3 Sqn Bristol Bulldog Pilots 1930 to 1936

[paulmcmillan]

List from Bristol Bulldog by David Luff

Full names/corrections etc

No 3(F) Squadron
Tertius primus erit (‘The third shall be first’)

Bulldog II (6/32-12/32)
Bulldog IIA (2/31-1/32 and 12/32-7/37)

Upavon, Wiltshire (4/24-5/34)
Kenley, Surrey (5-34-10/35)
Khartoum (10/35-1/36)
Port Sudan (1/36-8/36)
Kenley (8/36-5/39)

COs
Squadron Leader Eric Digby Johnson, AFC (9/27-8/30)
Squadron Leader Cecil Alfred Stevens, MC (8/30-3/34)
Squadron Leader Gilbert Martyn (3/34-3/36) Died 28 Oct 36 at Princes Mary RAF Hospital Halton Camp, Bucks
Squadron Leader Hugh Lewis Pingo Lester (07204) (3/36-7/38)

Rank Name

FL James Lionel Airey (15119) DFC
FL Roy James Oliphant Bartlett (26005) KIFA 7 Oct 36 Hawker Fury Mk.1 K5682
FL David Walter Bayne (26077)
FO Derek Pierre Aumale Boitel-Gill (28142)
FL Donald Scott ‘Brookie ‘Brookes (17155)
PO Malcolm Frederick Calder (32095) (NZ)
PO James Kininmonth Leslie Carstairs (33132 ) KIFA 14 Jul 1936 Avro Tutor Mk I K3402
FO William Ivan Clarke (29161) KIFA Bristol Bulldog IIA 17 May 1933 K???? [poss K1101)
FO Cyril Kenneth Joseph Coggle (16092)
SgtP Dennis Ivor Coote (363901)
PO William Daniel Disbrey (33052)
PO Edward "Teddy" Mortlock Donaldson (32043)
PO Lord Malcolm Avondale Douglas-Hamilton (70189) RAFO
Sgt Cyril Henry Charles Down (366084)
PO Edward Stephen Dru Drury (26131)
PO Eyres – Almost certainly: Derek Edmund Cresswell Eyres (37225)
FO Alan David "Peter" Gillmore (16171)
SgtP Percy Charles Ginn (110968) – Arrived 7/1/32
FO Eric Stanley Greenwood (24255)
FL Cecil Guppy (16066)
PO Noel Mudie Hall (33166)
FO Matthew Barr Hamilton (26233)
PO Percy John Walter Hawkins (29139) KIFA Bristol Bulldog Mk.IIA J9581 9 Sep 1932
A/PO Hugh Henry-May (37735) KIFA Hurricane Mk I L1579, 10 May 1938
A/PO Peter Heylin Heygate (29140) KIFA Hawker Audax I K5222 7 Sep 1936
A/PO Desmond Bogan Hobson (37736)
PO Harold Victor Hoskins (37076)
PO John William Arthur Hunnard (29243)
SgtP L G James -> Almost certainly Lionel George “Jimmy” James 365471 later (43821).
FO Hamish Kerr (27030)
FL William Edward Lawley ‘Bunny’ Lewis (29038)
A/PO Patrick D'Amore Lister (37722)
PO Ronald Archibald McDonald (29144) 5 FTS 7/9/1931
PO John William McGuire (34211) (Aus)
PO Edward Percy Mackay (07228)
FO Philip Lee Prangley Marett (16250)
FL Harry Manners Mellor (16097)
SgtP Victor Montague Montanini (560325)
PO George Richard Moorby (26184) Resigned Commission 1934 KIFA Spartan Three Seater I G-ABYH 20/7/35
P/O Joseph Somerton O'Brien (34171)
FL John Oliver (15003) AFC
PO John Jervis Owen (26062)
PO Robert Clive Parker (28161)
PO Maxwell Charles Pearson (33274)
SgtP W Phillips - 1930 maybe William Phillips (335377)
PO John Clifford Pope (33037)
FO Hugh Dunsmuir Primrose (27234) relinquishes his commission on account of ill-health. 7th July 1937)
FO Herbert John Pringle (26064)
PO David Prowse (26244) (Resigned Commission Oct 11 1934)
SgtP Albert Edward Rumble (364990)
PO Theodore Cecil Sanders (32251) KIFA Tutor K3314, 4 FTS 26/9/35
SgtP Richard Shelomi Scrase (370822)
FL Alan Thomas Kingston Shipwright (15062) DFC
F/SgtP Francis Hubert Pelham Simpson (127878) MM AFM
PO Clarence Herbert Smith (32069) 5 FTS 1931
PO William Vernon Lewis Spendlove (26125)
SgtP Jacobus Gustaaf Strauss (515908)
PO Victor Charles Frederick Streatfield (27151)
FL Howard William Taylor
PO John Angus MacDonald Teacher (28167) terminated on cessation of duty 15th Oct 1930
PO Herbert Richard Tidd (33072)
FL John Wyntoun Turton-Jones (04250)
A/SgtP J Watson 5 FTS 7/9/1931 Possibly James Watson 590089
FO Sidney Harry White (22075) relinquishes his commission on completion of service. 16th Aug. 1934.)
A/SgtP John Peter Whitehead (380609) 3 FTS 25/9/31
PO Rodney Levett Wilkinson (26192)
SgtP J Williams Probably Jack Williams (364374) AFM 1st Jan 1938 Bar 1942
SgtP George Cowdery Webb (365806 )
SgtP James Donald Wakefield Willis (561404)

Missing Names from Book but in ORB

P/O Geoffrey Nicolas Ernest Tindal-Carill-Worsley (26070) left by 7 Mar 1930
F.O Basil Adair Blythe (27119) (relinquishes his commission on completion of service. I4th Sept. 1937.)
F/L Brian Wright 'Red' Knox (16179)

From ORB almost 1005 not pilot
Also Armament Sgt
Sgt James Edward Manton (335970)

[AUS]

Hi Paul,

Australian connections below.

