Letters from an Early Bird : The Life and Letters of Aviation Pioneer Denys Corbett Wilson 1882-1915

by Maccarron, Donal

• ISBN13: 9781844153824
• ISBN10: 1844153827
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-11-01
• Publisher: Pen & Sword Books

Summary

This is the story of an early pioneer aviator who took to the air just a few years after the Wright Brothers proved that man was capable of controlled powered flight. Corbett Wilson (CW) was the only son of a wealthy family and was educated at Eaton from 1896 to 1899. He was commissioned into the Dorset Regiment and served in the South African War, by the end of which he had transferred to the Royal Artillery and became a Lieutenant in 1908. CW enrolled at the Bleriot Flying School at Pau in southern France and upon gaining his wings purchased a Bleriot XI airplane. Later he flew from Hendon Aerodrome and from there he made the first flight across the Irish Sea. When World War I loomed CW joined the military division of the newly formed Royal Flying Corps and in August 1914 he took off from Dover for France with No. 3 Squadron. It is this point that the vividly written letters sent to his mother give an enthralling insight into the developing war and the early military use of aircraft in battle. He lasted just ten months before being shot down by enemy flack on 15 May 1915.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	p. vii
Foreword Base	p. ix
Preface	p. xi
The Corbett Wilsons	p. 1
Gaining his Wings	p. 5
The Man and his Machine	p. 9
The Challenge	p. 13
The Crossing	p. 17
Another Rival: Vivian Hewitt	p. 21
In Irish Skies	p. 23
CW Joins Up	p. 27
European Adventures	p. 31
The RFC Flies Off to War	p. 35
Letters: 13 August to 4 November 1914	p. 41
Forward Base	p. 71
Letters: 5 to 24 November 1914	p. 73
Lt-Col Robert Loraine, RFC	p. 89
Letters: 25 November to 25 December 1914	p. 91
Silent Night - Hilarious Day	p. 113
Letters: 28 December 1914 to 26 January 1915	p. 115
Moranes, at Last!	p. 137
Letters: 6 to 17 February 1915	p. 139
The First Battle	p. 147
Letters: 26 April to 9 May 1915	p. 153
The Last Battle	p. 165
Envoi	p. 167
Remembrance	p. 171
Index	p. 173
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.