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Royal Naval Air Service

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Not to be confused withRoyal Naval Air Station,used for theFleet Air Arm's bases.

Personnel of No 1 Squadron RNAS in late 1914

TheRoyal Naval Air Service(RNAS) was the air arm of theRoyal Navy,under the direction of the Admiralty'sAir Department,and existed formally from 1 July 1914[1]to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with theBritish Army'sRoyal Flying Corpsto form theRoyal Air Force(RAF), the world's first independent air force.

It was replaced by theFleet Air Arm,initially consisting of those RAF units that normally operated from ships, but emerging as a separate unit similar to the original RNAS by the time of theSecond World War.

History

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Background

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On 21 July 1908 CaptainReginald Bacon,who was a member of the Aerial Navigation Sub-Committee, submitted to theFirst Sea LordSir John Fisherthat a rigid airship based on theGermanZeppelinbe designed and constructed by the firm ofVickers.After much discussion on theCommittee of Imperial Defencethe suggestion was approved on 7 May 1909.[2]Though Bacon had been intended as the Superintendent of Construction, his departure from the Royal Navy in November 1909 saw the role fall to his protegee at the Naval Ordnance Department, CaptainMurray Sueter.Consequently Sueter was the first Royal Navy officer assigned to a naval air project.[3]

On 21 June 1910, Lt.George Cyril Colmorebecame the first qualified pilot in the Royal Navy. After completing training, which Colmore paid for out of his own pocket, he was issued withRoyal Aero ClubCertificate Number 15.[4]

In November 1910, the Royal Aero Club, thanks to one of its members,Francis McClean,offered the Royal Navy two aircraft with which to train its first pilots. The club also offered its members as instructors and the use of its airfield atEastchurchon theIsle of Sheppey.TheAdmiraltyaccepted and on 6 December theCommander-in-Chief, The Norepromulgated the scheme to the officers under his jurisdiction and requested that applicants be unmarried and able to pay the membership fees of the Royal Aero Club. The airfield became the Naval Flying School, Eastchurch.[5]Two hundred applications were received, and four were accepted: LieutenantC. R. Samson,LieutenantA. M. Longmore,Lieutenant A. Gregory and CaptainE. L. Gerrard,RMLI.[6]

Formation

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Commander C. Samsonof the RNAS takes off fromHMSHiberniain his modifiedShortsS.38 “hydro-aeroplane” to be the first pilot to take off from a ship underway at sea - 9 May 1912.

After prolonged discussion on the Committee of Imperial Defence, the Royal Flying Corps was constituted byRoyal Warranton 13 April 1912. It absorbed the nascent naval air detachment and also theAir Battalionof theRoyal Engineers.[7]It consisted of two wings with the Military Wing making up the Army element and Naval Wing, under Commander C. R. Samson. A Central Flying School staffed by officers and men of both the navy and the army was created atUpavonfor the pilot training of both wings, and opened on 19 June 1912 under the command of CaptainGodfrey Paine,a naval officer.[8]The Naval Wing, by the terms of its inception was permitted to carry out experimentation at its flying school at Eastchurch.[9]The Royal Flying Corps, although formed of two separate branches, allowed for direct entry to either branch through a joint Special Reserve of Officers, although soon the Navy inducted new entries into theRoyal Naval Reserve.[10]In the summer of 1912, in recognition of the air branch's expansion, CaptainMurray Sueterwas appointed Director of the newly formedAir Departmentat the Admiralty.[11]Sueter's remit as outlined in September 1912 stated that he was responsible to the Admiralty for "all matters connected with the Naval Air Service."[12]

