THE HEROIC DEAD
‘Those who die for their country,’ says the author of _The Wrack of
the Storm_, ‘must not be numbered with the dead.... This death, on the
field of battle, in the clash of glory, becomes more beautiful than
birth, and exhales a grace greater than that of love. No life will
ever give what their youth is offering us, that youth that gives, in
one moment, the days and the years that lay before it. There is no
sacrifice to be compared with that which they have made; for which
reason there is no glory that can soar so high as theirs, no gratitude
that can surpass the gratitude which we owe them. They have not only a
right to the foremost place in our memories: they have a right to all
our memories and to everything that we are, since we exist only through
them.’
Amongst the heroic aviators who have made the supreme sacrifice is
Lieutenant William Herbert Stuart Garnett, R.F.C., who was killed
while making a flight. While still at the university, Mr. Garnett, who
in 1903 took a First Class in the Mechanical Science Tripos, wrote a
book on the turbine engine, which went through several editions, and
was translated into German. After a brief spell as a master at Eton, he
was called to the Bar, and though he did not practise, he produced a
valuable book on ‘Children and the Law.’ Mr. Garnett had made a special
study of the National Insurance Act, and joined the legal department of
the Commission when it was set up. On the outbreak of war he joined the
R.N.V.R., and did valuable work in mine-sweeping for nearly a year. He
was a son of Dr. William Garnett, the eminent educationalist.
Many other men of high promise have made the great sacrifice. Captain
Keith Lucas, R.F.C., who was killed in a flying accident on October 5,
1916, had already acquired a world-wide reputation as one of the most
promising physiologists of the younger generation. Captain Lucas was
born in 1879, was the son of Francis Robert Lucas, and was educated
at Rugby and Trinity College, Cambridge, of which he became a Fellow
in 1904. He was elected F.R.S. in 1913, and was invited to give the
Croonian lecture to the Royal Society even a year before his election
to it. Before the war he was fully engaged in both teaching and
research work at Cambridge, and was, moreover, one of the directors
of the Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company. But on the outbreak
of war all this was put aside in order that he might devote his rare
instrumental skill and inventiveness to the Flying Services.
Lieutenant Anderson Mann, R.F.C., who lost his life whilst on active
service on August 9, 1916, was twenty-one years of age, and was
educated at Ardvreck, Charterhouse and Trinity College, Cambridge. Mr.
Mann was the best rifle shot of his year in the Public Schools. On the
outbreak of war he was gazetted to the Scottish Rifles, and joined the
R.F.C. in March last. Shortly afterwards he and his pilot distinguished
themselves by bringing down eight German aeroplanes in seven days.
They were each awarded the Military Cross for consistent gallantry
and skill. Mr. Mann was the eldest son of Mr. John Mann, chartered
accountant, of Glasgow and London.
Captain Leslie Charles, R.F.C., who was killed in action on July
30, 1916, was the second son of Mr. and Mrs. R. Stafford Charles,
of Broomfield, Stanmore. He was educated at Stanmore Park, where he
took a Mathematical Scholarship for Harrow. At Harrow he became a
member of the O.T.C. and the Philatelic Club, and was also head of
his house. He left Harrow in July, 1914, and in the following month
received a commission in the Worcestershire Regiment. In May, 1915, he
was sent to Gallipoli, and was present at the battles of June 4-9. He
was subsequently invalided home, and was gazetted Captain on November
20, 1915. Early in 1916 he joined the R.F.C., and took his pilot’s
certificate in April. He left for active service on July 5 and lost his
life in a combat in the air over the German lines.
Second-Lieutenant J. Hampson Dodgshon, who lost his life on October
1, 1916, at the age of twenty-five, was educated at Westminster, and
was a member of the school cadet corps. He joined the H.A.C. in July,
1913, and played Rugby Football for the corps. He went abroad with
the H.A.C. in September, 1914, and spent the first winter of the war
fighting in Flanders and France. He was invalided home, and on his
recovery was gazetted to a commission in the Surrey Yeomanry. He
served for six months in Egypt, and was at the Dardanelles as Assistant
Military Landing Officer. On his return to England he declined a post
as Assistant Equipment Officer in the R.F.C., as he felt he ought to
take a more active part in the war. He obtained his ‘wings’ in August,
and was made an instructor. His commanding officer writes of him: ‘His
memory will be green for ever.’
