orders, decorations, campaign medals and militaria - Spink

Major S.E. Adams
472
Pair: Major S.E. Adams, Royal Flying Corps and
Royal Air Force
British War and Victory Medals (Major S.E. Adams.
R.A.F.), minor official correction to BWM, good very
fine (2)
£240-280
Major Stanley Edward Adams born 1895; commissioned
Second Lieutenant, Royal Garrison Artillery; attached Royal
Flying Corps, October 1915; gaining his R.A.C. Aviators’
Certificate (no 2043), on a Maurice Farman Biplane, Castle
Bromwich,15.11.1915; after training posted as a Pilot to 18
Squadron (Vickers F. B5’s, replaced in April by F.E. 2b’s),
Auchel, France, March 1916; the squadron was mainly tasked
with photo reconnaissance and artillery co-operation; on
29.5.1916, ‘When on Artillery Patrol over Petit Sains at
8.40am, and about 8,000ft up we saw a hostile machine
coming towards us from Aix Noulette about 1,000ft above
us. I [Second Lieutenant C.W. Arkle, Observer] immediately
fired, in bursts, and he altered his course. By this time he was
above us right over head. We turned and my pilot “stalled”
the machine repeatedly so that I was able to fire at him. After
turning round several times he went off over Cite Calonne
and Lens. We followed until my drum was finished. Up to the
time he went he was firing at us, but did not hit the machine’,
Adams and Arkle were in action again later the same day, ‘At
9.10am while on Artillery Patrol, and about 8,000ft up, over
Souchez we saw a machine (hostile) coming over the line. We
immediately turned towards him. He was about 7,000ft and
I fired a burst. He then turned and went back at 9.15am. He
again tried to come over the lines. We immediately dived and
I fired in bursts until we were 200 yards off. He turned and I
fired the rest of my drum into him. The tracer bullets were
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not very good on this occasion but the few I saw appeared to
be going into the machine which dived and went in a
direction towards Fresnoy. We were unable to follow as there
were several other hostile machines above us; and we had
only one gun on the machine; and only one mounting’;
whilst on an Artillery Patrol with Lieutenant M.D.G. Scott as
his Observer, 22.6.1916, ‘We went up on H.A. duty at 2pm
and saw 13 hostile machines over Magnicourt from 7,000ft
to 10,000. I [Scott] immediately opened fire on the leading
machine when he was immediately above us. I had only fired
off about 10 shots when the hostile machine had passed. The
hostile machines were followed by one F.E. & 3 De
Havilland Scouts. The next machine I fired at was the last
while my pilot fired at the one next to it. After firing about a
drum and a half my gun mounting broke off, my gun fell to
the bottom of the nacelle, loosened the deflector bag &
jammed a round in the bolt guide. My pilot kept on firing.
While firing at the last machine I saw him turn round twice
& then put his nose down & go straight for their lines. By
this time all the hostile machines were over their own lines &
all our ammunition had been fired off - seven and half drums
in all’ (Combat Report refers); posted to 27 Squadron
(Elephants), Fienvillers, France, August 1916; he flew
bombing operations with the squadron throughout August-
September; after a period of service with Headquarters,
Adams was posted to 28 (Training) Squadron, April 1917; he
was serving as Lieutenant (Temporary Major) in the Middle
East when he contracted Malaria, July 1918; he was invalided
to the UK in September and was in and out of service until
passed permanently medically unfit, November 1919; during
that time he was serving at 4 T.D.S., Cheshire, 21.3.1919,
when he was involved in a flying accident, ‘taking off from a
forced landing, the pilot was unable to clear some high trees
and struck some with his wing tip’; Adams was admitted to
Altrincham General Hospital with serious injuries; discharged
November 1919.
473
Pair: Lieutenant J.L. Brewster, Royal Flying Corps
and Royal Air Force, A Camel Pilot Who Was Shot
Down and Killed, 21.5.1918
British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. J.L. Brewster.
R.A.F.), VM officially renamed, good very fine (2)
£160-200
Lieutenant Joseph Lamonby Brewster, born 1897; a native
of Hampshire he was employed as an engineer prior to the
Great War; joined the Royal Flying Corps as a Cadet, July
1917; commissioned Temporary Second Lieutenant (On
Probation), 8.11.1917; after training posted as a Pilot to 73
(Fighter) Squadron (Camels), Beavois, France, 1.5.1918; the
squadron mainly flew fighter patrols and bomber escort, and
on 21.5.1918 flying Sopwith Camel D6604 Brewster was last
seen east of Armentieres under control; he was reported
missing and later as killed in action, ‘Captain Hubbard and
Lieutenant Graham each shot down an EA but Drew-Brook
and JL Brewster were also brought down, the former being
reported a prisoner. They appeared to be the victims of
Leutnant Lehman and Leutnant Biebig, both of Jasta 5’;
Brewster has no known grave and is commemorated on the
Arras Memorial.