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Thread: First RFC casualties of WW1

  1. #1

    Default First RFC casualties of WW1

    At Call to Muster, Middlesbrough on 23rd of March I purchased 2 books. Both in the Battleground Series of books, titled Airfields & Airmen of Arras and the second the same but of Cambrai. Flicking through the Cambrai book I came across a reference to the Arras book and began reading about the first casualties of the RFC of WW1. 2nd Lt Vincent Waterfall and Lt Charles George Gordon Bayly, both qualified pilots but on this occasion Bayly was the observer.

    2nd Lt Vincent WATERFALL and Lt Charles George Gordon BAYLY, 5 Sqn, Kia 22 August 1914 - took off at 10:16 and at around 10:50 the pair was over the Enghien-Soignies area. Their Avro was hit by enemy ground fire and crashed by the side of the Ath-Enghien road, both occupants being killed. They were the first allied airmen to be shot down and killed in Belgium.
    I was wondering and I shall have to dig deeper if Charles is a distant relative of mine as we share the same unusual spelling of the surname Bayly.

  2. #2

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    Now that would be truly amazing if he was a relative.

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by Skafloc View Post
    At Call to Muster, Middlesbrough on 23rd of March I purchased 2 books. Both in the Battleground Series of books, titled Airfields & Airmen of Arras and the second the same but of Cambrai. Flicking through the Cambrai book I came across a reference to the Arras book and began reading about the first casualties of the RFC of WW1. 2nd Lt Vincent Waterfall and Lt Charles George Gordon Bayly, both qualified pilots but on this occasion Bayly was the observer.



    I was wondering and I shall have to dig deeper if Charles is a distant relative of mine as we share the same unusual spelling of the surname Bayly.
    You should be able to access his Service records which would include some personel details, next of kin etc.

    Good luck in your search.

  4. #4

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    Further research has revealed that Lt Charles George Gordon Bayly's father was Captain Neville Saltren Keats Bayly and mother was Henrietta Charlotte Gordon, sister of General Gordon of Khartoum. His father joined the RE at Chatham, Gordon was commander of the RE's, and young Lt Bayly, named after his favourite uncle, started life in the RE's before transferring to the RFC. So being born in South Africa to a military Officer I think would make him a, loosely termed, 'army brat'. So I am getting closer to home and the tenuous links of ancestry.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Skafloc View Post
    Further research has revealed that Lt Charles George Gordon Bayly's father was Captain Neville Saltren Keats Bayly and mother was Henrietta Charlotte Gordon, sister of General Gordon of Khartoum. His father joined the RE at Chatham, Gordon was commander of the RE's, and young Lt Bayly, named after his favourite uncle, started life in the RE's before transferring to the RFC. So being born in South Africa to a military Officer I think would make him a, loosely termed, 'army brat'. So I am getting closer to home and the tenuous links of ancestry.
    Look forward to further info Neil.

  6. #6

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    Facinating Neil . with surname like yours it has to be at least a possibility. Thank god we have the internet to track it down.


    I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
    Coming down is the hardest thing

  7. #7

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    He was born in England too. Could have been in S. Africa with his parents in a military posting sense or emigrated. His fathers brother was Sir Lewis Bayly who commanded the fleet for a short period until an untimely accident when two capital ships collided and he was 'sacked'. At the outbreak of the war he was given command of the Inshore Squadron, destroyers, off the coast of Ireland.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Skafloc View Post
    He was born in England too. Could have been in S. Africa with his parents in a military posting sense or emigrated. His fathers brother was Sir Lewis Bayly who commanded the fleet for a short period until an untimely accident when two capital ships collided and he was 'sacked'. At the outbreak of the war he was given command of the Inshore Squadron, destroyers, off the coast of Ireland.
    The plot thickens then Neil.
    You could be related to some nob or other.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  9. #9

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    Well rumour has it that good old great, great Aunt Elizabeth did marry Redvers Buller. Somewhere we have a more tenuous link to Field Marshal Roberts of Khandahar fame. It's just proving it that's the difficulty at present.
    Last edited by Lt. S.Kafloc; 07-29-2014 at 04:31.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Skafloc View Post
    Well rumour has it that good old great, great Aunt Elizabeth did marry Retford Buller. Somewhere we have a more tenuous link to Field Marshal Roberts of Khandahar fame. It's just proving it that's the difficulty at present.
    Yes Neil, but it shows your family were moving in the right family circles within the Army, which makes a link more likely.
    Rob.
    "Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

  11. #11

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    Well I've found that the Elizabeth link doesn't match. My cousin (who's great great grandmother it is) got it wrong somewhere. Back to the drawing board.
    See you on the Dark Side......

  12. #12

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    Watch out you could be on Who do they think they are at this rate.


    I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
    Coming down is the hardest thing

  13. #13

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    I'm stuck at 1871 going backwards. Plenty from 1600's coming forward. Mainly from Ireland, just can't get the cross over link between them both. So I guess I'm looking for the missing link. (knew I should have took bullet checker!)
    See you on the Dark Side......



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