orders, decorations, campaign medals and militaria - Spink

November 22, 2012 - LoNdoN
and dived upon the hostile machine and fired about 30
rounds with my Vickers gun. The hostile machine turned off
to the left and went straight down’; on 21.9.1917, in combat
with an Albatros two-seater over Pobreg, ‘I went up in
response to a message received to the effect that an enemy
machine was doing a shoot. Upon reaching 12,500ft. I saw
the machine above me at about 15,000ft. I followed up
underneath it climbing, and when I got to about 13,500ft. I
opened fire with my vertical gun with the object of chasing it
off as quickly as possible. I exhausted all my top gun
ammunition without accomplishing that purpose and I then
climbed up to 15,000ft and engaged with my Vickers. The
enemy machine immediately turned about and went off over
the enemy lines. I followed firing but eventually lost the
machine owing to its superior speed. I continued to patrol
no-mans land for about 30 minutes after the above
mentioned occurance but the enemy machine did not come
across the lines again’; on 24.1.1918 when on escort duties,
‘I observed an enemy machine attacking one of the machines
of the formation. I dived upon it and fired 30 rounds. The
shots appeared to be entering the machine. The enemy
turned and came straight for my machine almost colliding. It
then went straight off in the direction of the enemy
aerodrome’; appointed Temporary Captain and Flight
Commander, 12.2.1918; as part of the fighter flight of 47
Squadron Scales transferred to form and command “C”
Flight 150 Squadron (Sopwith Camel’s), Kirec, Macedonia,
May 1918; and on 8.6.1918 over Cestovo, ‘I left the ground
in response to a Zepp message to the effect that 2 E.A. were
over Lake Ardzan at 12.20 hours. I proceeded straight to the
lines and picked up the machines at about 14,000ft. I
climbed to within 1,000ft of one of the machines when the
observer opened fire. I side-slipped away as I did not consider
I was close enough to engage successfully. When I reached
E.A.’s height I attacked from the right flank but had great
difficulty in getting guns to fire and when they did it was very
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fitful until they stopped altogether. The E.A. was firing at me
so I had to break off. I then endeavoured to get my guns
right meanwhile climbing to 18,000ft but was unsuccessful. I
had about 500 ft in height above E.A. so I dived on him three
or four times but I as I could not get guns to fire I turned to
our lines. E.A. went down over Hudova aerodrome.
Upon landing I examined my C.C. gear and found that the
solder making joint between copper pipe and trigger motor
had cracked and admitted air. The fact that my propeller was
shot through proves that to be the cause of the failure’; on
12.6.1918 Scales took off to take part in bomber escort
duties, whilst he was gaining height near Kirec aerodrome the
machine suddenly crashed to earth and he was killed, ‘His
loss was keenly felt by all those in 47 who had flown with
him. Tall, always immaculate, generous to a degree, and a
keen flier who sought the most dangerous jobs, Captain
Scales was a loss to the Air Force’ (Over The Balkans And
South Russia, refers); Scales is buried in Sarigol Military
Cemetery, Greece.
Lieutenant John W. Henry Scales, born Surrey; enlisted as
Trooper, City of London Yeomanry (Roughriders),
September 1914; transferred Lance-Corporal, Army Service
Corps, December 1914; served in the Egyptian Theatre of
War, from 11.4.1915, and subsequently served as a Driver
with the Light Armoured Car Brigade, from May 1916;
commissioned Temporary Second Lieutenant (On
Probation), Royal Flying Corps, 27.2.1917; undertook his
training in Egypt and was posted as a Pilot to 9 Squadron
(R.E. 8’s), Proven, France, March 1918; subsequently posted
to 52 Squadron (R.E. 8’s), Savy, France; the squadron was
mainly tasked with reconnaissance, and on 27.9.1918 Scales
was wounded in the arm by machine gun fire carrying out
such an operation; he was invalided back the UK; discharged
April 1919.