poem “Quintinshill”
written by the late Denis Muir. It is thanks to Denis’s efforts over the years that the memory of Quintinshill has
remained an important part of the life of the local community of Springfield and Gretna Green.
Included in the exhibition were two pieces of local handicraft intimately associated with the events on 22nd May 1915.
.
The 18 children of Springfield Primary
School made a tapestry based on Denis
Muir’s poem. Various lines of the poem
have been cleverly depicted
The ladies of the Springfield & Gretna Green
Coffee & Chat Group looked how they could
be involved in the commemorations. They
produced an intricate mosaic of the signal
cabin at Quintinshill.
Both the tapestry and the mosaic will be on permanent display in Stormont Hall
After viewing the exhibition Her
Royal Highness visited Gretna
Church where she unveiled the Roll
of Honour of those who died in the
crash. She also planted a tree near
the local War Memorial.
Later in the day, Princess Anne visited the Devil’s Porridge Museum at Eastriggs and performed the official opening
ceremony. The museum tells the story of the huge munitions factory established at Eastriggs during the Great War; at
its height it produced more cordite explosive than all the other UK munitions factories. To accommodate the 20,000
workers the townships of Eastriggs Gretna were created.
Page 5
What if?
(by John M Cameron)
I read a number of reports in local and national newspapers and on the internet about the 100th anniversary
of the Quintinshill Rail Disaster events at Gretna Green. The laying of the wreath by Her Royal Highness
was reported in all, some reported the second wreath being laid on behalf of the Royal Scots Association but
none mentioned that laid on behalf of the Western Front Association. Did none of the myriad of reporters
ask about the third “official” wreath?
This set me thinking. What if?
What if Gilbert Bell, the chairman of the then Scottish Area of the Western Front Association had not
organised the Anniversary Pilgrimage at the lineside on Sunday 20th May 1990? It was then that it was
mooted that there should be a memorial erected in memory of those who had died in the crash and a fund
was started.
What if no donations towards a permanent memorial had been made?
What if I had not received the bank book with the donations and accrued interest when I became chairman
of the then Scottish Area of WFA?
What if I had not worked hard for the next couple of years, raising funds for the construction of the
memorial cairn and organising the unveiling on Sunday 21st May 1995?
What if Adair Houston had not generously donated the site at the Gretna Visitor Centre and the stone for the
cairn?
What if the stonemason from Annan had not freely given his services to construct the cairn and attach the
plaque and badges?
Would there have been any commemoration between 1995 and 2015 without the Memorial Cairn at the
Gretna Visitor Centre?
Would there have been any commemoration at the Gretna Visitor Centre on Friday 22nd May 2015?
Would there only have been a commemoration service at the lineside?
The Western Front Association played a major, but not fully appreciated, part in ensuring that the events of
Saturday 22nd May 1915 have been remembered and finally commemorated on the 100th anniversary in such
a dignified manner.
Quintinshill by Denis Muir
Springfield was at one time a completely separate village from Gretna Green but later building means that
one runs into the other. The late Springfield poet Denis Muir wrote the poem which was read to Princess
Anne. It was originally written to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the crash and added to later. Denis
was the inspiration for Quintinshill to be remembered locally and hence nationally. He kept the memory
alive over the years, culminating in the 100th anniversary commemoration.
There is no room for the poem and notes to be included in this edition of “Behind the Parapet” but both
notes and poem will be in the March 2016 edition.
We’ll keep Quintinshill to the fore!!
Page 6
TORPEDOED AS THEY SLEPT – THE SINKING OF THE BAYANO
by Julia Macdonald
(The editor is grateful to Julia for permission to use the edited version of her book on the sinking of the Bayano)
The coast around Galloway has seen many ships wrecked and lost. A few of the names such as Princess Victoria,
Rowan and Craigantlet are fairly well known locally. Little is mentioned or documented of the sinking by German U27 of the naval auxiliary ship SS Bayano on 11th March 1915 a few miles off Corsewall Point. With the loss of 197
lives it was the single largest loss of life these shores have ever seen. Later that year the fate of U-27 was to cause
political outcry.
THE SHIP & THE CREW
The Bayano was a twin screw fruit and passenger steamer of around 6000 tons, built by Alexander Stephen & Sons
(Ltd) in 1913. When launched, the modern ship owned by Elders & Fyffes (Ltd), provided first class accommodation
and staterooms, insulated cold storage for fruit transport, wireless telegraphy and submarine signalling apparatus. She
was to service the route between Bristol , the West Indies and Central America and was one of a fleet of ships known
as “Banana Boats”.
