Edgar Mobbs

This postcard was included in the photos that Freddie Cunningham's nephew sent me. Freddie first enlisted into the army in Edgar Mobbs' 'D' Company, 7th Northampton Regiment. Edgar Mobbs' Company are legendary in my home town of Northampton. Edgar was the Captain of the town's Rugby team, the Northampton Saints. When the war started he went to enlist but was refused due to his age so he went and raised his own company of men to fight. The company was full of rugby players. Of the 400 who joined the company only 85 are ment to have survived the war. Legand has it that when the climbed out of the trenches Mobbs would kick a rugby ball towards the German trenches. Mobbs was killed at Passchendaele. Every year they have a memorial rugby match in the town in his memory and there are also monuments to him and the Company in the town centre and at the rugby ground. In the photo Edgar Mobbs is standing in the middle of the back row holding the rugby ball. The writting on the back of the postcard says that a number of officers from 'D' Company are in the team.

Plane Crash

This photo of a plane crash was included in the photos that Capt. Freddie Cunningham's nephew sent me. In the photo the serial number of the Bristol Fighter can be clearly seen in the photo D-7984 which should help identify when and how the crash occurred. I can't find the crash mentioned in the book The Sky Their Battlefield but I can find the plane mentioned in the 48 Squadron article in "Over the Front". One the 5th September 1918 Capt. H.A. Oaks and Lt. T. Beck were flying in this plane when they shot down two Fokkers .

The doesn't appear to be much damage on the plane, apart from the fact that it is upside down. I guess the pilot responsible for the crash is standing in front of the plane.

Bikers

Thanks to Freddie Cunninghasm's nephew Richard for sending me this great photo. Capt Freddie Cunningham is riding the bike and 2/Lt George Thornton-Norris is standing behind him on the left.

Reminds me of my favorite photo of my Grandfather and his friend Sgt Francis Irvine

Cunningham, Brunton and Who else

Group photo showing Capt Cunningham in the centre and Lt. Raymond Brunton on the right. The airman on the left is unknown but might be able to be identified by his cap badge.

Christmas Card from the Front

This Christmas card was forwarded to me by Freddie Cunningham's nephew. It's a very interesting card especially since it lists all the officers in the Squadron at the time I am interested in. I guess the card must have been commissioned at the beginning of October so it was ready in time for posting for Christmas. It's strange that 2/Lt. James Cowan isn't listed on the card, I thought at first he might not be on it as he died just two days later but his observer Lt. Ludlow Jones is on the list.

Combat Report 585

Date: 3-10-18
Time: 17-50
Type and No. of Aeroplane: Bristol Fighter E.2507
Armament: 1 Vickers, 1 Lewis
Pilot: Capt.F.J.Cumminghame
Observer: Lt.R.A.Brunton M.C.
Locality: INGLEMUNSTER and E.
Duty: 0.0. with Bombs
Height: 12,0000 ft
Result: Destroyed 2
Remarks on Hostile Aircraft: Fokker Biplanes, white fuselage and black and white tails.

While on O.P. carrying bombs, on the evening of Oct. 3rd, we had just dropped our bombs on ISEHHAM, when 12 Fokker Biplanes were observed approaching us from S and S. They were in two formations one of 5 and one of 7. The formation of 5 commenced to attack the left of our formation. My observer opened fire on this E.A. when still at a good range, and after a very few rounds, the E.A. burst into flames and disappeared.
Immediately another E.A. was engaged and the observer fired a full drum into the E.A. which immediately fell completely out of control and was observed to crash N. of LENDELEDE.
During the fight 2 of our machines were seen to go down, one in flames and one smoking.

(Signed) F.C.CUNNINGHAME, Capt. Pilot & R.A.BRUNTON, Lieut. Observer.

These 2 E.A. are confirmed by Lt.Shurly of the same formation.

48 Squadron

Thank you very much to Trevor Henshaw for sending me this fantastic photograph of 48 Squadron taken shortly after the war. Reginald can be found in the middle row just left of centre, he is man standing head and shoulders above everyone else in his row.

Looking back at his service record it says that Reginald was 5 foot 10 when he enlisted but in the picture he looks more like his final height as a man of 6 foot 2. It just brings back the fact that he was still such a young man when he served in the RAF and still going through a late growth spurt.

This photo must have been taken before the 18th February 1919 as Capt.L.Payne can be seen sitting in the middle of the photo next to Major Keith Parks. Payne was killed on this date. Capt Freddie Cunningham, the other side of Park, had a copy of this picture with Cologne writen on the back so suggests the photo was taken while the squadron were at Bickendorf. If this is the case then the photo must have been taken at some time between the 19th December 1918 and 18th February 1919.

Capt. Fredrick Joseph Cunninghame

Fredrick Cunninghame was born on the 23rd April 1894 in Northampton. In September 1914 he was a working as a journalist.


When the war started he enlisted in Edgar Mobbs' Battalion, "D" Company, 7th Northamptonshire Regiment.

He joined in the R.F.C. in September 1917. He was transferred to 48 Squadron on the 8th May 1917 where he served as a pilot. He gain the status of flying ace by claiming 5 victories.



2nd July 1918 - At 1950 hours with observer 2Lt Knowles engaged a Pfalz scout south-east of Foucaucourt and 50 rounds were fired from the front guns at a range of 100 yards. Shots could be seen entering the fuselage which began to emit smoke, and it fell over on it's side and went down alternatively diving and stalling, apparently out of control.

Some time during this period Cunninghame was promoted to Captain.

28th September 1918 - Led with his observer Lt Brunton an offensive patrol. South east of Roulers saw a formation of six Fokkers about 1,000 feet below them. At 1445 hours he dived on them and singled out the rearmost and when about 200 feet from the E.A. fired about 50 rounds at it. Something was seen to fall from the E.A. He continued to fire and the top right plane folded with the Fokker going down in a right hand spin. It's final fate could not be observed due to clouds below.

3rd October 1918 - Led a bombing run of F2bs on Izegham with his observer Lt.Brunton. They where approached from the south by 12 Fokkers and engaged them. These E.A. had white fuselages with black and white tails and they attached the Bristols over Ingelmunster. Brunton opened fire on the leader at long range and after a few rounds the plane burst into flames and went down East of Inglemunster. Immediately another E.A. was engaged and Brunton fired a full drum into this one which fell out of control and crashed north of Lendelede. During this combat Lt G. Thorneton-Norris and Sgt R.L.G. White engaged one of the Fokkers and after 50 rounds had been fired from the rear the E.A. burst into flames and went down north-west of Iseghem. Unfortunately one plane in the patrol piloted by 2Lt J.B.Cowan with Lt L.N. Jones went down in flames and both pilot and observer where reported 'Missing in Action'.

14th October 1918 - While leading an offensive patrol with observer Lt Jones they observed 10 Fokkers west of Thielt at 0855 hours. They dived and they overshot the first E.A. but he fired 100 rounds into another and shot away part of the elevator or tail plane. The Fokker, with a white tail, side-slipped and spun down out of control, disappearing into the mist below.