Australian Flying Corps

Members of No. 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, standing in front of one of their Sopwith Camel aircraft at Clamerais. C.1918 Image courtesy AWM, E02332.

A number of Coburg men joined the Australian Flying Corps, mostly as 2nd class air mechanics.

4^th Australian Flying Corps

HEATON, William Alfred , 1097, Private

NOY, James Clarence, 969, Acting Corporal

WILLIAMS, Victor James, 1133, Private

Australian Flying Corps (most were 2nd Class Air Mechanics)

ALLEN, George Keith, 3451

BARKER , Robert, 1428

BLISS, Frederick Roden, 2482

BRIDGLAND, Charles William Starling, 17302

BURBERRY, Frank, 2485

CAMPBELL, Donald, 3302

ELLSON, William, 2502

EVANSON, William, 3230

GIRAUD, Marius, 494

GLEESON, Harold Paul, 2699

JARVIE, Walter Keith, 2515

NEAL, Harold, 1777

POOLE, Philip Henry, 2643

REILLY, Robert, 316, Sergeant

ROGERS, Harry Malcomson, 2549

SWINBOURNE, Thomas Anthony, 1788

TOPPING, Frank Albert, 592, Private (of Croxton)

WILSON, Hector Allan, 955, Corporal (father was in Launceston)

WISHER, Leonard Stanley, 1329, Private

WINDMILL, Aubrey George Beddes, 2568

Royal Flying Corps

One man, 255 Private Thomas Henry Norman Powell, began his war as a member of the 2nd Field Ambulance. He was discharged from the AIF in 1917 to join the Royal Flying Corps so that he could become a pilot. 

He was appointed 2^nd Lieutenant when he graduated as a pilot on 16 March 1917 and died on 24 April 1917 in an accident. 

His dossier records that he died from ‘a fracture of the skull caused from falling from an aeroplane.’ The press version was that he was flying at Northolt Airfield, Ruislip, Middlesex, lost control of his aircraft and crashed. (Bendigo Advertiser, 30 April 1917, p.8)