In the same month as the Air Department was set up, four naval seaplanes participated inArmy Manoeuvres.In 1913 a seaplane base on theIsle of Grainand an airship base atKingsnorthwere approved for construction. The same year provision was made in the naval estimates for eight airfields to be constructed,[13]and for the first time aircraft participated in manoeuvres with the Royal Navy, using the converted cruiserHermesas a seaplane carrier.[14]On 16 April ten officers of the naval service graduated from the Central Flying School.[15]As of 7 June 44 officers and 105 other ranks had been trained at the Central Flying School and at Eastchurch, and 35 officers and men had been trained in airship work.[16]Three non-rigid airships built for the army, theWillows,Astra-Torresand theParsevalwere taken over by the navy.[17]On 1 July 1914, the Admiralty made the Royal Naval Air Service, forming the Naval Wing of the Royal Flying Corps, part of the Military Branch of the Royal Navy.[18][19]Promotions to the rank were first gazetted on 30 June 1914.[20]

First World War

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Sopwith Triplanes from No. 1 (Naval) Squadron, in Bailleul, France. The aircraft nearest the camera (N5454) was primarily flown by aceRichard Minifie.

By the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, the RNAS had 93 aircraft, six airships, two balloons and 727 personnel.[21][22]The Navy maintained twelveairshipstations around the coast of Britain fromLongside,Aberdeenshire,in the northeast toAngleseyin the west. On 1 August 1915 the Royal Naval Air Service officially came under the control of the Royal Navy.[23]In addition to seaplanes, carrier-borne aircraft, and other aircraft with a legitimate "naval" application the RNAS also maintained several crack fighter squadrons on the Western Front, as well as allocating scarce resources to an independent strategic bombing force at a time when such operations were highly speculative.Inter-service rivalryeven affected aircraft procurement. Urgently requiredSopwith 1½ Struttertwo-seaters had to be transferred from the planned RNAS strategic bombing force to RFC squadrons on the Western Front because the Sopwith firm were contracted to supply the RNAS exclusively. This situation continued, although most of Sopwith's post-1915 products were not designed specifically as naval aircraft. Thus RNAS fighter squadrons obtainedSopwith Pupfighters months before the RFC, and then replaced these first withSopwith Triplanesand thenCamelswhile the hard-pressed RFC squadrons soldiered on with their obsolescent Pups.[24]

RNAS officer dropping a bomb from aSSZ class airshipduring the First World War.

On 23 June 1917, after theSecond Battle of Gaza,RNAS aircraft attackedTulkarmin theJudean Hills.[25]

On 1 April 1918, the RNAS was merged with the RFC to form theRoyal Air Force.

At the time of the merger, the Navy's air service had 55,066 officers and men, 2,949 aircraft,[26]103 airships and 126 coastal stations.

The RNAS squadrons were absorbed into the new structure, individual squadrons receiving new squadron numbers by effectively adding 200 to the number so No. 1 Squadron RNAS (a famous fighter squadron) becameNo. 201 Squadron RAF.

The Royal Navy regained its own air service in 1937, when theFleet Air Armof the Royal Air Force (covering carrier borne aircraft, but not the seaplanes and maritime reconnaissance aircraft ofCoastal Command) was returned to Admiralty control and renamed the Naval Air Branch. In 1952, the service returned to its pre-1937 name of the Fleet Air Arm.

Roles and missions

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The main "naval" roles of the RNAS (ignoring for the minute the service's direct field "support" of the RFC) were fleet reconnaissance, patrolling coasts for enemyshipsandsubmarines,and attacking enemy coastal territory. The RNAS systematically searched 4,000 square miles (10,000 km2) of the Channel, the North Sea and the vicinity of the Strait of Gibraltar for U-boats. In 1917 alone, they sighted 175 U-boats and attacked 107. Because of the technology of the time the attacks were not very successful in terms of submarines sunk, but the sightings greatly assisted the Navy's surface fleets in combatting the enemy submarines.

It was the RNAS which provided much of the mobile cover usingarmoured cars,during the withdrawal fromAntwerpto theYser,in 1914 (see RNAS Armoured Car Section below). Later in the war, squadrons of the RNAS were sent toFranceto directly support the RFC. The RNAS was also at one stage entrusted with the air defence of London. This led to its raids on airship stations in Germany, in places as far from the sea as the manufacturing site atFriedrichshafen.