The Bayano became a Royal Navy Auxiliary Cruiser in the early stages of the war. Unlike German auxiliary cruisers
which were well armed and could readily attack as well as defend themselves, British auxiliary cruisers were mostly
converted merchant ships. The duties of the Bayano were as escort and lookout. Only one of the men aboard – Richard
Harrison – had the job of “gunner” perhaps reflecting the arms that were available to defend themselves. Though
many of the crew were Scots, others came from around the UK, the Isle of Wight and Isle of Man, and as far away as
Newfoundland. Some of the stokers had only just been employed before the trip and had previously only worked
ashore.
THE U-BOAT
U-27 was a formidable force to be reckoned with. Commissioned in May 1914, the submarine was built by Kaiseliche
Werft, Danzig.
Kapitän-Lieutenant Bernd Wegener of U27 had become well known in Germany and
in Britain for his success in sinking other
ships.
Page 7
When the Bayano set out to take on coal at Liverpool on 11th March 1915 she had 223 men aboard. Under the
command of Cpt. Henry Cecil Carr and in the darkness of the early hours the ship sailed in calm water passing Ailsa
Craig and around 3 miles off Corsewall Point. When the attack came around 5am, the majority of the men were offduty and sleeping in their bunks, including the commander.
The force of the first explosion threw Capt. Carr from his bunk and in the time it took him to throw on his greatcoat
and rush to the deck he was already almost knee deep in the chilling water of the Irish Sea,
The wireless operator Walter D S Lloyd was also off duty and hastily made his way through rising water to his post in
the instrument room to help send S.O.S. signals.
Some of the lifeboats were badly damaged and could not be used. Though there was very little time, an attempt was
made to lower at least two of the lifeboats. The life-rafts made of wood and copper, designed to float from the deck in
an emergency were all tied and there was little chance of the crew to cut through the ties and release all of them. Only
two were released.
It seemed the calmness of the sea meant that although there was a sense of urgency in leaving the ship, no-one
panicked. Those on duty donned life-belts and set about distributing them to the many others who rushed to the deck.
About a minute or so after the initial impact, the boilers exploded. It was said no-one jumped overboard until the ship
was at such an angle that the sailors were leaping into the water faster than they could be counted. Capt. Carr who had
been handing out life-belts, ordered crew members to save themselves then returned to meet his fate at the bridge.
Some of those who had been on deck, lost their footing and found themselves plunged into the water and sucked down
with the vortex.
Approximate site of the wreck of the Bayano off Corsewall point in Wigtownshire
The ship sank bow first within three minutes of the boiler explosion. Those below deck stood no chance. The propeller
lifted high out of the water before the ship slipped downwards and out of sight. Men and wreckage were strewn all
around the area. The men could only see those closest to them as each man struggled in the bitter cold clutching to life
on any piece of wreckage they could. Ten minutes after the ship went down the conning tower of the U-27 was seen
inspecting the wreckage. More time went by and the cries in the dark became silent one by one as men lost their
struggle for survival. The remaining men knew what that meant. Those who could, swam towards the two life-rafts
and an upturned lifeboat. One hundred and ninety seven men perished.
Page 8
As daylight came the 26 survivors had drifted some distance on their two rafts. As they saw no other boats or rafts
around them they feared they were the only survivors. All were suffering the effects of exposure, bruised and bloodstained; a few were more seriously injured. Nearly all were wearing night-clothes and had been soaked through. The
daylight meant the sailors could see the coast a few miles off and they made several attempts to right the upturned boat
with the intention of rowing towards the shoreline. Fatigue and cold meant their attempts were unsuccessful. Getting
desperate, they saw at least three vessels sail by without any attempt at rescuing them.
THE RESCUE
SS Balmarino at Ayr in November 1914
The Balmarino was a small steamer built by the Ailsa Shipbuilding Co. in 1898 and owned by Messrs. John Kelly
(Ltd.), Belfast. On the morning of the 11th March 1915 the Balmarino left Belfast around 5am and headed for Ayr
under the command of Capt. James Foster. About eight miles south-west of Corsewall Point at around 8.30am a
vessel was seen and immediately assumed to be a partly submerged submarine. Capt. Foster did not change course but
decided on seeking a closer look. As they came closer they realised the “submarine” was an upturned boat and there
were two rafts of men waving rags to attract attention of his vessel. The only other vessel the Balmarino could see was
a steamer heading northwards that had been thought to have paid no attention to the stranded survivors.
