Lieutenant Francis Harry Varney Wise RFC

The following is from the Deddington Deanery Magazine 1918  'the village of Wroxton which is outside Banbury.'

It is with sincere regret that we record the death of Lieut, Harry Wise, R.F.C, who met with a fatal accident on Sunday January 13th. We wish to express our deepest sympathy with his relatives

Lieutenant Francis Harry Varney Wise RFC

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To explain: .  I lived in Kingston on Thames when I grew up, and used to visit the many Kingston antique shops as a teenager, I would often buy items of interest from the Great War. 

 

One items was a beautiful walking stick, made from the laminated wood (Mahogany) of an aircraft propeller and has a silver inscribed band engraved with the following :-

 

On one side-

From

Lieut. H. Wise R.F.C.

Gotha Propeller July. 1917.

On the other side:

Crashed at Hendon

January 13th 1918.

(Note that this inscription has almost certainly been added later)

From my research so far, it would appear that the second inscription refers to the death of   Lt. Francis Harry Varney Wise and 2nd Lt. Albert Payne of; No2 Aircraft Acceptance Park, on 13th January 1918, whilst flying a DH9 no C6055 on a ferry flight at Hendon  to Martlesham Heath, an experimental station.

 

 

A DH. 9 like the one Wise and Payne were flying.

The following is from the Banbury Guardian 24th January 1918

Fatal Flying accident to Lieut. F.H.V. Wise R.F.C.

Through a mishap occurring while in the air, Lieut. F.H.V.Wise and Lieut. Albert Payne, both of the Royal Flying Corps, were killed at Hendon on the 13th inst. Lieut. Wise, who was twenty-two years of age, was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Wise, of Wroxton in Oxfordshire, and nephew of Mrs. Rogers, of the Anglers Hotel, Teddington, with whom he resided for several years. He went to London to be articled to a firm of solicitors, and at the outbreak of war he joined the Royal Naval Division, with which he took part in the expedition to Antwerp. He was recommended for a commission, and was gazetted to the Royal Naval Division, from which he later proceeded to the Royal Flying Corps. The gallant young officer fought with the Flying Corps in France, and had been awarded the Mons Star. He returned to England on sick leave, and he afterwards made close on two hundred flights across the Channel. On the 13th inst. with Lt. Payne, he was about to pilot an aeroplane to a certain destination in England (Martlesham Heath), and when the machine was at a height of about 2000 feet, (I think this may be a misprint for 200 feet) it was suddenly seen to bank and then side-slip to the ground, where it burst into flames. Both occupants were killed instantaneously. Much sympathy is felt for his relatives and friends, also for Miss Beatrice Hooper, to whom he became engaged only a week previously. (Second daughter to Sub-divisional Inspector Race Hooper from Kingston Police)

THE FUNERAL

The internment took place at Teddington Cemetery on Friday afternoon, military honors being accorded. The funeral was of a very impressive character, and was witnessed by a large crowd of spectators who assembled near St Alban's Church, where the first part of the service was held and also along the line of route, and at the cemetery. The procession, which was upwards of 200 yards long, consisted of a firing party from the Depot East Surrey Regiment, in charge of Lieut. Puckle: the Depot Band: a gun carriage bearing the oak coffin, with brass fittings, which was covered with a Union Jack, and escorted by eight of the deceased's fellow officers who acted as bearers: a funeral car containing a large number of magnificent floral tributes; four mourning coaches; 70 men of the Royal Flying corps from Hendon; and a contingent of 25 officers and men of the Kingston Police, including Sub Divisional Inspector Race Hooper, and Inspectors H. Boulton and J. Goodenough. The personal mourners were Mr. and Mrs. S. Wise (father and mother), Misses Sylvie and Eleanor Wise (sisters), Mr. J. Wise (brother). Mrs. Rogers and Miss Nash (aunts),  Mr. J.J.V. Nash (uncle) Mrs. and Miss Beatrice Hooper, Sir John Somers Vine,  Mr. A. Fairweather, Sergt and Mrs. Sanford, Mr. R. Montague Pratt, Miss K. Collins, Mr. E. Thompson, Lieut. J. Thompson and Lieut. J. Trentham. Among the officers of the Royal Flying Corps were Major Dixon, Captain Smith, Lieut. Jaques, Harvey, MacCoulough, Matson, Young and Martin. The body was received at the west gate by the vicar, the rev. A. M. Cazelot, and after the opening sentences, the long cortege passed into the church to the strains of the familiar hymn "On the resurrection morning," led by the choir boys. the service then proceeded in the usual order, and at the close the Nunc Dimittis was sung, and "O rest the Lord" was played by the organist. "The Dead March" was played by the band on the way from the Angler's Hotel to the church and outside the cemetery, and Chopin's "Funeral March" along the line of the route. After the committal prayers, three volleys were fired over the grave, and "The Last Post" was sounded. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Mr. F. W. Paine.