Captain Brooke-Murray, another heroic officer to lose his life in
action, was educated at Cheltenham College. At school he was a very
good shot, and was in the Cheltenham Bisley Eight of 1908, 1909, and
1910. Entering Sandhurst in September, 1910, he was gazetted to the
A.S.C. in 1911. He went to France in August, 1914, with the first
Expeditionary Force, and took part in all the operations of the 19th
Brigade from Mons to the Marne and Aisne, Ypres and Armentières. From
April to July, 1915, he was adjutant of the advanced Horse Transport,
and from July to October, 1915, he was staff captain, G.H.Q. Afterwards
he became embarkation officer, Marseilles, and officer to the
Divisional Ammunition Park (April to June, 1916). He was then flying
officer observer to the date of his death from wounds received in
action on September 16 in an air combat against three enemy aviators.
The Royal Naval Air Service has lost a valuable officer by the death
in a flying accident of Squadron-Commander Dalrymple Clarke. Before
joining the R.N.A.S., in 1913, he was in business in London, and prior
to that he was an officer of cavalry. After joining the R.N.A.S.,
he was stationed for some time at Eastchurch, and quickly showed
that he was not only a very fine pilot, but had the gift of studying
his machine’s peculiarities and reporting thereon in a manner which
made his tests of high value to the Service. From Eastchurch he was
transferred to the Central Flying School, under Commodore (then
Captain) Godfrey Paine, R.N., and was appointed an instructor. There
he did much useful work, and was responsible for the training of many
pilots who have since distinguished themselves on active service. Later
on he was appointed to experimental work, and carried out many tests
which produced far-reaching results, not only as regards aeroplanes,
but also concerning engines, bomb-dropping, and various scientific
adjuncts to aircraft.
Another loss to the Royal Naval Air Service and the country came with
the death of Flight-Lieutenant Charles Walter Graham, R.N., D.S.O.,
who was awarded the D.S.O. for his services on December 14, 1915,
when, with Flight-Sub-Lieutenant A. S. Ince as observer and gunner, he
attacked and destroyed a German seaplane off the Belgian coast.
The Royal Flying Corps lost another most promising officer with the
death in action of Captain J. O. Cooper, R.F.C., previously reported
missing, now stated to have fallen in action. He was twenty years of
age, and was the youngest son of Lady Cooper, of Ossemsley Manor,
Christchurch, Hampshire. Educated at Lockers Park and Harrow, he
returned from Australia for the war. He joined the R.F.C. and got his
commission in January, 1915. Captain Cooper was considered by all
who knew him one of the most promising men in the R.F.C., and if he
had been spared would, it is said, have led a squadron before he was
twenty-one.
Further loss came with the death in action of Lieutenant Ian
Macdonnell, R.F.C. He obtained his brevet from the Royal Aero Club as
a pilot in December, 1913, after passing through the Bristol School of
Flying at Brooklands. Soon after the outbreak of war he was gazetted
a lieutenant in his father’s regiment, Lord Strathcona’s Horse. In
March, 1915, he became A.D.C. to Brigadier-General J. E. B. Seely,
C.B., D.S.O., commanding the Canadian Cavalry Brigade, and served
with them in the trenches, including the battle of Festubert, till he
became attached, on probation, to the R.F.C. in September, 1915. He was
gazetted flying officer on November 6 of the same year. He met with a
serious accident through the failure of his engine in December, 1915.
His observer was killed and he himself more or less seriously injured.
He reported for duty with the R.F.C. on May 18, 1916. His major in the
R.F.C. wrote that he was very skilful, full of daring and gallantry.
He was a grandson of Lieutenant-Colonel J. T. Campbell, a Crimean
veteran, and his father belonged to a Cadet family of the Macdonnells
of Glengarry, which have given so many officers to the Empire.