The distant ship heading north could have been the steamer Castlereagh. It had been in the area and spotted the
quantity of wreckage, then spoken to a small fishing vessel containing John Garrett & Thomas Murdoch, fishermen of
Stranraer. Although Capt. McGarrick of Castlereagh had spotted the wreckage, he also saw a submarine in the area
and had been pursued for 20 minutes so had steamed away from the scene.
As the Balmarino approached the scene it launched one of its boats with Robert Murphy and three of the crew.
Moving the exhausted and injured men from the rafts to transfer to the Balmarino took considerable time. Capt. Foster
feared that some of the men were so weak they would be dead within half an hour if they could not be removed from
the raft to warmth and food. Having transferred most of the men aboard and the small boat about to make a second
trip, the armed vessel Tara came on the scene. Tara recovered the remaining eight men. The Balmarino headed for
Ayr, while the Tara headed for Stranraer. By the time they were all aboard the two vessels, the men had been drifting
for more than four hours.
En-route for Ayr the Balmarino met the St Katherine heading from Ayr to Belfast. Capt. Foster shouted over to Capt.
Kenneth R Craig of the St Katherine that they had picked up some survivors of the Bayano and to keep a look out for
wreckage and further survivors since over 200 men had been aboard. The St Katherine then continued on her journey
and passed the Milewater heading for Ayr. The skipper of the Milewater reported seeing large quantities of wreckage
and was recovering lifebelts when a submarine had appeared. Milewater had immediately continued her journey.
Either Milewater or Castlereagh came alongside the Girvan fishing boat Optimist and spoke to skipper John Thomson
who returned with speed to Ballantrae to report to the coastguard the wreckage and bodies around Corsewall Point.
When the St Katherine came on the scene of the wreckage she picked up the two life-rafts and the upturned boat.
Page 9
Capt. Craig then signalled a torpedo boat to come alongside and told them of the Milewater sighting a submarine and
the sinking of the Bayano.
For some time the two vessels circled the area hoping to entice the submarine to battle, but as darkness fell without a
further sighting, the St Katherine made her way to Belfast. In port the St Katherine gave over the two rafts and boat to
the Receiver of Wrecks in Belfast.
On board the Balmarino the rescued men were given dry clothes and warm food. The badly injured were also well
tended and the men spoke very highly of the efforts of Capt. James Foster and his crew had made to rescue them.
Survivors who were landed at Ayr
On arrival at Ayr four men were taken to Ayr Hospital because of their injuries: Ernest Samuel Luck, Thomas George
Rolfe, Dennis Taylor and Abner Whitcombe. The others were taken to Ayr Barracks and provided with quarters whilst
the two doctors found accommodation in the Station Hotel at Ayr.
The survivors who were landed at Stranraer by the Tara were given accommodation at the King’s Arms Hotel.
At the time of the rescue the survivors that were taken to the King’s Arms Hotel caused quite a commotion – a huge
crowd turned up at the hotel just to catch a glimpse of the survivors before they were whisked back to the war. Two of
those who were rescued were to die later in the war.
Page 10
THE REMEMBRANCE
On a bitterly cold day in March 2015 members of the Stranraer branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland gathered
near Corsewall Lighthouse to commemorate the centenary of the loss of the ship which sank around 3 nautical miles
from Corsewall Point, and was the largest loss of life this area has ever known. Mary O’Donnell made a special trip to
commemorate the lives lost, including that of her grandfather James McGuire. James left behind his wife and two
children aged 8 months and 4 years.
There is no specific memorial to those lives lost on the Bayano; perhaps a century
on, it is time to ensure the loss is never forgotten.
Information Sources: Galloway Gazette March 1915; http://facesmemorialblogspot.com; New York Times, March
1915; Miller, P C (1992): Galloway Shipwrecks. Sunquest, Ardwell; Scotsman March 1915; Stornoway Gazette 1921;
Wigtown Free Press 1915; www.archivesnetworkwales.info; www.cwgc.org; www.gracesguide.co.uk; www.isle-ofman.com;
www.naval-history.net;
www.recahms.gov.uk;
www.fhiw.com;
www.roll-of-honour.com;
www.uboat.netTony & Gwellian Jones; Elaine Barton; Guide Blokland; Donnie Nelson.