The lovely floral emblems (which included a large aeroplane composed of violets), were from mother and father, sisters, brothers, "Old Auntie", Auntie Alice, Beatie, Mrs. D.B. Gamble and David, Mr. and Mrs. Bunn, Hetty, Mr. and Mrs. Gordon and family; Kathleen, Barbara, Hetty and Boy; Mr. and Mrs. Oldham, Dollie and Charlie, members of the Angler Hotel Club. Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Lawrence, Mr. Fred A. Wintle, Mr. and Mrs. T. Taylor (Wroxton), Mr. and Mrs. A. Beauclerk, Lieutenant H.S. Carruthers, Lieut. A. Wintle, Lieut. J. Trentham, and Mrs. Fred Wilson. "Made with loving Hands", "In ever loving memory",  Katie Collins. E.S. Thompson, Lieut. J. Thompson, Officers and men at Kingston Police Station, pals at Glenroy, Linda and Arthur, Inspector and Mrs. Race Hooper; Alley, Sib and Hec; Mr. Douglas Hannah and family, Mrs. Kennedy, David, Bernard and friends; officers of the Royal Flying Corps (Hendon), two from non commissioned officers and men , No 2 Company Royal Flying Corps (Hendon), Staff of officers mess (Hendon); Montie Pratt, Mr. and Mrs. Sandford and boys,  Mrs. Sandam and Miss Crockes, "B.S. and J.M.", workers at a local aeroplane factory, and a few spriggs from the old wood he loved so well, gathered with loving tenderness by two of his surviving party.

 

I was probably the first visitor for 50 years. His name was kindly highlighted by a shaft of sunlight under the dark trees

Wise is buried at Teddington in Middlesex, in a cemetery called 'Nature of Teddington', Section DU, grave 33.

He was 22 yrs old. (Wise is buried with his Aunt and Uncle, Edward and Eleanor Jennings Rogers)

His observer 2nd Lt. Albert Payne (age 30) is buried at Barry in Wales, in the Merthyr Dyfan cemetery in Glamorgan, grave H1258.

It would appear that Wise and Payne were killed whilst on take off from Hendon  on a ferry flight to Martlesham Heath, which was an experimental station. Engine failure on take off killed many pilots in those early days. The likelihood is that he attempted a 180 degree turn back to the airfield, during which the aircraft stalled and spun into the ground. A not uncommon occurrence, and still kills pilots now.

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission state that Wise's parents were Sidney Wise (a Joiner from Bloxham, Oxford), and Margaret Wise (from Somerton, Oxford). The 1901 Census,  gives their address as Tank Lane, Bloxham, Oxfordshire. (Sidney's father was George Wise, who lived in Bloxham, and the family farmed 50 acres)

Harry had come to London before the war, to be articled to a firm of solicitors, and  was living at 3 Broom Road Teddington (The Anglers Hotel) with his Aunt and Uncle Edward and Eleanor Jennings Rogers. Edward was a joiner, and  had probably moved from Bloxham to work in Kingston on Aircraft manufacture.

 The Anglers Hotel in 1882, viewed from the River Thames

The Anglers Hotel in 2005

It is likely that the walking stick had been a present from Harry to his Uncle, who subsequently had it re engraved after Harry's death.

The reception for Harry's funeral was held at the Hotel, and was by all accounts a grand affair. (See above)

Harry was entitled to the Mons Star (issued for service during 1914),  as he first joined the Royal Naval Division in 1914, and became involved in the Royal Naval Division's occupation of Antwerp in Belgium.

He was commissioned into the Royal Naval Division, and transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. He Graduated as a Flying Officer on the 16th November 1916. He served in France with the RFC for a short while, prior to returning to England on sick leave, subsequently being assigned to No. 2 Aircraft Acceptance Park at Hendon as a ferry pilot. Completing some 200 trips across the channel delivering new or repaired aircraft.

His Casualty Card states;

The Court having considered, has come to the conclusion that there is not sufficient evidence to show the cause of the accident.

Note by Major J. Dickson 15/1/18. "I do not concur. From the evidence it would appear that the accident was caused through stalling on a turn, thereby getting into a spinning nosedive. As to why an experienced pilot like the late Lt. Wise should stall a machine on a turn, I cannot say".

The Gotha Bomber

Link to excellent Gotha Bomber  web site

My understanding is that the Gotha bomber referred to in the first inscription, was an 02 IV from Kaghol 3, and was shot down on 7/7/1917 at the mouth of the Thames, off Margate by 2nd Lt. F.A.D. Grace and 2nd Lt. Murray in an FK8 of 50 Squadron.

