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2nd.Lt. W. Turnbull
Royal Flying Corps 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."