According to my notes David Walter Bayne was born in Sydney 1908. He apparently lost a leg possibly in an a/c accident while a flight commander with 3 Sqn (21 Jul 35?). Commanded 257 Sqn RAF between May and Jul 1940. Not sure of other wartime duties.

Harold Victor Hoskins (MiD**) was a Point Cook graduate of the RAAF and accepted a short service commission in the RAF during 1935. Beyond a posting to 5 OTU and 254 Sqn RAF in 1940 am uncertain of other attachments.

John William McGuire (AFC) was from Leederville Western Australia, also a RAAF graduate who joined the RAF on SSC in 1934. Was killed on 24 Mar 42 during an a/c test of Liberator AL546.

regards, Drew

[paulmcmillan]

Drew

re: cAcording to my notes David Walter Bayne was born in Sydney 1908. He apparently lost a leg possibly in an a/c accident while a flight commander with 3 Sqn (21 Jul 35?)

Date was 25 July 1935

Shields Daily News - Thursday 25 July 1935

RAF PLANE MAKES FORCED LANDING
Airman Injured
A RAF Bulldog engaged in night flying exercises, made a forced landing
owing, it is believed, to petrol shortage at Duxford Aerodrome, to-day.
Flight-Lieut. Bayne was injured and is in hospital and the machine was damaged

He was one of "nine/half a dozen" planes from Kenley which were over Cambridge
taking part in air exercises in the early hours of today when mist came up

So that makes it BULLDOG K2870 of 3 Sqn crashed landing at night, Duxford


Thanks

[COL BRUGGY]

Hello,

One other "Australian" connection:

32069 P/O Clarence Herbert SMITH. Clarence Smith graduated on No.9 Flying Training Course (with Special Distinction), at Point Cook in 1931. Smith, who was from Androssan, South Australia, was educated at St. Peter's College and St. Mark's University College, S.A. One of his fellow cadets was none other than the mercurial 32065 Donald Clifford Tyndall Bennett (who also passed with a Special Distinction), of later Pathfinder fame. Smith was granted a Short Service Commission in the RAF on 1 December, 1931, and later (24 April, 1940), transferred to the Technical Branch. W/C. C. H. Smith (32069) retired (at own request) retaining rank of Group Captain on 18 January, 1948.

Col.

[AUS]

Thanks for details on the crash Paul. Thanks Col for identifying CH Smith – a name on my list that I managed to overlook!

Also McGuire had a posthumous award of a Bar to his AFC.

Regards, Drew

[gerryoriordan]

Greetings all,

I've just joined the forum and I'm looking for information about my great uncle, Alan Thomas Kingston Shipwright DFC. I see his name shows up in your list of Bristol Bulldog pilots here, which has instantly given me more information than I've previously had regarding his flying experience. I know that he was awarded his DFC in July 1925 and also that he was invalided out of the RAF in August 1939, possibly due to the loss of an eye. I have no idea why he won the DFC or what the details were regarding his "ill health" in 1939 when he was placed on the retired list. If anyone can offer any insights or suggestions I'd be most grateful. I'm currently in the process of applying for his service record, if anything still exists.

With all best wishes,

Gerry

[greg]

Gerry,

From volume 2 of Nick and Carol Carter's "The Distinguished Fying Cross And How It Was Won 1918-1995": -

"SHIPWRIGHT, ALan Thomas Kingston. F/O. RAF.
London Gazette: 11-6-1924:4363

For distinguished service rendered during operations in Kurdistan between 15th February and 19th JUne, 1923."

I'm sure forum members more knowledgeable in this area of RAF operations will be along to add more to that for you.

L/O

Greg

[gerryoriordan]

Many thanks Greg! I've put a general posting about Alan in the main forum area as well and various bits of information are filtering through.

With all best wishes,

Gerry

[Mehitabel]

I know this is an ancient thread but on the offchance anyone is still reading it - the 'Possibly James Watson 590089' was my grandfather, the logbook has him flying Bulldogs all of October and November 1931. When he became an officer his number changed to 45116, he ended his career as a squadron leader.

I also think that 'John Peter Whitehead (380609)' might have been my great uncle - that was his name, I have photos of him in RAF uniform, and my grandparents have to have met somehow! I don't have any other information on him though.

[paulmcmillan]

Mehitabel

Thanks for confirming - I don't suppose you could supply the serial numbers of the log book for Oct to Nov 1931 while he was in 3 Sqn ? It may help to confirm what aircraft were n Sqn at the time thanks

Paul