Before techniques were developed fortaking off and landing on ships,the RNAS had to useseaplanesin order to operate at sea. Beginning with experiments on the old cruiserHMSHermes,specialseaplane tenderswere developed to support these aircraft. It was from these ships thata raidon Zeppelin bases atCuxhaven,Nordholz AirbaseandWilhelmshavenwas launched on Christmas Day of 1914. This was the first attack by British ship-borne aircraft; the first ship-borne aircraft raid was launched by theJapanese seaplane carrierWakamiyaon 6 September. A chain of coastal air stations was also constructed. This was followed with theTondern raid,again against Zeppelins, which was the first instance of carrier launched aircraft.

Notable personnel

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Raymond Collishaw
Roderic Dallas
Archie Low
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Squadron CommanderE. H. Dunningattempting to land hisSopwith Pupon the flying-off deck ofHMSFurious,Scapa Flow,7 August 1917. He was killed on another attempt later that day when his aircraft veered off the flight deck and into the sea.
  • HMSHermes,alight cruiserconverted into a seaplane carrier.[30]Sunk byGerman U-boat U-27on 31 October 1914.[31]
  • HMSEmpress,HMSEngadine,HMSRiviera,HMSVindexandHMSManxman,all converted Channel ferries. The first three ships each carrying three seaplanes were the "striking force" of the first naval air attack, the raid onCuxhavenon 25 December 1914. HMSVindexhad a take-off ramp fitted and was the first operational ship to launch a wheeled aircraft.
  • HMSBen-my-Chree,a fast Isle of Man ferry converted to a seaplane carrier that served in theGallipoli Campaign.Ben-My-Chreesupplied the aircraft that made the first successfulaerial torpedoattack against ships. A Short seaplane flown by Flt Cdr C. H. K. Edmonds carried a 14-inch torpedo between the floats which was dropped from a height of 15 feet, hitting and sinking a Turkish ship.Ben-my-Chreewas sunk by Turkish artillery in 1917, but without loss of life.
  • HMSArk Royalalso served at Gallipoli, and continued service after 1918. She was renamedPegasusin 1934, to release the name for the new modern aircraft carrierArk Royal.
  • HMSCampaniawas an ex-Cunardliner.[32]Although she was much larger than those before her, the 120 foot take-off ramp was not sufficient for wheeled aircraft to take off. She sank in theFirth of Forth5 November 1918, after a collision[33]withHMSRoyal Oak.
  • HMSManica,a converted tramp steamer equipped with the Navy's first kite balloon observation platform for gunnery spotting during the Dardanelles campaign.
  • HMSNairana,a converted passenger ship with a take-off ramp.[34]
  • HMSFurious,a convertedbattlecruiser,with an 18-inch gun aft and a flying-off deck forward. She was rebuilt as a through-deck carrier after 1918 and served inWorld War II.
  • HMSArgus,laid down as theItalianlinerConte Rossoin 1914, was completed as a carrier with a full flight deck in September 1918.

Armoured Car Division

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RNAS armoured cars during theBattle of Gallipoli,1915.

The first informal use of armoured cars by the RNAS was when CommanderCharles Samson,on withdrawing The Eastchurch Squadron from Antwerp to Dunkirk, used the squadrons unarmoured touring cars to provide line of communications security and to pick up aircrew who had been forced to land in hostile territory. Commander Samson's younger brother Felix saw the possibilities when he armed one car with aMaxim gunand ambushed a German car nearCasselon 4 September 1914. Commander Samson then had a shipbuilder in Dunkirk, Forges et Chantiers de France, add boilerplate to his Rolls-Royce and Mercedes vehicles.[35]

The Admiralty set up the UK's first mechanised armoured land force,The Naval Airmans Armoured Car Force,[citation needed]to support the Marine Battalions fighting as infantry in France and Flanders. Established with 60 fighting vehicles in September 1914, 18 x Rolls Royce, 21 x Clement-Talbot and 21 Wolsey armoured cars supported by 40 non-fighting vehicles, 4 x Wolsey ambulances, 8 x cars to carry spare parts, 8 x general service cars and 20 lorries it had its headquarters in 48 Dover Street, London and Depot at Wormwood Scrubs.[36]

By November 1914 the Force had become theRoyal Naval Armoured Car Division (RNACD)with a planned expansion to 23 squadrons. In the end it mustered 20 active squadrons, 3 equipped with armoured cars, 7 with mixed armoured cars and lorries, 5 with motorcycle-combinations, 3 with armoured lorries, 1 experimental squadron (No.20) and an emergency squadron formed in Alexandria using armoured car sections from N.. 3 and 4 Squadrons not landed in the Dardanelles.