THE BARALONG INCIDENT - THE FATE OF U-27
The fate of U-27 became known as “The Baralong Incident”. On 19th August 1915. Kpt. Wegener of U-27 had just
sunk the White Star Liner Arabic and captured the Nicosian which it was thought he intended to scuttle. There were
six German sailors on board Nicosian. HMS Baralong was a disguised decoy vessel sailing under the American flag.
Responding to calls for help originally from the Arabic she approached the scene of the Nicosian where she ran up
flags requesting permission “to save lives only”. Kpt. Wegener of U-27 immediately granted the request totally
unaware of the real intent of the armed ship. When Baralong was almost upon the U-boat the disguise was dropped
and she fired on the submarine which very quickly sank. As German sailors swam to be rescued they came under a
hail of gunfire. Germans on board the Nicosian were found and executed. There were no German survivors. The
incident became thought by many as shameful, even a war crime. However since U-27 had attacked the Bayano
without warning and pursued would-be rescuers from the wreckage, in addition to huge losses of life including the
Lusitania, some of those who witnessed or took part in the incident thought they had done nothing wrong.
German propaganda medal of the Baralong Incident
Page 11
Double Fatal RFC Air Crash near Glamis - October 1915:
Capt F. G. A. Arkwright & 2nd Lieut. A. H. Hardy.
By - Patrick W. Anderson.
During the recent years I purchased a wee white book called "Royal Flying Corps - (Military Wing) - Casualties &
Honours during the war of 1914-1917 compiled by Capt G L Campbell, R.F.A, published originally in 1917 and it
records that Captain Frederic George Alleyne ARKWRIGHT, and Lieutenant Allan Herbert HARDY, Royal
Flying Corps were accidentally killed between Glamis and Forfar on October 14th, 1915. Capt Arkwright had flown the
machine from the R.F.C. Montrose aerodrome on October 13th and owing to a mechanical defect had to land the machine
near Glamis Castle. A new propeller was fitted and soon after taking off to head back to RFC Montrose aerodrome their
machine showed signs of difficulties when flying at a height of three or four hundred feet . The machine circled once or
twice and then crashed to the ground with great force. It was a wreck and sadly both officers were killed instantaneously.
I decided eventually to do some research on this and that period of the war.
Frederic George Alleyne Arkwright was born at Willersley Castle, Cromford in Derbyshire on 23rd October, 1885, the
second son of Frederic Charles Arkwright JP, DL of Willersley, Matlock, and his wife Rebecca Olton, the third daughter
of Sir John Gay Newton Alleyne of Chevin, 3rd Bt. He was the great- great -grandson of Sir Richard Arkwright of
Willersley, the inventor of the spinning frame. He attended A.T.B. Dunn's School at Ludgrove and then to Eton College
and then the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and on 16th August 1905 was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the
Cavalry in the 11th (Prince Albert's Own) Hussars and then appointed Lieutenant on 27th November 1906. During 1912
he broke both his legs in a motor accident. He received the Royal Humane Society's Vellum Certificate for saving the
life of a drowning man when watering horses on the line of march from Shorncliffe to Salisbury Plain, This man became
his soldier - servant . Then on 1st August 1914 he was promoted to the rank of Captain still in the 11th Hussars. The
Army Lists for October 1914 and March 1915 show that the Commanding Officer was Lt Colonel T.T. Pitman C.B. and
one of his subalterns was Lieutenant William Ogle Bell -Irving. Capt Arkwright served with the Battalion in France
from outbreak of the Great War. He was wounded during the retreat from Mons and then he was attached to the Royal
Flying Corps in France serving as an Observer and was wounded a further time, having a narrow escape when his aircraft
struck a tree.
Allan Herbert Hardy was born at Chilham, Canterbury in Kent on 2nd November 1889; he was the fifth son of Colonel
Charles Stewart Hardy JP., and his wife, Fanny Alice Bell. The family resided at Chilham Castle in Kent. The Army list
for October 1914 shows he was appointed 2nd Lieutenant on 19th September 1914 in the Yeomanry - Territorial Force Royal East Kent Yeomanry (The Duke of Connaught's Own) (Mounted Rifles) with the Commanding Officer being Lt
Colonel the Earl of Guildford and one of his colleague Officers named 2nd Lieutenant Sir Philip A. G. D. Sassoon, 3rd
Bt, a cousin of WW1 Lieutenant Siegfried Sassoon.
The Montrose, Arbroath & Brechin Review for 15th January 1915 reported "that the famous Comedian Harry Lauder
visited his son, a Lieutenant in the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders at their camp at Bedford and he was quite in his
element among the crowds of his martial countrymen, who had converted the sleepy English country town into a huge
Scottish Military camp."