On the 7th July, the Gothas came once more to London. Twenty four machines were to take part, but two were to force land early with faulty oil pipes. Twenty two were first located soon after nine in the morning well out to sea, flying westward at about 10,000 feet.

The main body crossed the coast at Coate Outfall, near the mouth of the Crouch, in a diamond formation, reaching Burnham-on-Crouch ten minutes before ten.  They passed through the gun barrage and made Brentwood, whence they turned off in a north-westerly direction in order to approach the capital from the north, probably in accordance with a pre-arranged plan to come over London with the wind. Seventy-two bombs were dropped in the city, the total casualties were 57 killed and 193 injured.

About a hundred machines rose to the attack. They came from naval stations, from home defence squadrons,  from training units, from acceptance parks and from other places. It was an emergency force, which lacked cohesion, and the result was that while most gallant attacks were made by individual pilots, the solid ranks of enemy aircraft remained unbroken inwards and outwards.

Some interceptions of the inbound raiders were made by training squadrons and supporting units flying good performance aircraft. Hendon  pilots, although allocated to the Woolwich area, in the event engaged the enemy well to the east.

No. 2 Aircraft Acceptance park, Hendon, were involved on that day with the following aircraft:- D.H.4's A7508 (Lieut. F.L. Hambly, 2nd Lieut. M.A.E. Cremetti) 09.35-12.03 hr: A7483 (Lieut. D.W.Clappen, A.M. Wills) 09.29-11.00 hr: plus three D.H.4 sorties, details not recorded; D,H.5 A9408 (2nd Lieut. L.N. Mitchell) 09.37-11.30 hr.

Ferry pilot Donald Clappen, flying a Hendon D.H.4 found the formation crossing the coast and positioned behind, but suffered an immediate Vickers gun stoppage which he could not rectify. He maneuvered to give Wills, his gunner, a target from below, and during several attacks on one Gotha the D.H.4 came under fire from two flanking aircraft. Clappen continued his harassment all the way to London, and while returning over Hornchurch he moved in very close for a final attack, Wills seeing tracers from his last drum, entering the Gotha's fuselage. On turning away the D.H.4's engine seized, but there was ample height to glide back to Hendon  and a safe landing. The aircraft had been hit in the tail and centre-section.

Frank Hambly-from the USA-and Max Cremetti in another D.H.4 also fought the Gothas to London and back. After his Vickers had jammed at the outset, Hambly dived through the formation several times hoping to break it up. In a long-drawn-out engagement, Cremetti then fired one-and-a-half drums of Lewis ammunition into one bomber, which eventually banked steeply and was lost to view. His gun jammed four times, and in desperation, he dismantled it and reassembled it, only for a burst from another Gotha to put it completely out of action- and shoot away his windscreen. With neither gun working, and the engine 'conking' - to use Hambly's words -  the sortie was abandoned.

Mitchell in the Hendon  D.H.5 saw both D.H.4's in action after his own gun had jammed when he engaged a Gotha, which he described as having one engine stopped.

The End of the Gotha

When the bombers began their return flight, Home defence Group had ordered the display of ground signals diverting patrols to the Girdler lightship, though the prospects of successful intervention by many aircraft seemed remote. In the event it paid off handsomely.

Frederick Grace, a sugar planter, and George Murray, an architect, who had both traveled from Argentina to enlist, quickly spotted the signal from their No.50 Squadron F.K.8 and were north of the Girdler at 16,000 ft in time to see the enemy approaching from the coast, under attack from a triplane - probably Brown's. Grace dived on a group of three Gothas, opening fire from 1,000 yards, and Murray attacked with his Lewis. This produced some retaliatory fire, one bullet piercing the F.K.8's port wings and others passing close to its nose.

Grace then turned to another bomber in the rear, flying much lower than the 14,000 ft of the main group. He dived on this machine, firing his Vickers gun as they closed from 800 to 400 yards, jinking to distract the gunners, then pulled up above its starboard side. Murray took over with the Lewis, and within moments black smoke poured from around the Gotha's centre section and it dived into the sea, the starboard wing becoming submerged. Shortly afterwards, two of the crew, were seen to be on the sinking bomber's port wing, but being short of fuel, Grace could do no more that fire Verey lights in the hope of attracting ships to the scene. He landed at Orfordness, and some reporting delay caused his aircraft to to be listed as missing for a time.

 

I have not as yet proved any other link between this Gotha loss and Lt. F.H.V Wise, other than his belonging to No.2 A.A.P. Hendon. But time will tell.

My grateful thanks go to Mrs. Anne Williams, a descendent of the Wise family for all her help in researching this web site.

 

Link to Commonwealth Wargraves commission

Guy Smith     e mail:    guy@trenchmap.com

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