A Collection of Awards to the Royal Air Force Between the Wars (1919-1939), formed by Group Captain J E Barker
distance of about six yards. This machine then went into a steep dive for a few feet, burst into flames and crashed. This happened at about 3,000 ft. Confirmed by Capt. Foster D.S.C., Lt. Gibbons & Lt. Mills. During the time I was attacking the Fokkers, the Two Seater was firing at me without result. I then dropped my four bombs on the railway line running through Thun-Levêque. Owing to EA did not observe any hits. (B Flt: Cornwall, Allen and Bingham Missing)’ (Log Book refers).
After a brief period of leave in the UK, Giles returned to the Squadron in November 1918. Now based at Bruille, he flew on high offensive patrols over the Valenciennes-Mons front during the last week of the Great War. On 9 November, Giles was leading two aircraft when his engine cut out at 15,000 ft:
‘Glided West followed by Porter. At 5,000 ft we were attacked by a Hun Two Seater who fired several rounds into my machine. Owing to my engine being useless I could not attack. Hun followed me until I made successful forced landing and then went West and strafed our advancing Infantry inflicting heavy casualties. I landed in land actually occupied by Huns. Machine guns were firing at me from all directions and owing to lack of time luckily did not burn my machine. Infantry Advanced Outposts eventually came out to me and escorted me to a safe place. Later they advanced and after 48 hours Mechanics arrived to repair engine. Lt. Whales attempted to fly my machine back but lost his way and crashed at some French aerodrome near St. Quentin. Had no food or sleep since 9.30am Monday until tender arrived following afternoon. Landed at Le Paye, near Mons.’
Having managed to survive until the Armistice, Giles remained with 209 Squadron in France managing to find entertainment during test flights, 2 December 1918:
‘Pressure system now OK. Owing to low clouds amused myself by hedge hopping and zooming on some Infantry Troops at drill. Did two very poor ‘rolls’ and made the worst landing up to date. (Burst right tyre, and tail skid).’
Giles’ subsequent entry in his Log Book gives:
‘Severely censured by the Wing Commander (Lt. Col S. Smith, D.S.O.). Went with detachment to welcome Royal Party into Valenciennes (H.M. The King, H.R.H. The Prince of Wales and H.R.H. The Prince Albert, R.A.F.).’
Giles undertook several ferry flights throughout the early part of 1919, flying a variety of German aircraft handed over in accordance with the terms of the Armistice. Having flown Pfalz Scouts and an LVG, Giles was tasked with flying a Fokker Biplane from France to UK. The latter was to be delivered to the Canadian Government as a ‘War Trophy’, however, what was not taken into account was the inclement weather encountered by Giles during the flight. As a consequence he damaged the aircraft during a forced landing in a ploughed field just outside of Croydon, and once again during take off. The biplane had to undergo extensive repairs at Kenley prior to being handed over.
After returning to France in April 1919, Giles was posted to 70 Squadron to serve with the Royal Air Force of Occupation in Germany. This posting was short-lived, and he transferred to 206 Squadron in May 1919. The Squadron was to travel to Egypt to serve as part of the British Egyptian Expeditionary Force. Giles arrived in Aboukir in June, and flew in Avros and D.H.9’s out of Helouan from the following month. His regular observer at this point was Lieutenant E. Barnes, however, the latter departed as one of the group of officers, N.C.O.s and men detailed for duty with ‘Z’ Unit in Somaliland. One of several observer’s to fly with him during this period was A.C.2 L. Humphries of ‘A’ Flight, a fact recorded in his Log Book entry for 21 February 1920 (see Lot 805).
Garjak Nuer
In mid-December 1919 a R.A.F. detachment known as ‘H’ Unit, consisting of two De Havilland D.H.9 aircraft, four officers and 23 other ranks under the command of Flight Lieutenant R. M. Drummond, D.S.O., M.C. were required in the Sudan for operations against the Garjak Nuer tribe who lived in the Eastern Nuer District of the Upper Nile, close to Abyssinia. The Unit left Cairo, by land and water, and arrived at Nasser in the Sudan, 3 January 1920. They proceeded to erect their machines, with difficulty, one machine being ready for testing on 20 January and the aerodrome was prepared and ready for use on 24 January. Both machines were completed and tested on 25 January, and on 31 January the first reconnaissance flight in support of No. 71 Patrol, Egyptian Army was carried out. A report by Drummond on the operations of ‘H’ Unit from 3 January to 10 June 1920 records that because of crashes and a disastrous fire on 18 February, and notwithstanding a third (reserve) machine having been transported to them, that flying operations had to be ceased in March because only one serviceable aircraft could be raised. As a consequence a request was sent to Cairo to fly in a new machine as a matter of urgency.
Flying Officer Giles, with A.C.2. Humphries as his passenger in the observer’s seat of D.C.9 No. E8943, were the crew detailed for this mission to deliver the required replacement aircraft to ‘H’ Unit and thus enable them to continue with operations. Giles’ log book entries from 26 March - 1 April 1920 cover the epic flight of eight stages between Helouan and Nasser in the Sudan, some 1,800 miles, which they completed in a total flying time of 20 hours and 40 minutes. En route they landed at Assuit, Assouan, Wadi Halfa, Atbara, Khartoum, Jebelein and an emergency landing strip at Malakal. His log book records the latter as, ‘OK. Aerodrome very small. Surface good. Approach bad. First aeroplane to land here. Received by the Governor.’
