I encourage anyone that has more information (Flight Log Book entries) or photos on 112 Squadron please send an e-mail to raf_112_sqdn@yahoo.com before the history is lost.
RAF 112 Squadron Photos 1939
Harry Gwynne-Jones joined 250 Sqdn for a while and is currently a member of 250 Sqdn association. These photos are courtesy of Harry.
First pilot looks like "Doom" Sanderson, next fellow looks like Flt Lt Wallace "Wally" Cowlings Williams, OC "A" Flight 1939,RAAF, 297404, C/O Somerville who can be recognized 10th from the right or 4th from the left - Christmas 1939 at Helwan, Egypt.
112 Sqdn. Hockey team who played the Gezira Sporting Club, Cairo and won 5 - 2,left to right front row, Harry Gwynne-Jones, P/O De La Hoyge, Hadfield, Sgt. Day.left to right back row, Griffiths, Nannerley, Day, Gallagher, Watt, Relph, Pattenden. Harry Gwynne-Jones joined 250 for a while and is currently a member of our association. These photos are courtesy of Harry.
Christmas 1939, Helwan, the only names given are, AC1 Peeps (3rd Right) wearing holstered pistol, Cpl. Massey - right of picture, the only other person mentioned is P/O Fraser Adj., (Joseph Frederick 'Joe' Fraser DFC, RAF no. 70229, In 1939 he became adjutant in the squadron) standing fifth from the left with pilot wings on his tunic .
Photos below Donated by John Burrows son of Tom Burrows, member of ground crew 1939 - 1941
Pilots and Ground Crew Taken outside the 112 Club 1939
Christmas 1939, outside the 112 Club
Christmas 1939, outside the 112 Club
Sent in by Peter Izzard's Mom August 1939, is it a Graduation Course photo of Fitters and Riggers?
RAF 112 Sqdn was based at Helwan at the time this photo was taken some of the faces
are seen again in photos found on the Ground Crew Photos page.
Acworth has printed on the back "A" Flight, one of our planes in the back
ground hanger on the right
Left to Right Standing Plt Off Bert Benjamin Edye Duff, 40684, RAF, Flying Officer Alonzo Roy Trevallon "Buckshot" Barnes (Aus) 40980, RAF, ( Flt Off Eric Gresham "Scotty" Scott, 39688, unconfirmed as the right man)
Sitting Flt Off Peter Edward Campbell Strahan, 36154
Thought to be a Fairey Gordon Mk I, (F.1428 ? my guess at the construction number ) Built originally as a Fairey III F to Contract 35535/30 between August and December 1930. Delivered to Home Aircraft Depot on 15 December 1930. to Packing Depot on 29 April 1931. To Aircraft Depot Aboukir on 09 June 1931. To Aircraft Depot Aboukir. Converted to Gordon in December 1934 as KR1729 fellow beside the plane is LAC Arthur Masters, RAF 112 Squadron dates details unknown, photo sent in by his Grandson Peter Izzard.
Imperial War Museum has photo HU 59098, Fairey Gordon K1729 serving with No.6 Squadron, possibly at Heliopolis.
Please e-mail if you have any information on the above.
The type had mostly been retired from Royal Air Force and Royal Navy service prior to World War II, although No. 6 Squadron RAF, No. 45 Squadron RAF, and No. 47 Squadron RAF, still operated the type in Egypt. Six of these aircraft were transferred to the Egyptian Air Force.Forty-nine Gordons were dispatched to the Royal New Zealand Air Force in April 1939, 41 entering brief service as pilot trainers. The RNZAF found the aircraft worn out and showing signs of their service in the Middle east — including at least one scorpion. The last of these — and the last intact Gordon anywhere — was struck off RNZAF service in 1943.
