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- No. 53 Squadron Royal Flying Corps during the Great War -


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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

No. 53 Squadron Royal Flying Corps



   No. 53 Squadron formed on the 15th of May 1916 at Catterick as a training squadron, but proceeded to France in a reconnaissance role in December. It was redesignated No. 53 Squadron, Royal Air Force in April 1918.

15th May 1916   No. 53 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at Catterick on 15 May 1916 equipped with the Avro 504 trainer and FK8 reconnaissance aircraft. Originally it served as a training squadron, preparing pilots for other operational Squadrons.

11th December 1916 

January 1917 

February 1917 Artillery Support

April 1917 

5th June 1917 Aeroplanes grounded

25th Jun 1917 Aircraft Lost

7th July 1917 Air forces redeployed

23rd July 1917 Tactical exercise

2nd Oct 1917 Forced Landing

15th Feb 1918 On the Move

21st Feb 1918 On the Move

22nd Feb 1918 On the Move

23rd Feb 1918 On the Move

11th Mar 1918 Aircraft Downed

16th Mar 1918 Spies at Large

21st Mar 1918 Enemy Attack

24th Mar 1918 Retreat

25th Mar 1918 Retreat

25th Mar 1918 Retreat

26th Mar 1918 A Cushy Place

4th Apr 1918 On the Move

8th Apr 1918 On the Move

9th Apr 1918 Crashes and Fog

9th of April 1918 A Busy Day  location map

10th of April 1918 Under Attack  location map

11th of April 1918 Quiet...and then...  location map

12th of April 1918 Enemy Advances  location map

15th of April 1918 A Quiet Day  location map

June 1918 Practice Shoots

12 Jul 1918 Experiments

Oct 1918 On the Move

2nd Oct 1918 Aircraft Lost

8th Nov 1918 On the Move

23rd Dec 1918 On the Move

If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.





Want to know more about No. 53 Squadron Royal Flying Corps?


There are:35 items tagged No. 53 Squadron Royal Flying Corps available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.


Those known to have served with

No. 53 Squadron Royal Flying Corps

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Brooker Arthur Basil. Chap.
  • Kelly Oscar Ralph. 2nd Lt. (d.12th May 1917)
  • Rodocanachi Paul John. 2nd Lt. (d.29th Jul 1917)
  • Turnbull W.. 2nd.Lt. (d.12th Jun 1917)
  • Watt Norman. 2nd Lt. (d.29th Jul 1917)

All 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, please Add a Name to this List

Records of No. 53 Squadron Royal Flying Corps from other sources.


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  • 19th Nov 2024

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      World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great battalion regiment artillery
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1205533

2nd Lt. Oscar Ralph Kelly 53rd Sqd. (d.12th May 1917)

Oscar Kelly was commissioned into the Northumberland Fusiliers in 1916 and transferred to the RFC in May 1917. He was killed whilst on a photographic mission flying in an RE8 from Bailleul over the front lines near Messines, when his aircraft was shot down. He is buried at Oosttaverne Cemetery.





230787

2nd.Lt. W. Turnbull 53 Squadron (d.12th Jun 1917)

Looking for help to solve a mystery. We have here in the museum FAS at Wevelgem, Kortrijk Airport, east of Ypres, a engine Daimler from RE8. This engine was found in the soil of a farmer to Wijtschate back in 1972. The farmer is an uncle of my father. While editing the land with his machine bunched on this engine. The bomb service of the army came along and said that is was no bomb but an engine. The uncle of my father knew he was a private pilot, so my father went to collect that engine. While digging up the engine, it was damaged at the 12 cylinder. Now the engine is at the museum.

Facts : The engine was found in 1972 at Wijtschate, south of Ypres. The airplane was a RE8. It came down in 1917, told by the grandparents of the farmer, too bad we can ask nothing more, the are all dead. The only references that we have are those on the engine self, such as : Engine no: 12180 RAF Engine type No.4A MainFD by Daimler My question : Can you tell me the following : The serial number of the aircraft ? Who was the pilot and co pilot or gunner ? At which this unit flew ?

The Australian War Memorial informed us: "It is possible that your engine is from A4207, an RE8 of No 53 squadron RFC with crew of Second Lieutenant W Turnbull (pilot) and Lt WB Protheroe,(observer) both of whom were killed. A4207 aircraft was shot down by Vfw K Wittekind of Jasta 28, at 11.00am on 12 June 1917. This information comes from Norman Franks, Frank Bailey and Rick Duivens book The Jasta war Chronology - A complete listing of claims and losses August 1916-November 1918. This book is the most comprehensive source I know of for determining aircraft losses on both sides. As far as I could see, only one aircraft was listed as having crashed at Wijtschate during that year. However, a casualty report in AIR 1/968 lists the site of the crash as reported by the British as being at Warneton, some 5km south east (still pretty close). I am afraid I do not know of a listing that matches engine numbers with the aircraft in which they were fitted."

Engine Plate

Lorenzo Deschodt




224401

Chap. Arthur Basil Brooker att. 53 Squadron RFC Army Chaplains Dept.

Arthur Basil Brooker served as a Chaplain with 53 Squadron until December 7th 1917.

Gavin Scott-Brooker






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