File:New England aviators 1914-1918; their portraits and their records (1919) (14576579808).jpg

English: Second Lieutenant John F. Stafford, Jr. (1898-1918), Two Hundred Tenth Squadron, R.A.F. Killed in action, Sept. 29, 1918. Son of John and Maud C. (Birtwell) Stafford; was born at Fall River, Mass., May 5, 1898. He was educated at Westminster Preparatory School, Simsbury, Conn., where he was prominent in athletics, playing three years on the football team and three years on the baseball team. In Oct., 1917, he enlisted in the Canadian Air Service, at New York, being then nineteen years old. He was immediately sent to Canada, and trained at Camp Leaside, Camp Mohawk, and Camp Borden successively. He also attended the University of Toronto; and then went to the School of Aerial Gunnery, at Camp Hicks, Fort Worth, Tex., where he was commissioned 2d Lieut, in April, 1918. He left about the middle of May, for England, and was at the Royal Air Force Training Establishment in Cranwell, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, and later at Camp Freiston, Boston, Eng., attached to the 210th Squadron, R.A.F. At the latter gunnery school he made the best record ever held for aerial gunnery — that is, target practice from the air upon real-sized target aeroplanes, and also upon the target suspended from the pit balloon. Lieut. Stafford trained in England from June until Sept., 1918, when he was ordered to France, and stationed near Dunkirk. On Sept. 29 he left Dunkirk in a Camel Sopwith fighting scout machine, and was last seen in aerial combat with a German airplane on that date. He was reported missing by the British Air Ministry, who have been unable to obtain further information, and the presumption is that he was killed. There was a report that he had passed through Berne, Switzerland, on Dec. 9; but his family have had no further reassurance, and have given up hope of his return.

Identifier: NewEnglandaviatVol2Tick (find matches)
Title: New England aviators 1914-1918; their portraits and their records
Year: 1919 (1910s)
Authors: Ticknor, Caroline, 1866-1937, ed
Subjects: Biography Aeronautics World War, 1914-1918
Publisher: Boston, New York, Houghton Mifflin Company
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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left about the middle of May, for England, and was atthe Royal Air Force Training Establishment in Cranwell, Sleaford,Lincolnshire, and later at Camp Freiston, Boston, Eng., attachedto the 210th Squadron, R.A.F. At the latter gunnery school hemade the best record ever held for aerial gunnery — that is, targetpractice from the air upon real-sized target aeroplanes, and alsoupon the target suspended from the pit balloon. Lieut. Staffordtrained in England from June until Sept., 1918, when he wasordered to France, and stationed near Dunkirk. On Sept. 29 heleft Dunkirk in a Camel Sopwith fighting scout machine, and waslast seen in aerial combat with a German airplane on that date.He was reported missing by the British Air Ministry, who havebeen unable to obtain further information, and the presumptionis that he was killed. There was a report that he had passedthrough Berne, Switzerland, on Dec. 9; but his family have hadno further reassurance, and have given up hope of his return. ( 82 )
Text Appearing After Image:
JOSEPH BROWN BOWEN Second Lieutenant, A.S., U.S.A.Thirty-Second Squadron, R.A.F., B.E.F. Killed in action, Sept. 7, 1918 Son of Edward Steere, and Elma Sophia (Brown) Bowen; wasborn at Providence, R.I., April 15, 1891. He was educated in thepublic schools of Pawtucket, R.I., graduated from Brown Uni-versity in 1915, and in June, 1917, received from Yale the degreeof Master of Forestry. On July 21, 1917, he volunteered for the Air Service and trainedat Princeton, and with the Royal Air Force at Fort Worth, Tex.He was commissioned 2d Lieut., Feb. 19, 1918, and went overseaswith the 148th Aero Squadron, A.E.F. On reaching England hewas detached for special instruction in scout fighting, a tribute tohis skill, since only the most promising aviators were chosen to flycombat planes. This training completed, the Royal Flying Corpswished to retain him as a permanent staff officer, but permissionwas refused and he was assigned to active duty with the 32d AeroSquadron, Royal Air Force, being on

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