During 1915 the 6th Reserve Aeroplane Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was set up at Montrose and during that year
Captain Arkwright and 2nd Lieutenant Hardy were posted to Montrose to train as pilots so on 21st September, 1915, The
Royal Aero Club of the UK awarded Aviators' Certificates to the following :viz
Lieutenant Archibald Paul Dickie (5th The Black Watch); Lieutenant Geoffrey Asteley Burney ( 1/3rd Scottish Horse );
CAPTAIN FREDERIC GEORGE ALLEYNE ARKWRIGHT ( 11th Hussars ); 2nd Lieutenant Francis Douglas
Stuart , Lord Doune (1/2 Scottish Horse ) ; and 2nd Lieutenant ALAN HERBERT HARDY, ( Royal East Kent
Yeomanry) . They had received their Certificates for flying a Maurice Farman Biplane at the Military School at
Montrose.
[NOTE 1]
The following day Aviators' Certificates were issued to the following two who had flown a Maurice Farman Biplane at
the Military School at Montrose. They were :
Lieutenant Eric McCrae Gilmore ( 9th The Suffolk Regt.) ; Lieutenant Ronald Blatherwick (3rd The Royal Scots
Fusiliers ) ; Lieutenant William Harold Primrose (7th Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders); and 2nd Lieutenant Matthew
Talbot Baines (Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry ).
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These Certificates are still in existence and the one relating to Captain Frederic George Alleyne Arkwright is recorded as
Number 1773 and it lists his date and place of Birth, his Rank and Regiment being Captain in the 11th Hussars. The
Certificate recorded that the test was taken flying a Maurice Farman Biplane at Military School, Montrose on 21st
September 1915. There is a later entry with the details such as KILLED - 14th October 1915, near GLAMIS, N.B.
(NORTH BRITAIN).
The Certificate of 2nd Lieutenant Alan Herbert Hardy is recorded as Number 1775 and this too records his birth date and
place, his Rank and Regiment being 2nd Lieutenant, Royal East Kent Yeomanry. The form records that the test was
taken when flying a Maurice Farman Biplane at the Military School, Montrose on 21st September 1915. Recorded later
on this Certificate are the words: KILLED -14th October 1915 near GLAMIS, N.B.
The Montrose, Arbroath & Brechin Review for 24th September 1915, reported that "Corporal of Flying Corps Drowned
in the Dock" at Montrose. Corporal William Hayden, 21years of age, 6th Reserve Aero Squadron RFC, was accidentally
drowned at midnight on Saturday. The deceased accompanied by other two corporals , were returning to their
Headquarters of the Squadron in Panmure Barracks in Montrose and having gone along the Fish Quay , the men were
walking along the west side of the dock when Corporal Hayden dropped a pace behind them and suddenly they heard a
splash in the water . They raised the alarm but with the search they found nothing. On Sunday morning grappling was
commenced and Charles Pert brought the body to the surface in the early forenoon. The body was removed to the
Montrose Burgh Police mortuary. The deceased Corporal was originally from Hamilton but his family moved to Sussex.
He had, a year previously, joined the Royal Flying Corps and before that was a carpenter. The Military Funeral took
place to Sleepyhillock Cemetery in Montrose on Wednesday under the Command of Major Holt, Officer Commanding,
Officers and N.C.O's and Men of his Squadron. A company of the 2/1 Highland Cyclist Battalion stationed at Montrose
which provided the firing party, led the mournful procession. Followed by the Pipe Band of the battalion which en route
played "The land o' the Leal," "Flowers of the Forest," "Scots Wha Hae," "Green Hills" and at the graveside "Lochaber no
more" after a volley had been fired. The Last Post was sounded by the buglers. The cortege as it wended its way from
Panmure Barracks to the cemetery attracted much sympathetic attention. Services were conducted by the Rev J F L
Gueritz and the Rev J. Hampton Shepherd of St Mary's Scottish Episcopal Church. Eight beautiful wreaths covered the
coffin which was wrapped in the Union Jack. The chief mourner was his father who, with his mother, had come north
from Chichester and also witnessed the tribute paid to their son by his comrades.
