Thomas Frederick Boyd Carlisle, MM

Forename(s):
Thomas Frederick Boyd

Surname:
Carlisle, MM

Initial(s):
T F B

Service Number:
351

Rank:
Flight Sergeant

Regiment:
Royal Flying Corps, 1st Squadron

Died:
08/07/1916

Buried:
Baillleul Communal Cemetery & Extension

Service History:
As Air Mechanic 1st Class, 2 Squadron, served in France from 13 August 1914.

Awarded a Military Medal, posthumously, in 'London Gazette', 19 February 1917.

Awarded Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate No. 1619 on 20 August 1915 when a Sergeant - there's a copy of his Royal Aero certificate on Ancestry.co.uk, which he took at the RFC Military School, Ruislip (now RAF Northolt) in a Maurice Farman Biplane.

RFC Communique No. 31, 19 March 1916: 'Piloting a Morane Parasol of No. 1 Sqn with Lt. J. McKelvie as observer, escorting & artillery Morane over Oosttaverne, he observed an Albatross diving to attack. He turned & attacked at 500 yards, closing to 150. The EA did not return fire, dived steeply out of control from 500 feet.'

RFC Communique No. 35, 29th April 1916: 'In a Morane bi-plane, 1 Sqn engaged a hostile machine at 20 yards. It dived steeply for its own lines & did not return fire.'

30 April 1916: 'In a Nieuport Scout between Warneton & Hollebeke at 5:00 am observed an Aviatik at 13,000 feet. He attacked from 50 yards & fired a full drum. The EA was hit & dived steeply, he lost it at 4,000. Later he saw another Aviatik at 12,000 feet & attacked it near Ploegsteert, fired three drums into it & drove it towards Hollebeke.'

RFC Communique No. 36, 18 May 1916: 'Flying a Nieuport Scout he attacked two Aviatiks between Ypres & Ploegsteert. They turned & returned fire. He fired three drums from 100 yards. One hostile was hit & dived vertically & was destroyed. The other dived & turned towards German lines.'

Wounded on 4 July 1916, as Flight Sergeant (Pilot) 23 Squadron, & died of wounds on 8 July 1916.
(Source: 'A Contemptible Little Flying Corps', pages 166-167; from Simon Glancy; September 2014)

(N.B. The CWGC website records the date of death as 8 April 1916 but Carlisle's service record, as recorded in 'A Contemptible Little Flying Corps', pages 166-167, shows it to have been 8 July.)

Background:
Born 26 December 1893 at Hebburn-on-Tyne, County Durham.

Local Memorial:
Alnwick War Memorial Alnwick, Memorial Plaque in former premises of the DukeÂ’s School (Source: For Duke's School, Dudley George; August 2018)