Fairey Gordon Mk I, K2719, (F.1791 ? my guess at the construction number ) flipped on the Nile Delta 1939, Photo submitted by John via his son Pat Cleary, John Cleary RAF 542103, 16/5/39 to ?/?/39, John was a passenger in this plane when it crashed, he was apparently unhurt, pilot unknown at this time. My Dad said that it happened on an island and that they recovered the aircraft by dhow ! He has pictures of that operation as well.
Information on K2719 via RAF Commands Forum member DaveW
Del'd to ASS Kenley 10/08/32; PD 02/11/34: AD Aboukir 22/12/34; PTU Abu Seir; 112 Squadron by 11/39 for TT. Engine cut; overturned on landing on small island near Helwan 14/01/40; SOC as BER.
Fairey Gordon Mk I, K2719, flipped on the Nile Delta 1939, Photo submitted by John via his son Pat Cleary, John Cleary RAF 542103, 16/5/39 to ?/?/39, John was a passenger in this plane when it crashed, he was apparently unhurt, pilot unknown at this time
Fairey Gordon Mk I, K2719, flipped on the Nile Delta 1939, Photo submitted by John via his son Pat Cleary
Fairey Gordon Mk I, K2719, flipped on the Nile Delta 1939, Photo submitted by John via his son Pat Cleary, makes a person wonder how they walked away. Pat talked to John, "I did talk to him about the crash in the Nile Delta and he said he went up on an air test with a NCO pilot whose name he cannot recall at this juncture and that the engine cut out very shortly after takeoff. Dad said that an exhaust duct was corroded and blew and shot a jet of flame onto the ignition harness and the engine cut out. The pilot did the recommended thing and looked to land straight ahead . The level surface he picked out turned out to be a mud flat and they tipped over. My father ended up down the fuselage towards the tail but crawled back and dropped down out of the cockpit. "
Follow up to the above 2 photos, Peter Izzard sent this photo in which Hawker Hind K5456 on service April 1938 to April 1939, with No 211 Squadron RAF can clearly be identified.
Lysander L4719, 208 Sqdn 1939 Middle East, more information and details
about it's end at Larissa Greece, 15 April 1941, can be found on
Sent in by Peter Izzard, Grandson of ground crew member Arthur Master
Prewar painted Gladiators they appear to carry 94 Sqdn GO codes or possibly prewar 80 Sqdn codes SO
Sent in by Peter Izzard, Grandson of ground crew member Arthur Master
This is Vickers Vincent K4703 of 47 Squadron, stalled off a turn during delivery test flight, Atbara 18/04/36. Flying hours 12.15
Information on K4703 via RAF Commands Forum member
DaveW
Following information from the hyperlink given below
VICKERS
VINCENT I - Three-seat general
purpose biplane evolved from Vildebeest as Vickers Type 266 in response to
Specification 21/33. Fitted with long-range tank in place of external torpedo
stowage, message pick-up hook and equipment for tropical operations. Production
(including conversion of contracted Vildebeests to Specification 16/34) totaled
196 for RAF, delivered from 1934 to 1936. Vickers Vincents served at various
Middle East and African bases with eight front-line squadrons. Of these, at the
outbreak of war No 8 Sqn had 18 in Aden, No 244 had 23 in Iraq and No 47 Sqdn
and other miscellaneous units had 42 in Sudan and Egypt. Limited operational
use was made until 1942, and Vickers Vincents remained on communications and
'hack' duties until 1944. From July 1939, the RNZAF received 60 ex-RAF Vickers
Vincents, for use as trainers and in general reconnaissance squadrons until May
1943. The Vickers Vincent was powered by the 660 hp Bristol Pegasus IIM3 and was
armed with one Lewis and one Vickers 0.303-in (7.7-mm) machine gun; bomb load
was 1,100 Ib (499 kg).
Max speed, 143 mph (230 km/h) at 5,000 ft (1,524 m). Gross weight, 7,745 Ibs
(3,513 kg).
Span, 49ft 0 in (14.94 m). Length, 36ft 8 in o (11.18m).
Photo sent in by Peter Izzard, Grandson of ground crew member Arthur Master