Squadron Leader Alan Shipwright DFC, Bristol Bulldog pilot

[gerryoriordan]

Hello everyone,

I've recently joined the forum and I'm looking for information regarding my great uncle, Alan Thomas Kingston Shipwright DFC. I believe that he was with the RFC in WWI, being shot down and possibly held at the Holzminden POW camp. He received his DFC in 1925, gained a permanent commission as Flying Officer in 1926 and was made up to Flight Lieutenant in 1927. By 1937 he was a Squadron Leader but in August of 1939 was placed on the retired list "on account of ill-health". The family story is that he'd lost an eye, but I have no details about this injury. He apparently went on to serve with the home guard during WWII and also worked at a "secret aircraft factory". He was married in 1951 and died in Cornwall in 1980 at the age of 83. He had no known children and I never met him.

I've learned from another thread on this forum that his name appears in a list of Bristol Bulldog pilots, but beyond that I have no idea about his flying experience, why he was awarded the DFC or what caused his injury and premature retirement from the RAF in 1939. I'm in the process of applying for his service record, should anything have survived there.

If anyone here has any other suggestions on where to look for information I'd be very grateful. Kew Archives only hold a WWI medal card and the wider internet only has fleeting mentions of him in RAF lists or in the London Gazette. There are no photos that I've seen.

With all best wishes,

Gerry O'Riordan

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

16/8/1917
No.19 Sqn RFC
Spad VII A6634

Missing from 3rd offensive patrol, last seen during combat E. of Ypres (believed shot down near Passchendaele by Offst. Johannes Klein of Jasta 18, for his first victory).

2Lt Alan Thomas Kingston SHIPWRIGHT - POW

Believed to be a photo of Shipwright's Spad VII: http:www.frontflieger.de/frflgfoto/3_312688_p08.jpg

Repatriated 25/12/1918.

Brief service details: https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ils/r/D5140920 Click on, Preview an image of this record.

Distinguished Flying Cross.

SHIPWRIGHT, Alan Thomas Kingston, F/O. RAF.
London Gazette: 11/6/1924:p.4663

For distinguished service rendered during the operation in Kurdistan between 15th February and 19th June, 1923.

The Distinguished Flying Cross and How It Was Won 1918-1995 (Vol.II M-Z).
Carter,Nick & Carol.
N.p.:Savannah Press,1998.
p.1516

All this information needs verification.

Col.

[paulmcmillan]

Gerry if you private message me with your email I will send you his ww1 Airman Service Record Service Number 25981 which go up to his commissioning on 3rd June 1917

[paulmcmillan]

1939 Register has him

Alan T Shipwright 10 May 1897 Male Squad Leader R A F (Retired) Single 412 1

living Brighton Road, Worthing R.D., Sussex, England

[paulmcmillan]

Also

http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.u...ipwright&van=1

for his Casualty Card and AFL Entry April 1918

Says he was on 19 Squadron (RFC) and in

Aircraft SPAD VII
Aircraft serial A6634

When POW (as per Col Posting)

[paulmcmillan]

PS Also have his German POW Cards as well

[paulmcmillan]

PS He travelled to Australia in 1919

[paulmcmillan]

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/.../5137/data.pdf

[paulmcmillan]

Belfast Telegraph - Thursday 12 September 1929

Lucky RAF Pilots
Close Calls At Jerusalem
Jumped Out in Nick Of Time
(By Arrangement with Chicago Tribune)
Jerusalem. Wednesday - One of the most
miraculous escapes known to aviation occurred at the
RAF Landing Field, six miles from Jerusalem, yesterday when
when Captain Alan Shipwright crashed into a building
on the take-off (reported in the Telegraph yesterday).
His DH9 machine failed to get off the ground after the usual
run, so Captain Shipwright zoomed up over a ditch
The zoom, however killed his flying speed and the machine
stalled into a building ripping off a wing.
However, a sand heap caught the undercarriage
preventing he plane from spinning in sliding to the ground. Captain
Shipwright and his passenger Sergeant Fred Keats, were fortunately able
to jump out and were both unscratched. A second later the petrol
tank exploded

Date 10th Sept

10 Sep RAF Jerusalem

[paulmcmillan]

25/10/1926

On the 25th October 1926 a F/O Shipwright was climbing away from the airfield in a Woodcock single-seater aircraft. Due to some sort of mis-understanding, the Woodcock collided with an incoming D.H.9a and both aircraft fell to the ground badly damaged. Fortunately all the occupants survived their injuries.

Airco D.H.9A. J7859, 207 Sqn. After crash at Eastchurch on 25 Oct 1926. The other aircraft is a Hawker Woodcock. "D.H.9A 17859 of 207 Squadron hit this Woodcock of 3 Squadron, J7973, at Eastchurch on 25 October 1926."