As trench warfare developed, the armoured cars could no longer operate on theWestern Frontand were redeployed to other theatres including theMiddle East,RomaniaandRussia.In the summer of 1915 the 12 squadrons were disbanded and the army took over control of 4 squadrons of armoured cars, with the units coming under the command of the Motor Branch of theMachine Gun Corps.[37]

On formation in December No. 1 Squadron was put on defence of the East Coast.[38]No 2, commanded byHugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster,arrived in France in March 1915. The firepower of the Armoured Cars was reinforced bySeabrook lorries(three per squadron) armed with 3-pounderHotchkissguns.[38]

No 3 and No. 4 Squadron, with Rolls Royce Armoured Cars were sent toGallipolibut spent most of their time there protected in trenches until they were removed to Egypt - where the terrain was more favourable - to protectthe canaland operate in theWestern Desert. Squadrons of the RNACD were used inGerman South West Africa(Rolls Royce Armoured Cars) and inBritish East Africa(Lanchester Armoured Carswith British ArmyLeylandlorries, later reinforced with a section of Rolls Royce from SW Africa).[38]

In 1915, a RN armed steamer theSSTaraand SSMoorinahad been sunk off the North African coast by the German submarineU-35,he survivors had ended up in Senousi hands and taken inland toBir Hakiem.In 1916 the Duke of Westminister took a force of nine armoured cars, three Ford cars with Lewis gun armament, and 28 other cars and ambulances ona operation to recover them.[38]After travelling 100 miles across the desert, the column reached the location where the Senousi gave up the captives without a fight.[39]

The Russian Armoured Car Divisionconsisted of 3 squadrons formed from 15 and 17 Squadrons plus volunteers from disbanded units underOliver Locker-Lampson,sent to Russia in 1915, the Caucasus in 1916 and Galicia in 1917. It was transferred to Royal marines' control in November 1917 before leaving Russia in early 1918.

However, RNAS experience of the Western Front would not be lost,No. 20 Squadron RNASwas retained under Naval control to further develop armoured vehicles for land battle, these personnel later becoming the nucleus of the team working under theLandship Committeethat developed thefirst tanks.

The RAF later inherited some ex-RNAS armoured cars left in the Middle East, and during theSecond World War,theNumber 1 Armoured Car Company RAFplayed an important role in the defence ofRAF Habbaniyawhenthe base was attacked by Iraqi nationalists.

Bases and stations

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England

Organisations

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Unlike the RFC, the RNAS was organised on a non-central basis so there were several No 1 Squadrons. Even wings numbers were not consistently given to the same unit, so there are many exceptions in historic data.

At the start of the war there were three wings 1, 2 and 3. As the war progressed, other wings were formed.

  • Wing 1 was on both sides of theEnglish Channelin 1914.
  • Wings 2 and 3 were sent to theDardanellesfor theGallipoli Campaign,but Wing 3 was disbanded when the campaign finished and was absorbed into Wing 2 for service inSalonika.
  • Wing 3 was reformed in 1916 forstrategic bombing,disbanded in 1917.
  • Wings 4 and 5 were expanded from Wing 1, the former being fighters and the latter having bombing duties.
  • Wing 6 was formed for patrolling theAdriatic Sea,but was expanded toMaltaby 1918.

Squadrons serving in France were given numbers from 1 to 17. At the formation of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918, they became 201 to 217 squadrons of the RAF.

Squadrons serving in the Eastern Mediterranean were given letters (A to G, and Z).

In 1918, Squadron A became Squadron 222; Squadron B became Squadron 223; Squadron C became Squadron 220; and Squadron D became Squadron 221, all of the RAF. Squadron Z was transferred to the RoyalGreek Navy.

