Unknown british officer (maybe pilot) stranded in France in July 1918.

[maiwennb]

Hello,

I've found a death certificate in Bretagne (France) which concerns an english soldier found on the beach on the 21. of July 1918. There is a full description of the uniform so I'm curious and would like to find more information on that man. There is his registration on the coat so maybe it can be helpfull

Here is the translation of the main informations of the certificate :

Le Guilvinec, Finistère (France).

On the 21. July 1918 was found on the beach an unknown body, which is supposed to be an stranded english officer, male, about 40., strong build and taller than the ordinary, shaved face, almost bald, brown haired on the occipital part of the skull. He was dressed with :
- a life jacket made of gray yellow lining cloth, with copper press-studs marked "Made in England"
- a second jacket made of marine blue sheet, with two rows of four golden buttons, wearing an eagle surmonted with a cap marked "Gibres L 1" at the obverse
- a fine white sheet shirt with fake turned-down collar marked number 816
- a black silk tie
- a dark gray sheet trousers
- dark green socks
- a shoe with rubber tread type Richelieu
- fine cellular linen underpants

He was holding a bronze signals pistol, trademark Webley Soff 2d London Birmingham 116, numbered 28390, and he was holding a rocket and a threaded iron canister.

The men who found him supposed he was an english or american pilot officer. It could be an plain accident because the battlefront was far away...

The certificate is also available on my blog in french.

With these informations (registration, gun number) can we try to trace out this soldier ?

Thanks a lot for your help and informations !

Maïwenn
Geneanet
Blog

[Gwil]

Hello Maiwenn

I think that it could possibly be this RAF Officer buried localy in Guilvinec Communal Cemetery on 6/7/1918.

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=325642

Gwil

Edit
I have read the post again and now realise that the above was buried before the date the body was found. 

Edit2
On second thoughts it is the death date that is on the CWGC site and not a burial date so he could have been killed/missing that date and washed up 2 weeks later.
If you are able to look up the Burial Record for the Cemetery maybe that would help.
For further info re 2nd Lt Hendry see item 359 on this site.
http://www.auction-net.co.uk/viewAuction.php?id=493&offset=350&PHPSESSID=594ff2643ef05b3988df1d4e60c74550

[maiwennb]

Thanks a lot for the links, I was looking for such a site but hadn't find one. I will try to find informations on the burial date, see if it matches.

Other lists give me extra informations on the gun : the Very pistol.

I will explore this leads...

Kind regards,

Maïwenn

[Gwil]

Hello Maiwenn

The following information is from a book called Airmen who Died in the Great War and has been supplied by members of the Great War Forum.
"He was killed in the crash of Short 184 serial N2963 on anti-submarine patrol over the English Channel. His pilot, Lt C.W.Capes, was also killed but his body was not recovered or, at least, not recovered and identified."

Please let us know how you get on with your enquiries.

Gwil

[greenacre1]

Hello
I have just come across your post, if this is James Claud Scott Hendry, and I think that it might have been, although the dates do not quite match died 6 /7/1918 and your certificate says 21/7/1918 plus I'm not sure he was a tall man... He was the husband of my husband's great aunt Florence Greenacre. They married 23/10/1915 in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. I had been wondering why I could not find a death registration for him. He was born 25th September 1887 and if you would like a copy of a photograph of him I'm sure I could manage to figure out how to send it to you.
Thank you for finding this information, it has made my day finding it!
 
Best wishes

[Stephen Nulty]

Information extracted from from AIR76 records.

James Claud Scott Henry, DoB 25/09/1887
Resident at 3, Cuthbert Place, Kilmarnock, Scotland
Next of Kin: Wife Mrs M F Henry, c/o Lloyds Bank

Stationed at RAF Isles of Scilly
On 13/07/1918 Posted missing on 06/07/1918
On 21/03/1919 Status updated to “killed”

Previously Petty Officer/Telegraphist with RN. Attached C in C. Since joining RNAS, instructional and experimental work at Eastchurch CFS and Cranwell. Senior NCO Instructor W/T. Qualified Pilot, Qualified Observer.

Awarded Albert Medal.

Grain from 07/05/1917 WT Duties
Eastchurch from 02/07/1917
To Scilly Isles 24/09/1917 WT Duties

[greenacre1]

Thank you so much for that information. Especially the address they were living as there has been some discussion about stories that Florrie told regarding their life and where they lived, which doesn't ring true with what I have found out about the Hendry family, unless there is something that I have missed. His father Cochrane Scott Hendry was a commercial traveller, flour dealer and general shop assistant and his mother was Edith L Selig, her father was a Louis Selig and he was a toy merchant in Liverpool. He is described as German, naturalised British subject born Boyenburg. Florrie described a life of luxury and I'm not sure this fits...
Thanks again and best wishes

Jayne

[greenacre1]

I just wondered ifanyone knows if I could find out what instructional/ experimental work Claud was doing in the war, especially as aviation was in its infancy... what brave men they were?

Jayne