[BIOGRAPHY]
Francis William Carpenter was born in the summer of 1895.
He was the son of Mr & Mrs Frank Carpenter of 26 Herrett Street, Aldershot, who himself was a soldier in the army.
Francis, who had previously been a labourer, joined the then newly formed Royal Flying Corps on 13th January 1913. He trained at a Fabric Worker & Sailmaker.
Having been based in Montrose, Scotland (The first established RFC airfield in the UK) he immediately went to France with No.2 Squadron which was also THE FIRST R.F.C. Squadron to arrive in France. As one of the very earliest RFC crews he was in place in France on 13th August 1914, which was the same day that Captain Harvey-Kelly landed the first ever British Military aircraft (a BE2c) on French soil. Francis' first period of service ended with a return to the UK on 11th September 1915.
He then remained the UK for two years until returning to France on 21st September 1917. On his return to France he apparently became ill with a condition of the larynx and spent the rest of 1917 in hospital. This pretty much put him out of action for the rest of the war. He finally returned from Etaples hospital in France on 7th December 1917 and is then seen in hospital in Shrewsbury until 30th December 1917 with a posting to the communications depot on 24th February 1918.
He was finally discharged from the RAF on 12th January 1921 after 8 years in service. His address upon discharge was 44, Windsor Street, Rugby, Warwickshire.
[THE PERSONAL ITEMS], (View items 2 to 6 in the Slide Show)
This rare early RFC group comes with an usually surviving group of pleasing personal artefacts. These comprise:
1) Silver cigarette case (Initial monogram FWC) (Chester 1917)
2) Silver napkin ring "Shawbury Inter-FWC-Squadron Football 1918" (Birmingham 1917).
3) Cased cigarette holder with silver band in Amber & ebony.
(Chester 1893)
4) Engraved Silver cuff studs (pair)
5) Glass Framed Sentimental Locket with pictures of "Mum & Dad"
6) RFC Hat Badge & Two engraved foreign coin "DOG TAGS"
7) A Princess Mary, Christmas 1914 Gift Box. With the original cigarette & tobacco packs & 1914 "Mary" Christmas card & Royal picture.
[THE PAPERWORK]
1) "GOING TO WAR" A Touching Four Page Letter & it's Original Envelope, sent to his Parents in Aldershot from Montrose, Scotland.
Postmark: 7:15pm 5th August 1914. Probably one of the earliest surviving personal letters announcing the departure of a soldier for the Great War. Seven days later he was in France with No.2 Squadron.
2) ROYAL FLYING CORPS "Silk Postcard"
( From Frank )
3) Three early (1914) uniformed photographs of himself, one of a squadron aircraft and another sporting picture of the RAF Shawbury football team (1918) with himself identified.
4) Original Registered Medal envelope, (Postmark: 4th JULY 1921) Ruislip, Middlesex, and the two original numbered & named medal boxes with their original internal paper envelopes.
Seldom does one see such an excellent, totally complete & exceptional early RFC assembly. All the original RFC 1914 star & bar trios are rare but to encounter an original early assembly as complete as this is truly an outstanding opportunity. The Complete Princess Mary 1914 Christmas Boxes are now bringing £395 on their own !
The group also includes copy service papers & an M.I.C.
The medals and clasp are EF and on their original ribbons.
If you only collect the finest aviation medals, or are looking for something truly exceptional, this will fit the bill.
SOLD
