ARmy Rumour SErvice

Some sources suggest that Waterfall and Bayly were brought down by ground fire, which would perhaps give them the dubious distinction of being the first officers killed.

I don't think that they were the first successful recce flight - that honour probably belongs to 2nd Lt Wadham & Captain Charlton, who started 15 minutes earlier than Waterfall and Bayly. Wadham and Charlton also returned safely (Charlton eventually ending life as an Air Commodore with a distinctly er... interesting lifestyle).

Originally Posted by Archimedes

I don't think that they were the first successful recce flight - that honour probably belongs to 2nd Lt Wadham & Captain Charlton, who started 15 minutes earlier than Waterfall and Bayly.

Ok, lets rephrase that - as the first sucessful operation, resulting in the correct identification of v Klucks army on the Right wing of the German offensive.


Wadham and Charlton also returned safely (Charlton eventually ending life as an Air Commodore with a distinctly er... interesting lifestyle).[/quote]

Pray do go on...

1. Resigns as SASO Iraq over colonial policing policy (views bombing as inhuman).
2. Retires from RAF after career stalls because of (1)
3. Becomes author of series of books on air power, scenarios contained therein becoming increasingly barking over time (include such gems as an attack on the Hendon air days by a combined German/Polish force as the dastardly Poles and Germans attempt to extend their territory...).
4. Sets up home with 'an aesthetically pleasing young gentleman'
5. Becomes author of adventure fiction for young boys

His autobiography 'Charlton' reads as if it was written while he was trying out an interesting new brand of 'tobacco', relegating his First World War service (ending as GOC V Brigade RAF, as you probably know) to three lines.

By the late 1930s, he'd started dabbling with a mixture of socialism and preventing cruelty to animals.

See - http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Charlton.htm

Originally Posted by Archimedes

1. Resigns as SASO Iraq over colonial policing policy (views bombing as inhuman).
2. Retires from RAF after career stalls because of (1)
3. Becomes author of series of books on air power, scenarios contained therein becoming increasingly barking over time (include such gems as an attack on the Hendon air days by a combined German/Polish force as the dastardly Poles and Germans attempt to extend their territory...).
4. Sets up home with 'an aesthetically pleasing young gentleman'
5. Becomes author of adventure fiction for young boys

His autobiography 'Charlton' reads as if it was written while he was trying out an interesting new brand of 'tobacco', relegating his First World War service (ending as GOC V Brigade RAF, as you probably know) to three lines.

By the late 1930s, he'd started dabbling with a mixture of socialism and preventing cruelty to animals.

See - http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Charlton.htm

Good god, playing with little boys? And socialism and animal welfare? He sounds like a Nazi for heaven's sake. socialism and buggery would be quite acceptable for a British gentleman but leave the animals to the Welsh and Greeks!

The high profile of Dease's death by the bridge and his subsequent VC obviously recommend themselves to history, where his equally brave but less distinguished comrades do not!

I take it you are a fusiler yourself Pteranodon?

Originally Posted by Cuddles

The high profile of Dease's death by the bridge and his subsequent VC obviously recommend themselves to history, where his equally brave but less distinguished comrades do not!

I take it you are a fusiler yourself Pteranodon?

I used to be a Gunner, but know about this becasue I am have recently taken a party around Mons and bought the detailed Battleground Europe history of Mons by Horsfell and Cave.

They also argue that the Watefall and Bayley were shot down by German rifle fire, citing Walter Bloem as a witness.

The interesting fact about Mons is that the vast majority of soldiers in some battalions weren't long service regulars finely drilled on the ranges. Most seem to have been Regular Reservists recalled to the colours from civvy street. 4/RF, Dease's unit, had 735 Reservists out of an establishment of 977 and most other units in 5th Div had over 500 per battalion.

Originally Posted by Pteranadon

Re de Burgh. He is an early death in the Great War compared to the majority killed in 1916-18. He may also be one of the first Indian Army war dead! He seems to have died at the Battle of the Aisne. I can't find any particular mention of the 5th Lancers on that day.

The 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers were there as part of the 3rd Cavalry Brigade of the 2nd Cavalry Division, though they don't seem to have taken a major part. See link:- http://www.1914-1918.net/CAVALRY/2cavdiv.htm

Good evening,

And sorry for my poor English.

Here are 2 links related to Vincent Waterfall and Charles Bayly.
- The narration of a German officer, eye-witness of the events, a map showing where the plane crashed, and some other information (in French):
http://www.1914-1918.be/insolite_avion.php

- A picture of the graves of Vincent Waterfall and Charles Bayly:
http://www.inmemories.com/Cemeteries/tournai.htm

Best regards from Belgium,
Yan Roosens