The Montrose Standard & Angus & Mearns Register for 1st October , 1915 reported more Montrose casualties and that
Lt Col J R E Stansfield, DSO and nephew of Captain Stansfield of Dunninald Castle, Montrose had been seriously
wounded in action was Commanding the 2nd Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders and he had already been wounded
twice at the front. These injuries were reported as being "grave nature". He had been awarded his DSO in South Africa
when he acted as railway staff officer and took part in the relief of Ladysmith. Other casualties were named as Sgt
Albert Crowe, the 2nd Battalion of the Black Watch killed in action whilst firing a Vickers machine gun. His father had
received a field postcard informing him of his son's death in action. The newspaper report said that Sgt Crowe's uncle,
Pipe Major Albert Crowe was serving in France with the 5th Black Watch. Also recorded in the Montrose newspaper was
Pte James Matheson, 1st Battalion KOSB who had succumbed early in that month from wounds. He had only enlisted
some three months previous. Sgt James McInnes, a reservist, who from the outbreak of the war served with the Gordon
Highlanders, was reported to be in Eastbourne Red Cross Hospital having received seven wounds. Also reported in this
newspaper was the mention that another draft of the 5th Battalion of the Black Watch, at present training in Forfar, was
shortly to proceed to the Front. In all, about 120 were said to be properly trained for active service, including some of the
first line home wounded, and several of the third line being raised under Major R Hoyer-Millar. More recruits were
needed said this newspaper report of October 1915.
The Forfar Dispatch for Thursday, 7th October, 1915 shows the readers how things were in this wording in the newspaper
for that day: "The long Casualty lists issued during the last week have made sad reading and it is awesome to think of the
numbers of Brave Men who are falling in defence of the great cause which we have made our own. Alas! We can not
look for anything else for some time to come, for everything points to the probability of severe fighting on a widely
extended front in the near future. We in Forfar are still paying our share of this heavy toll on life and limb."
The Forfar Dispatch for Thursday, 7th October, 1915 reported the death in action of Captain Fergus Bowes- Lyon, 8th
Battalion Black Watch. Other casualties were reported in this Forfar newspaper such as 2nd Lieutenant V.G. Don of the
8th Royal West Kent's, the second son of Mr J B Don, reported as being wounded and missing in action between the 25th27th September. He was only 20 years of age and he had only been at the front for four weeks. His elder brother,
Lieutenant W. G. Don was then serving with the Fife & Forfar Yeomanry. Also in a list of casualties was Lance Cpl
David Chapman, 4th Battalion Black Watch reportedly killed in action although not confirmed by the War Office at that
time. The newspaper reported that he had applied for a Commission but it was thought that he had not received that
confirmation prior to his death in action! The following day's Montrose, Arbroath & Brechin Review covered in detail
the heading "Earl of Strathmore's son Killed." He had been killed in action in France on 25th September.
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He was the fourth son of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and he had the year previously married Lady Christian
Dawson Damer. The report goes on with this interesting detail "Major Lord Glamis , 5th Black Watch, the eldest brother
of the deceased, it will be remembered , was wounded some months ago, and has since resigned his commission owing to
ill health. Lieutenant J. Bowes-Lyon, the second son of Lord Strathmore, is at present serving in France with the 5th
Black Watch, and Lieutenant Michael Bowes-Lyon, one of the younger sons of his Lordship, will shortly return to rejoin
his regiment, the Royal Scots, having now recovered from wounds received some time ago. The Late Captain Fergus
Bowes- Lyon was well known throughout Forfarshire as a cricketer." This newspaper also reported that Kirriemuir had
been severely hit in the recent battles in France as no less than Eight casualties viz 1 Killed, 1 missing, and 6 wounded have been reported. The newspaper reported that 2nd Lieutenant Whyte, 1st Black Watch, third son of the Rev Dr
Whyte, United Free St George's in Edinburgh had been killed in action on 25th September and Lieutenant John Kipling,
Irish Guards, the only son of Rudyard Kipling , was reported Missing - believed Killed.
The Forfar Review & Strathmore Advertiser for 15th October, 1915 reported an interesting item in the weekly summary
viz "An Army Order announces that the Royal Flying Corps will in future be organised in Brigades, each Brigade being
composed of two or more Wings. The Administrative Wing of the Corps will remain outside the Brigade organisation and
continue to be administered as a separate unit. "
The Forfar Herald & Kirriemuir Advertiser for that same date had this heading, "Nothing to Fear from Zeppelins". It was
reported that Bailie Michie is quite satisfied that there is no danger to be dreaded from Zeppelins and Enemy Aeroplanes
in Forfar. The Question of Insuring the Parish Council property against damage by aircraft was under consideration at a
meeting of the Council on Wednesday evening. Bailie Michie decided that "We need not be frightened for Zeppelins
here!"
