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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: queencorgi1 on Friday 05 December 25 14:37 GMT (UK)
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I am trying to trace this pilot, without success, mainly because I don't have any initials. He's mentioned in some detail in another officer's service record, but only as 'Lt Sedgwick'. Sedgwick was serving as 'a new pilot' at Abeele in France, arriving there in June 1916.
I tried looking on Forces War Records but unfortunately there are several Sedgwicks in the Royal Flying Corps!
I've also tried FindMyPast and Ancestry, but again without initials, it's impossible to tell which one he is.
Can anyone help, or suggest anything I haven't tried yet? The comments made about him suggest he was pretty young, perhaps 18-20?
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A very quick search suggests this is Lt Thomas Bowling Sedgwick born 21 Jul 1893. In
1914 1918 (see posting below) he was a probationary Flying Officer in the Royal Naval Air Service, not Royal Flying Corps. Officers did not have numbers. The RNAS and RFC combined in April 1918 to form the RAF. There a naval record card for him on FindMyPast along with a medal roll listing (extract below). He was admitted to the Millbank Military Hospital on October 1919 for an unspecified reason. At the time he was serving with the RAF Anti-Submarine Patrol.
There will be further details about his date of commission and any promotions in the London Gazette
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He's mentioned in some detail in another officer's service record, but only as 'Lt Sedgwick'. Sedgwick was serving as 'a new pilot' at Abeele in France, arriving there in June 1916.
Who was the "other officer" service record.
SS
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Forget my reference to him being a probationary flying officer in 1914. That was a misreading of the FindMyPast transcript. He was commissioned on 4 Jan 1918 and discharged due to ill health on 8 June 1920. There is a marginal note on his Navy record saying South African RNAS.
There is no immediate candidate having been born in the UK. There was a Thomas Sedgwick born in Preston Lancashire Qtr3 1893 (8E 622) but he appears to be the same man who appears in the 1939 Register with the date of birth 31 Jul 1893 a builder's labourer, married with a son, living at 8 Sussex Street, Preston. I doubt if this is the same man. The Preston man is most likely to have been Pte Thomas Sedgwick 13311 King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment during the First World War.
Your man is much more likely to be the Mr TB Sedgwick aged 23 who left London on the SS Grantully Castle on 8 Nov 1923, bound for Kilindini, Kenya.
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London Gazette entries below
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If Kilindini is right, this could be your man:
https://www.europeansineastafrica.co.uk/_site/custom/database/default.asp?a=viewIndividual&pid=2&person=10575
The webpage says...
Name: SEDGWICK, Tom Bowling
Nee: son of Edward William Sedgwick
Birth Date: 21 July 1892 Green Point, Cape Town
Death Date: 4 Dec 1968 Cape Town
First Date: 1922
Profession: BEA Corporation
Area: Voi
Married: Henrietta Maria b. 28 Oct 1910 Tarkastad, S. Africa, d. 13 May 2007 Constantiaberg, Cape
Children: Jerome (8 July 1940 Cape Town); Edward Anthony (26 Aug 1942 Cape Town)
Book Reference: KAD, Red 25, Hut, Thurston, Red 22
War Service: RAF
General Information:
Thurston - CO 533, 480/3 - 1936-37 - T. Sedgwick [sic]: petition regarding cotton licence
Red 22 - T.B. Sedgwick, BEA Corp, Voi
Gazette - 7/5/1929 - Expunged from Coast Register of Voters - Left Area - Tom Bowling Sedwick [sic] - BEA Corporation, Voi
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.....and this matches the London Gazette!
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I quite fancy a Leslie Pope Sedgwick. DOB 6.7.1891. See 1939 war register re Ex Flight Lt Instructor.
SS
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He's mentioned in some detail in another officer's service record, but only as 'Lt Sedgwick'. Sedgwick was serving as 'a new pilot' at Abeele in France, arriving there in June 1916.
Who was the "other officer" service record.
SS
The 'other officer' was Eric Lewis Conran, who was commanding the squadron at Abeele.
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I don't think it can be Tom Bowling Sedgwick (great name) because his RNAS record shows him beginning service in 1918, and the man I want was there as a new pilot in 1916. Also, I think 'my' Sedgwick would have been RFC not RNAS.
