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Farnborough Aerodrome (RAE)
9th August 1914 Royal Flying Corps HQ moves to France
15th August 1914 Aircraft Park moves to France
7th October 1914 Squadron rushed to Belgium
1st March 1915 Squadron Formed
11th Oct 1915 No 31 Squadron was formed at Farnborough on 11 October 1915 as a single flight and was sent to Risalpur on the North west frontier of India via Bombay, arriving on 26th of December. http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafmarham/aboutus/31sqnhistory.cfm
22nd April 1916 New Squadron formed No 70 Squadron formed at Farnborough on the 22nd of April 1916 as a fighter squadron. However an urgent search at all Home Establishment aerodromes produced only twelve aircraft suitable for service at the front. The situation was so bad for the RFC that the Commander of the RFC, Hugh Trenchard, then sent an urgent appeal to the Admiralty for aircraft. The Admiralty responded by releasing a number of the new Sopwith 1 ½ Strutters to the RFC and these were used to provide 70 Squadron with a first flight of aircraft.
Most of the airmen selected had previous operational experience and, such was the urgency to get more aircraft onto the front line, each flight proceeded to Fienvillers in France as soon as there were sufficient machines and men available. ‘A’ Flight flew to France on 24 May 1916, with ‘B’ Flight following them on the 23rd June and ‘C’ Flight in July.
When introduced into service with the Navy in February 1916, the Strutter had been the most capable aircraft in service, the first British aircraft with a machine gun synchronised to fire through the propellor. This forward firing gun combined with a rear mounted Lewis gun provided it with reasonable protection for its long range work particularly when operating in formation. However by the time 70 Squadron arrived on the Western Front the German Albatros had appeared with markedly superior performance. The Strutter was simply too slow and the stable design was not agile enough for dogfighting. Consequently, although intended as a fighter squadron, No.70 was more commonly used for reconnaissance. More info.
11th December 1916
January 1917
22nd February 1917 New Squadron assembled
12th July 1917 Squadron deployed
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Those known to have served at Farnborough Aerodrome (RAE) during the Great War 1914-1918. The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
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