Ranks

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Officer ranks

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In the RNAS both pilots and observers held appointments as well as their normal Royal Navy ranks, and wore insignia appropriate to the appointment instead of the rank. The insignia consisted of standard Royal Navy cuff stripes corresponding to their normal ranks, surmounted by an eagle (for pilots) or a winged letter "O" (for observers). In addition, Squadron Commanders and Squadron Observers with less than eight years' seniority had their insignia surmounted by two eight-pointed stars, one above the other, while Flight Commanders and Flight Observers had their insignia surmounted by one such star.

Rank group General / flag officers Senior officers Junior officers
Royal Naval Air Service
(1914–April 1918)
Squadron Commander
(less than 8 years seniority) 		Flight Commander Flight Lieutenant
Squadron Observer
(less than 8 years seniority) 		Flight Observer Observer Lieutenant
Wing Captain Wing Commander
 Squadron Commander
(more than 8 years seniority)
 Flight Sub-Lieutenant
 Officer Cadet
Wing Observer Squadron Observer
(more than 8 years seniority) 		Observer Sub-Lieutenant

After the RNAS merged with theRoyal Flying Corpsto form the Royal Air Force in 1918, the RNAS pilot appointments became the basis of certainRAF officer ranks,most notablyWing CommanderandFlight Lieutenant.

Other ranks

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The following grades were introduced forother ranksin the RNAS and were announced in theLondon Gazettein 1914.[69][footnotes 1]

Rank group Senior NCOs Junior NCOs Enlisted
Royal Naval Air Service
(1914–April 1918)
2 golden cuff buttons, and a golden eagle pin on the collar
Chief Petty Officer Mechanic, 1st Grade Chief Petty Officer Mechanic, 2nd Grade Chief Petty Officer Mechanic, 3rd Grade
Petty Officer Mechanic Leading Mechanic Air Mechanic, 1st Class Air Mechanic, 1st Class (acting) Air Mechanic, 2nd Class

See also

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Footnotes

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  1. ^A comparison of these ratings with the equivalent ranks in the RFC and RAF appeared in Air Ministry Weekly Order 109 of 1921.[70]