In the case of another gallant officer, Second-Lieutenant L. C. Kidd,
death followed quickly upon brilliant achievements. Shortly before
his death he was awarded the Military Cross. He took his pilot’s
certificate at Hendon before the war, and was tea-planting in Ceylon
when war was declared. He returned as soon as possible, and was at once
given a commission in the R.F.C., and, after a short period of home
training, went to the front in February, 1916. Since then, with two
short intervals of leave, he had been flying continuously at the front.
Amongst other names on the Roll of Honour we would mention
Second-Lieutenant J. S. Mitchell, Second-Lieutenant Aubrey F. A.
Patterson, Second-Lieutenant Robert Shirley Osmaston, M.C., and
Lieutenant Edward Carre.
Second-Lieutenant J. S. Mitchell, R.F.C., was the only son of Colonel
and Mrs. Mitchell, of Sandygate, Wath-on-Dearne, Rotherham. He was
educated at Bramcote School, Scarborough, and Rugby, leaving there
in July, 1914. He went for a tour to Australia and Canada, returning
in July, 1915, when he began to work on munitions at Sheffield. In
January, 1916, he applied for a commission in the R.F.C., and was
gazetted in June, being appointed a Flying Officer on September 4.
He died abroad of injuries accidentally received on October 5, aged
twenty.
Second-Lieutenant Aubrey F. A. Patterson, R.F.C., who is unofficially
reported as having died of wounds while a prisoner of war in Germany,
was born in 1895. He was the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. R.
Patterson, of 40 Cleveland Square, Hyde Park. Educated at Berkhamsted
and Eastbourne College, he distinguished himself as an athlete, and won
the swimming championship at Eastbourne when he was sixteen. Within
a few days of the commencement of the war he enlisted in the H.A.C.,
and went out to France at the end of 1914. Returning invalided to
England in 1915, he was appointed to a commission in the West Yorkshire
Regiment, and was subsequently attached to the R.F.C. He went back to
the front in 1916, and became actively engaged in bombing operations,
in which he did ‘excellent work.’ He was brought down on September 17
by a numerous German squadron, and died of his wounds at Osnabrück.
Second-Lieutenant Robert Shirley Osmaston, M.C., was the son of Mr.
and Mrs. Francis P. Osmaston, of Stoneshill, Limpsfield, and grandson
of Mr. John Osmaston, late of Osmaston Manor, Derby. He was born in
1894, and educated at Earleywood Preparatory School, Ascot, and
Winchester College (Kingsgate House), where he gained the gold medal
for gymnastics in 1912. He had a short course of agricultural training
after leaving Winchester, and when the war broke out enlisted as a
private in the U.P.S. Brigade. In May, 1915, he obtained his commission
in the Royal Sussex Regiment, and went to the front on December
1, 1915. Early this year (1916) he was an instructor of Lewis gun
training, and later acting-adjutant of his brigade, and was attached to
brigade head quarters learning staff work. In April he conducted a raid
into the enemy trenches very successfully and without any casualties,
and was shortly afterwards awarded the Military Cross. In July he
transferred to the R.F.C., and served as observer till he was killed.
Lieutenant Edward Mervyn Carre, R.F.C., who was killed in October,
1916, aged twenty-two, was the youngest son of the Rev. Arthur A. Carre
and Mrs. Carre, of the Rectory, Smarden, Kent. Educated at Christ’s
Hospital from 1903 to 1910, he left as Deputy Grecian and entered the
College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, and in 1912 matriculated at
Leeds University, whence he obtained an Honour Degree in Classics. On
the outbreak of war he joined the Artists’ Rifles, and served abroad,
receiving a commission in the Lincolnshire Regiment in March, 1915.
Being promoted Lieutenant, he was transferred to the R.F.C. in May,
1916. His commanding officer writes: ‘We are all very sorry to lose
your son. He has done very good work since joining the squadron, and
was really one of my best observers.’ His eldest brother, Maurice
Tennant Carre, Australian Infantry, was killed at Lone Pine on
September 2, 1915. Two remaining brothers, Captain M. H. Carre, M.C.,
and Second-Lieutenant G. T. Carre, are serving in the Royal West Kent
Regiment, and have both been twice wounded.
The Roll of Honour grows as the days pass. Hero follows hero. To give
the names of all who have made the supreme sacrifice is impossible;
neither can we hope to find fitting words of gratitude and praise.