The Forfar Herald for Friday, 15th October, 1915, covered the story "AIR TRAGEDY AT FORFAR - Aeroplane falls
400 feet- Two officers of Flying Corps Killed - Machine completely wrecked." The newspaper report started with the
story that Forfar had its first tragedy of the air yesterday when four miles west of the town an aeroplane manned by two
Officers of the Royal Flying Corps stationed at Montrose came down "like a stone" as one eye witness described it from a
height of between 300 and 400 feet and the two airmen were killed instantaneously. The victims were named as Captain
Arkwright and Lieutenant Hardy and the scene of the tragedy was the Moss of DRUMGLEY, a piece of boggy ground
two or three hundred yards west of the farm of Nether Drumgley, tenanted by Mr William Lyon. The accident occurred
shortly after nine o'clock in the morning (Thursday, 14th October). The story went on to say that on the Wednesday
afternoon the "watchful eyes " saw the flight of four aeroplanes passing over the town flying to the west at around 3 or 4
pm and shortly after leaving Forfar one of the four machines - a Curtiss Biplane - developed trouble causing the pilot Captain Arkwright to come down and landed in a field on the farm of Mains of Glamis, tenanted by Mr Pat Arnot.
Captain Arkwright examined the machine and found a propeller defect and he communicated with the officers at
Montrose. During the course of that evening Lieutenant Hardy accompanied by an RFC mechanic arrived at Glamis in a
service motor tender bringing with them a new Propeller but due to the dark they decided to delay the repair work until
the following morning. They had to notify a message to Forfar for a military guard for the aeroplane and a detachment of
the 5th Black Watch was sent and stood by overnight. Captain Arkwright and Lieutenant Hardy stayed overnight with the
farmer, Mr Pat Arnot. Then early in the morning the repair was begun and shortly before nine o'clock the new propeller
was fitted and everything appeared to be in readiness for a start. Lieutenant Hardy decided to fly back to Montrose in the
machine along with Captain Arkwright and the conditions favourable they flew off showing no trouble in an easterly
direction. The aeroplane was still being watched by those who had seen it take off and after covering around a mile they
saw with horror that the machine dived downwards from a height of 300 to 400 feet and the two members of the Royal
Flying Corps who were returning to Montrose by motor tender at once went off to see what had happened. Three farm
servants who were working in a field at Nether Drumgley , had watched the aeroplane circle round once or twice quite
close at hand and as one of them said ,"It came down like a stone into the Moss." They all ran to the spot where the
machine had fallen to give assistance but it was a sad sight that awaited the rescue party as the aeroplane was on its back
and formed a smashed and twisted heap. The wings and tail retained some resemblance but the body was practically
reduced to matchwood. The first thoughts were for the crew or as the newspaper said "aviators" and after the tail had
been tilted over Captain Arkwright and Lieutenant Hardy were found lying among the wreckage but it was found that
they were beyond any human help. Their bodies were terribly crushed and it seemed as if every bone in them had been
broken. Medical aid was summoned from Forfar and Dr Burgess "motored with all good speed to the scene of the
accident", but he could only pronounce life extinct in both Officers and that death must have been instantaneous. A wrist
(wristlet) watch worn by one of the Officers had stopped at 9.20 and it was remarkable that the watch belonging to his
colleague was still working after the accident. The authorities at Montrose were notified and Major Holt, the Officer
Commanding the Air School at Montrose motored to Drumgley in the forenoon. The remains of the two officers were
removed to Montrose in the course of the day.
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The Montrose, Arbroath & Brechin Review for that same date recorded in a few lines the deaths of Captain Arkwright
and Lieutenant Hardy, two Montrose aviators killed near Kirriemuir the previous morning. The newspaper also reported
that Corporal William M. Jack, 9th Black Watch, youngest son of Mr and Mrs Wm Jack, Milldens, Guthrie had fallen in
action.