Governors had also received the pair at Wadi Halfa and Atbara, and at Khartoum they were received by H.S.E. The Sirdar. Giles’ recorded their stay at Jebelein, ‘OK. Aerodrome badly marked and surface very bad - uneven - dangerous for a machine of D.H.9 type. Spent a comical day and night on aerodrome. Some trouble in starting engine.’ (Ibid)
The above was the only recorded problem with the machine, so all credit to A.C.2. Humphries. The journey was recognised as a fine feat of airmanship for which they were both commended. The wording seen on A.C.2 Humphries’ service record reads:
‘An expression of the Air Council’s appreciation conveyed for the manner in which above-mentioned airman in company of officers [sic] on a D.H.9 successfully carried out a flight from Cairo to Nasser from 26 March to 1 April 1920.’
Between 5 April and 23 May 1920, Flying Officer Giles flew eight sorties in support of No. 71 Patrol against the Nuers, these being the last entries in his bound set of log books. Operations against the Nuers were successfully concluded by 23 May 1920, and ‘H’ Unit was demobilised early the following month. Giles embarked, with the rest of the Unit, on the Lord Cromer for Khartoum. Drummond reported that ‘H’ Unit had carried out 45 flights totalling 97 hours flying time, had dropped 50 incendiary and 165 25lb (Cooper) bombs and fired 7,000 machine gun rounds during the operations.
Giles returned to the UK, and was posted as an Instructor to No. 1 Flying Training School, Netheravon, in June 1921. He was employed in the same capacity when he was posted to No. 4 F.T.S., Abu Sueir, Egypt, in November 1922. Having left the service, Giles continued his interest in flying during the inter-war years. Flying in a civilian capacity he planned to take part in the ‘Dole Air Derby’, the first crossing from California to Hawaii, as well as undertaking an attempted flight from San Francisco to New Zealand. Both of these highly ambitious projects were never to take place.
With the outbreak of the Second War, Giles was recalled into service and appointed a Pilot Officer in the Technical (Armament) Branch in December 1941. He was promoted Flying Officer in December 1942, and advanced to Flight Lieutenant in November 1945. Giles was subsequently involved in the clearance of bombs and mines in the UK and Northern Ireland between 9 May 1945 - 31 December 1949. He transferred briefly to the Aircraft Control Branch in 1951, before reverting to the Technical (Armament) Branch.
Giles transferred to the Reserve of Air Force Officers in January 1954, and retired 29 November 1963. In later life he resided at 43 The Oval, Market Drayton, Shropshire, and died at the Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, 24 October 1971.
M.I.D. unconfirmed.
Sold with the following related documents and items: four Pilot’s Flying Log Books (July 1917 - May 1920), privately bound in one volume, with occasional pasted-down photographs and a mass of additional detail to the end of each book - aircraft flown, appointments, personnel rolls etc., recently rebound, with distressed original front cover affixed to new binding; several original photographs from various stages of career; two old Bristol District tokens; a small religious token, and file of copied research.
www.dnw.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224 |
Page 225 |
Page 226 |
Page 227 |
Page 228 |
Page 229 |
Page 230 |
Page 231 |
Page 232 |
Page 233 |
Page 234 |
Page 235 |
Page 236 |
Page 237 |
Page 238 |
Page 239 |
Page 240 |
Page 241 |
Page 242 |
Page 243 |
Page 244 |
Page 245 |
Page 246 |
Page 247 |
Page 248 |
Page 249 |
Page 250 |
Page 251 |
Page 252 |
Page 253 |
Page 254 |
Page 255 |
Page 256 |
Page 257 |
Page 258 |
Page 259 |
Page 260 |
Page 261 |
Page 262 |
Page 263 |
Page 264 |
Page 265 |
Page 266 |
Page 267 |
Page 268 |
Page 269 |
Page 270 |
Page 271 |
Page 272 |
Page 273 |
Page 274 |
Page 275 |
Page 276 |
Page 277 |
Page 278 |
Page 279 |
Page 280 |
Page 281 |
Page 282 |
Page 283 |
Page 284 |
Page 285 |
Page 286 |
Page 287 |
Page 288 |
Page 289 |
Page 290 |
Page 291 |
Page 292 |
Page 293 |
Page 294 |
Page 295 |
Page 296 |
Page 297 |
Page 298 |
Page 299 |
Page 300 |
Page 301 |
Page 302 |
Page 303 |
Page 304 |
Page 305 |
Page 306 |
Page 307 |
Page 308 |
Page 309 |
Page 310 |
Page 311 |
Page 312 |
Page 313 |
Page 314 |
Page 315 |
Page 316 |
Page 317 |
Page 318 |
Page 319 |
Page 320 |
Page 321 |
Page 322 |
Page 323 |
Page 324 |
Page 325 |
Page 326 |
Page 327 |
Page 328 |
Page 329 |
Page 330 |
Page 331 |
Page 332 |
Page 333 |
Page 334 |
Page 335 |
Page 336 |
Page 337 |
Page 338 |
Page 339 |
Page 340 |
Page 341 |
Page 342 |
Page 343 |
Page 344 |
Page 345 |
Page 346 |
Page 347 |
Page 348 |
Page 349 |
Page 350 |
Page 351 |
Page 352 |
Page 353 |
Page 354 |
Page 355 |
Page 356 |
Page 357 |
Page 358 |
Page 359 |
Page 360 |
Page 361 |
Page 362 |
Page 363 |
Page 364 |
Page 365 |
Page 366 |
Page 367 |
Page 368 |
Page 369 |
Page 370 |
Page 371 |
Page 372 |
Page 373 |
Page 374 |
Page 375 |
Page 376 |
Page 377 |
Page 378 |
Page 379 |
Page 380