Notes

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  1. ^Admiralty Circular CW.13963/14, 1 July 1914: "Royal Naval Air Service – Organisation"
  2. ^Roskill 1969,p. 6.
  3. ^"Airships and Aviation in Barrow".BAE Systems.28 August 2023.Retrieved28 August2023.
  4. ^Barber 2010,p. 5.
  5. ^Gollin 1989,p. 168.
  6. ^Roskill 1969,p. 33.
  7. ^Roskill 1969,p. 37.
  8. ^Roskill 1969,p. 38.
  9. ^Roskill 1969,p. 35.
  10. ^Roskill 1969,p. 44.
  11. ^Roskill 1969,p. 56.
  12. ^Roskill 1969,p. 60.
  13. ^Roskill 1969,p. 70.
  14. ^Roskill 1969,p. 138.
  15. ^Roskill 1969,pp. 86–87.
  16. ^Roskill 1969,p. 99.
  17. ^Roskill 1969,p. 102.
  18. ^Roskill 1969,p. 156.
  19. ^Spooner, Stanley,ed. (26 June 1914)."Royal Naval Air Service Reorganisation".Flight.VI(287): 686.Retrieved27 June2021.
  20. ^"No. 28845".The London Gazette.30 June 1914. p. 5070.
  21. ^Layman 2002,p. 206.
  22. ^In the biography of his father,Winston Churchill,Randolph S. Churchillgives the following breakdown: "At the outbreak of war... there were 39 aeroplanes, 52 seaplanes, a few small airships and about 120 pilots"Churchill, Randolph.Winston S. Churchill, Vol. II.p. 697.
  23. ^Roskill 1969,pp. 212–213.
  24. ^*Lee, Arthur Gould (1968).No Parachute.Harrolds.
  25. ^Cutlack 1941,pp. 65–66.
  26. ^Roskill 1969,p. 747.
  27. ^Field, Leslie. (1983).Bendor. The Golden Duke of Westminster.Weidenfeld & Nicolson. p134
  28. ^"To receive a Bar to the Distinguished Service Order".London Gazette.16 March 1918.Retrieved31 May2010.
  29. ^"John Weston – 1872–1950 – Pioneer Aviator and Overland Traveller".johnwestonaviator.co.uk.Retrieved26 May2018.
  30. ^Lardas 2016,p. 6.
  31. ^Lardas 2016,p. 19.
  32. ^Lardas 2016,p. 7.
  33. ^Lardas 2016,p. 32.
  34. ^Lardas 2016,p. 34.
  35. ^Bartholemew 1988,p. 13.
  36. ^Fletcher, David (1987).War Cars. British Armoured cars in the First World war.PO Box 276, London SW8 5DT: HMSO Publications Centre. pp. 14–18.ISBN0 11 290439 4.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location (link)
  37. ^Bartholemew 1988,p. 18.
  38. ^abcdDuncan a
  39. ^"HMS Tara (+1915)".wrecksite.eu.
  40. ^"Aldeburgh".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  41. ^"Atwick (Hornsea)".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  42. ^"Bacton".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  43. ^"Calshot".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  44. ^"Chingford".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  45. ^"Covehithe".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  46. ^"Cranwell (including Cranwell North)".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  47. ^"Detling".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  48. ^"Dover (Guston Road)".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  49. ^"Eastbourne I".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  50. ^"Eastchurch (Landplane)".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  51. ^"Fairlop".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  52. ^ab"Felixstowe".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  53. ^"Goldhanger".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  54. ^"Gosport (Fort Grange)".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  55. ^"Hendon".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  56. ^"Lee-on-Solent".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  57. ^"Pulham".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  58. ^"Walmer".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  59. ^"Yiewsley - About the Stockley Depot". Middlesex & Buckinghamshire Advertiser and The Uxbridge Gazette. 29 October 1920. p. 5.
  60. ^"Wormwood Scrubs".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  61. ^"Yarmouth".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  62. ^"Caldale (also Kite Balloon Base) (Kirkwall)".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  63. ^"East Fortune".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  64. ^"Loch Doon".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  65. ^"Longside (Lenabo)".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  66. ^"Scapa (also Kite Balloon Base)".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  67. ^"Turnhouse (Edinburgh)".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  68. ^"Fishguard".Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust.Retrieved4 April2022.
  69. ^"No. 28852".The London Gazette.24 July 1914. pp. 5751–5753.
  70. ^"RAF ORs and equivalents in RNAS and RFC, reproduced from Air Ministry Weekly Order 109 of 1921".Retrieved16 September2017.

References

[edit]
  • Bartholemew, E. (1988),Early Armoured Cars,Shire Publications
  • Cutlack, F. M.(1941),The Australian Flying Corps in the Western and Eastern Theatres of War, 1914–1918,Official History of Australia in the War of 1914–1918, vol. VIII (11th ed.), Canberra: Australian War Memorial,OCLC220899617
  • Duncan, Major-general N. W.Early Armoured Cars.AFV Profile No 9. Windsor: Profile Publishing.
  • Gollin, Alfred(1989),The Impact of Air Power on the British People and Their Government, 1909–14,Stanford: Stanford University Press,ISBN0-8047-1591-2
  • Layman, R.D. (2002),Naval Aviation and the First World War: Its Impact and Influence,London: Caxton Editions,ISBN1-84067-314-1
  • Popham, Hugh (1969),Into Wind,London: Hamish Hamilton
  • Roskill, Stephen Wentworth (1969),Documents Relating to the Naval Air Service: 1908–1918,vol. I, London: Navy Records Society
  • Barber, Mark (2010),Royal Naval Air Service Pilot 1914-18,Osprey Publishing,ISBN9781846039492
  • Lardas, Mark (2016),World War I Seaplane and Aircraft Carriers, New Vanguard 238,Osprey Publishing,ISBN9781472813787
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