Air Stories, April 1936 — page 55: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

See _— No74 SQUAD jtpes : —s Se SE waren ae — ON REC (ey A Brief History of One of the Most Famous Fighting Squadrons of the Royal Flying Corps By W. MACLANACHAN Late of No. 40 Squadron, R.F.C. T the end of the Great War Neer was no R.F.C. squadron of fighters that could claim such a ‘‘credit ’’ balance as that of No. 74. In seven months of determined, aggres- sive fighting they destroyed 126 enemy machines, sent 90 down ‘‘ out of con- trol,’”” as well as accounting for many observation balloons. No. ‘‘ 74’’ made history on a magnificent scale, and the combined efforts of the fighters of that squadron comprise a gallant chapter in the immortal traditions of the Royal Air Force of to-day. That chapter is an epic of achievement summed up in the official records as the accounting for 216 of the enemy with the loss of only 16 killed, 3 wounded and 5 taken prisoner. Such a record was not achieved by haphazard or undisciplined training or without the co-operation and inspira- tion of experienced fighters, and in 341 this respect ‘‘74’’ can claim to have been nurtured in the very temple of Mars. Founded at London Colney in February, 1918, as a training squadron, No. 74 Squadron was sent overseas to land their S.E.5’s at St. Omer on March 31st. The commanding officer was Major Keith Caldwell (known everywhere as *‘Grid ’’), and the flight commanders were Captain Edward Mannock (‘* Mick ’’), late of 40 Squadron, Cap- tain W. E. Young, and Captain Cairns, late of ‘‘ 19.”’ Throughout the training Mannock, who already wore the M.C. ribbon and bar, lectured on the business side of the squadron’s future—namely, that of fighting for conquests. His job it was, by teaching his pupils both offensive and defensive tactics, to instil into them some of the spirit that had won for him his coveted and well- deserved decorations. With his per- 1IaOO SJ (SO)