HOWEVER Leslie Pope Sedgwick arrived in France 10.3.1916 which is suggestive! I have got the reference for his service record and will check it out when I visit the NA next. Many thanks!
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I think softly softly's find is a better fit. Leslie Pope Sedgwick was commissioned into the East Surrey Regt in Sept 1915 and by the time of his marriage in August 1916 he is identified as being in the Royal Flying Corps. Tom Bowling Sedgwick, on the other hand, wasn't commissioned until 1918, so he couldn't have been in Abeele in 1916 as Lt.
In case Lesley Pope Sedgwick is also the wrong man, there is a 2Lt Leo Murray Sedgwick with the Canadian Army who appears to have been attached to the RFC, although this information is based solely on a note on Leslie Pope Sedgwick's RAF record card correcting an incorrect entry.
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Thank you! Do you have a link for L.P. Sedgwick's RAF record at TNA? I just got his army service record ref and his medal card.
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It's OK, I found it!
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HOWEVER Leslie Pope Sedgwick arrived in France 10.3.1916 which is suggestive! I have got the reference for his service record and will check it out when I visit the NA next. Many thanks!
His medal card says he arrived in France 13.3.1916.
He was commissioned into the 4th Battalion of the East Surrey Regiment. That Battalion remained in the UK throughout the war so he must transferred to the RFC by the time he went to France. Indeed his service record says that he joined the RFC School Reading on 8 September 1915. Under that entry is the date 13.3.1916 with no occurrence noted.
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I misread the date, you're quite right. Thank you for the point about the 4th East Surreys, that's helpful.
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Indeed his service record says that he joined the RFC School Reading on 8 September 1915. Under that entry is the date 13.3.1916 with no occurrence noted.
8 September 1915 was the start date of his army service. LPS was transferred to the RFC school at Reading on 13 March 1916.
Detail from his service record below:
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Yes you're right Shaun. The other bit below from his Army record is what led me astray.
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The 'other officer' was Eric Lewis Conran, who was commanding the squadron at Abeele.
Which squadron? I've seen mentions of 4 and 6 Squadrons at Abeele.
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According to McCudden, by then a Sergeant Pilot, who was reunited with Conran there, it was 29 Squadron. However, I can't see that squadron mentioned in LP Sedgwick's record?
Conran states that 'Lt Sedgwick' was a new pilot with little experience but natural talent.
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Lt. Francis Balfour Sedgwick - transferred to 29 Squadron on 30 June 1916
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There's a short biog of Francis Balfour Sedgwick on this thread: https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/162983-captain-f-b-sedgwick-raf/
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This must be the right Sedgwick at last! The dates fit. Thank you so much Shaun!
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His CWGC Record.
Captain FRANCIS BALFOUR SEDGWICK
Royal Air Force
No. 54 Training Depot Station
Date of Death18 October 1918
Age 22 years old
Buried at
BROOKWOOD CEMETERY
J. 181783.
Additional Info
Son of Professor Adam Sedgwick and Mrs. L. H. Sedgwick, of 10, Harrington Court, South Kensington, London.
Photo source Find a Grave,
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FRANCIS BALFOUR SEDGWICK. 1918-10-18: died in Camel, E-1417; when it stalled on its back, did a cartwheel and side-slipped into the ground.
Probate issued
Of 4 Alfred Place, South Kensington. Died 18.10.1918 at Ilford, Essex. Admin to Laura Helen Elizabeth Sedgwick, widow. Effects £300
Canadian Newspaper obituary.
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Lt. Francis Balfour Sedgwick - transferred to 29 Squadron on 30 June 1916
Hi Shaun
Could you possibly give me the NA citation number for this, as my search only brings up the card for his later (very brief) RAF history? I have got his service record reference, of course, as you mentioned, and will be reading it on my next visit.
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The National Archives reference is AIR 76/452/55
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D8224745
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Hi Shaun
Thank you -- I didn't scroll down far enough (facepalm)
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FRANCIS BALFOUR SEDGWICK. 1918-10-18: died in Camel, E-1417; when it stalled on its back, did a cartwheel and side-slipped into the ground.
Probate issued
Of 4 Alfred Place, South Kensington. Died 18.10.1918 at Ilford, Essex. Admin to Laura Helen Elizabeth Sedgwick, widow. Effects £300
Canadian Newspaper obituary.
Hi there, can you give me a citation for the newspaper obituary, please? Thank you!