Reckless Fellows by Edward Bujak

Author:Edward Bujak [Bujak, Edward]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Military, World War I, Africa, South, Republic of South Africa
ISBN: 9780857726094
Google: 4hGMDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2015-09-25T01:12:19+00:00

During the day they were responsible for running the mechanics’ workshops at Harlaxton aerodrome and keeping the aeroplanes, instructors and pupils of the RFC training squadrons at Harlaxton in the air. Unsurprisingly, this made for a somewhat complex picture with the three different RFC training squadrons (Nos 20, 53 and 64) having their machines being kept airworthy by American mechanics from five different American school squadrons!

Despite this complexity, the two programmes of training both pilots and mechanics were successfully integrated resulting in a highly advantageous arrangement for both the British and the Americans. According to Daniel P. Morse, the future officer commanding the 50th Aero Squadron, the arrival of the squadron on 4 February 1918 at the British Aviation Field at Harlaxton relieved:

a British squadron for duty at the front and taking over the duties of a school squadron, running the English aerodrome at that place [which] was very wise, for it gave the English additional service squadrons and allowed our men to gain the experience and exactitude on airplanes so absolutely necessary for a service squadron to possess.46

Subsequently, in August 1918, the 50th Aero Squadron would become an operational service squadron in France, when it received its own machines and pilots. Between 8 February and 3 July, in its guise as a school squadron at Harlaxton, under the command of Lieutenant H.A. Sharret, and after 20 March, by 2nd Lieutenant C.D. Burrell, it received ‘very excellent training’47 with the men being ‘given instruction for the first three weeks by a few English mechanics and then took over the entire work’.48 The 50th Aero Squadron began training, and taking responsibility for keeping RFC machines in the air, on 8 February, the day after ‘A’ Flight of the 638th Aero Squadron left Harlaxton. The work of the squadron consisted of keeping the aeroplanes in good condition by working on both their rigging and their motors, the major repair of RFC machines (no small task given the number of crashes), running the central workshop and taking charge of transportation.

Some school squadrons were divided into flights and dispersed to RFC airfields for training, as in the case of the 638th squadron: ‘A’ Flight worked on ‘airplane construction, motors etc.’49 at Harlaxton with ‘B’ Flight stationed at Spittlegate, until it too moved on 8 February. Similarly, after disembarking at Liverpool on 7 December, the 9th Squadron was divided into four flights for training at RFC Stations in Lincolnshire. ‘A’ Flight went to South Carlton to work on Sopwith Camels, ‘B’ Flight was sent to Scampton for duty on scout planes, ‘C’ Flight went into observation plane work at Spittlegate, and ‘D’ Flight was ordered to Harlaxton for motor instruction. The Squadron then reassembled on 8 February 1918, under the command of 1st Lieutenant J.A. Richards, and shortly afterwards it became the first American squadron to be assigned exclusively to duty with a British flight.50 From 8 February, with the 50th beginning its training, Harlaxton was ‘taken over by the Americans’.51 This was underlined on 16 March when the 50th was joined at Harlaxton by the 85th.

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