Cross & Cockade International Summer 2020 Volume 51/2

Published on
Review Author(s)
Book Author(s)
Ed. Mick Davis
Other Publication Information
Softbound, A4 [8.27” x 11.69:], 80 pages
Product / Stock #
Volume 51/2

Cross & Cockade International is a non-profit UK based group known as the First World War Aviation Historical Society that publishes their journal four times a year. They also provide a free newsletter (sign up on their website) and occasionally publish WWI themed books like the Sopwith Dolphin monograph I reviewed earlier for IPMS USA. This Journal is the sister of the US Journal, Over The Front.

The Summer 2020 journal of Cross & Cockade International features a nice clear black and white photograph of a Greek Maurice Farman Se.7 Longhorn. The rear cover features another photo of a Maurice Farman Se.7 Longhorn (top) and a Henri Farman F.20 (lower), both of the Hellenic Aviation Company. This issue includes the second in a series of British flying sites in France, Belgium, and Germany from 1914 to 1920. This is a separately page numbered center section that consists of eight pages, twenty period black and white photographs, and eight black and white maps. Also included is a separate folded color 1/100,000 map consisting of eight pages when folded up. This color map represents the flying sites in Calais while Beauvais is on the reverse side.

Stewart K. Taylor kicks off this issue with a tale of two Canadians that joined the RNAS, Alex Knight and Rod McDonald. Through twenty-four pages, Stewart covers their exploits in the RNAS, primarily flying Sopwith Triplanes. Stewart includes several first person accounts that add a lot of insight into the “Noisy Knight” and his fellow Naval 8 pilots. This article includes forty-five well-captioned photographs. Graham Pitchfork follows with a 2-pager on the capture of Leonard Arthur Colbert behind enemy lines. Thankfully Colbert survived the downing of his FE2b and were able to burn their aircraft before becoming a POW. His advance planning for this possible occurrence gave his parents a heads up to his condition before his parents received the military’s “regret to inform” letter. This includes a photograph of Colbert and a fellow POW as well as photos of the correspondence.

Mike Kelsey offers up a six-page article that complements Paul Leaman’s recent contributions on captured German aircraft. In this case, Mike addresses German aircraft that were captured on the Macedonian front, complete with fifteen black and white photographs, a period three-view and description of a Friedrichscahfen G.II bomber, and descriptions of the nine German aircraft that were captured. David Learmount is up next with a six-page article on his grandfather, Leonard Learmount. Many have probably never heard of Leonard Learmount, but most have heard of his sometime observer/gunner, Archie Whitehouse, well known for his memoir, Hell in the Heavens. Whitehouse went on to author many books. The attrition on the Western Front was up to five times that of infantryman serving in the trenches. When Whitehouse left 22 Squadron in January 1918, he and Leonard Learmount were the only two aviators left after one year of service. Learmount, contrasted with Whitehouse, did not keep any records or photos of his WWI service. Lacking such, his grandson has put together a nice article about Leonard Learmount and Archie Whitehouse.

Paschalis Palavouzis delivers a twenty-six page feature on Part One of Greek Naval Airmen at War. There are a whopping 102 black and white period photographs included, plus an additional four photographs on the rear inside and outside cover. Paschalis takes us from the start of Greek aviation on February 21, 1912 with the flight of Emmanouil Argyropoulos in a Nieuport IVG to the Summer of 1917. Part Two will focus on the 1917 preparation for operations over the Dardanelles and the Gallipoli peninsula. There are plenty of first person accounts to get you into the thick of things.

Mick Davis’s Fabric consists of a correction to the Spring 2020 issue (V51/1). One letter addresses Paul Hare’s tale of the flour BE2a aircraft in the Naval Wing. Four additional photographs are also included. Joe Moran does a build review of the Wingnut Wings 1/32 Rumpler C.IV kit in Modeling with five black and white photographs. Joe Moran also provides an update on new on-topic releases. Under Obituaries, Paul Stuart Leaman, a founding member of Cross and Cockade passed on April 8, 2020. Paul led Cross & Cockade for over 25 years. A prolific author on World War I Subjects, he was well known for his Fokker Dr. I knowledge. The Bookshelf section is a review of WWI aviation specific books and magazines with this issue totaling three.

Topics

  • Editorial by Mick Davis
  • The Two Bohunks by Stewart Taylor [Page 51-078]
  • American Express? That’ll Do Nicely by Graham Pitchfork
  • German Aircraft Captured in the British Sector of the Macedonian Front– by Mike Kelsey [Page 51-104]
  • Out of the Ordinary– by David Learmount [Page 51-108]
  • The Gazetteer of British Flying Sites in France, Belgium, and Germany 1914 – 1920 Part 2: Support Units by Peter Dye, Roger Austin, and Mick Davis [Centerfold Map]
  • Greek Naval Airmen at War – Part 1 by Paschalis Palavouzis [Page 51-127]
  • Fabric compiled by Mick Davis
  • Modeling: New Releases and Kit Reviews compiled by Joe Moran
  • Obituaries : Paul Stuart Leaman 1929 - 2020
  • Bookshelf

This is another excellent issue from Cross & Cockade and I continue to be impressed with the quality of the articles, both from a research perspective and readability. The period pictures, maps, and drawings in this journal come off looking great thanks to their printing on the journal's glossy paper. If you are into early / WWI aviation, this journal is an incredible source of information that will have you on the edge of your seat for the next issue. My thanks to Cross & Cockade International and IPMS/USA for the chance to review this great issue.

Highly recommended!

Front Cover

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