On 15th October, 1915, Constable Robert R.K. Ogilvie, Forfarshire Constabulary stationed at Forfar reported the death of
Captain Frederic George Alleyne Arkwright and Lieutenant Allan H. Hardy, Royal Flying Corps to John Stirton,
Assistant Registrar of Births, Deaths & Marriages at Glamis - Parish of Glamis in the County of Forfar. Both Officers
were single. Death was recorded as occurring on 14th October 1915 at 8.45 a.m. at Nether Drumgley, Glamis and the
cause of death being recorded as "Killed through fall of aeroplane - not Certified ". The two Officer's residence was
recorded as being "Headquarters Montrose." There was one additional information added to each Death entry Viz- Locus
- Field 800 yards south west of farmsteading at Nether Drumgley. Cause of Death: - Certified by Dr William Hodge
McWalter, Lieutenant - Royal Army Medical Corps, Montrose. (John Stirton was in fact the Rev John Stirton, Minister
of Glamis church and his wife D.S. Stirton, the Registrar of Birth, Deaths & Marriages at Glamis). [NOTE 2]
The Montrose, Arbroath & Brechin Review of 22nd October 1915, covered the double fatal air crash in detail and
recorded that Captain Arkwright had flown his machine alone and passed over Forfar and it was not until he was almost
above Glamis Castle that something was wrong with his engine so he decided to land in a field on the farm of Mains of
Glamis, a few hundred yards from Glamis Castle. He did an examination and found that a new propeller was required for
him to return to his airfield at Montrose. Lieutenant Hardy accompanied a repair squad from Montrose early in the
evening and Captain Arkwright and Lieutenant Hardy stayed the night at the farmhouse with Mr Pat Arnot, the tenant
farmer. The next morning the new propeller was fixed to the aeroplane and shortly before 9am they started the return
journey and this time Lieutenant Hardy accompanied Captain Arkwright acting as pilot. All went well for about a mile
until the aviators were almost above the farm of Haughs of Cossans when three farm servants in the fields saw the
machine fly by and suddenly when it was about 300 or 400 yards in the air, they saw it swerve, circle a few times and
then to their horror it dived straight to earth. They did not see the machine strike the ground due to the rise in the field but
they saw it disappear from view and they heard a loud explosion caused by the petrol tank bursting. The men ran to the
crash spot, only a few hundred yards away and they found the biplane was lying on its back, and pinned beneath it were
the bodies of the two officers, crushed almost beyond recognition. They had died instantaneously and pieces of the
propeller were strewn about the grass on the field in which the machine fell and the body of the aeroplane was a complete
wreck. Captain F .G.A. Arkwright was 29 years of age and he was the son of Mr F.C. Arkwright of Willersley, Matlock.
He belonged to the 11th Hussars, with which regiment he had been on active service. When at the front he acted as
Observer for some time and he had been severely wounded. On recovering from his wounds he decided to study aviation
and several months previously became attached to the Royal Flying Corps. He was unmarried and was well known in
sporting circles as a splendid horseman. Lieutenant Alan H Hardy was 25 years of age and was the son of Mrs Hardy of
Chilham in Kent. He was an officer of the Royal East Kent Mounted Rifles and became associated with the Royal Flying
Corps a few months previously to qualify as an aviator. He too was unmarried.
Other newspapers covered the fatal story in their editions with some similar information but the Forfar Herald for Friday,
October 22nd 1915 reported " Forfar Aviation Tragedy" and that the remains of Captain F G A Arkwright and
Lieutenant Alan H Hardy had been taken to the Mortuary at Forfar Infirmary and on Friday evening contained in coffins
they were conveyed in hearses to the railway station and taken south by the 7.12 express for burial in their home areas of
England.
The Flight Magazine for 22nd October, 1915, records "Double RFC Fatality in Scotland" - It is with greatest regret that
we have to record that two Officers of the RFC lost their lives in an accident near Forfar on the 14th inst. It would appear
that on the 13th they had flown from Montrose, and had descended near Glamis Castle. After a new propeller had been
fitted, the next morning they started to return, but they were soon seen in difficulties and after circling once or twice the
machine crashed to the ground. Both the pilot, (Lieutenant Allan Hardy) and the passenger (Captain F G A Arkwright)
were instantly killed." This is slightly different story to the one the local newspapers reported!
The 11th Hussars Journal recorded the death of Captain Arkwright describing him as a Gallant soldier and sportsman,
beloved by all who knew him. His C.O. wrote; "He has had a fine life and has been a noble example of courage and
endurance."
Funerals took place for the two Officers at their home location and Captain Arkwright - Royal Flying Corps , formerly
11th (Prince Albert's Own ) Hussars is buried in St Mary's Churchyard at Cromford in Derbyshire and Lieutenant Hardy Royal Flying Corps and Royal East Kent Yeomanry is buried in the East boundary grave at St Mary's Churchyard at
Chilham in Kent. Both casualties were recorded as being Casualties of the Great War and listed under the Imperial War
Graves Commission (later the Commonwealth War Graves Commission).
(To be concluded in the March 2016 BtP)
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