Blaxland, Gregory Hamilton

Captain Gregory Hamilton Blaxland - 2 Squadron Australian Flying Corps

Gregory Blaxland, a direct relation of the explorer of the same name who crossed the Blue Mountains in the early days of New South Wales, was an 18-year-old electrical engineer working for Fremantle Tramways when he enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. His father Walter gave him consent to enlist and he joined up in October 1914. Walter Blaxland was a well-known local doctor in the Fremantle region. (Photo of Greg Blaxland - standing and his mate Ray Payne)

Gregory had seen four years of service in the Senior Cadets and had just spent six months serving in the 11^th Australian Garrison Artillery at the Fremantle Artillery Barracks under Major John Hurst who later commanded the 36^th Heavy Artillery Group on the Western Front. On enlisting in the AIF Blaxland was given a medical examination by Captain Bentley of the AAMC at Blackboy Hill Camp which found that he was 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighed 120 lbs, a chest measurement of 32 to 34 inches, blue eyes, fair hair and a florid complexion. He was passed fit and assigned to the 10^th Light Horse Regiment with the service number 376.

Blaxland was assigned to C Squadron of the 10^th Light Horse Regiment, serving under Major Scott. The 10^th moved from Guildford to Claremont camp just prior to Christmas 1914 and to Rockingham early in January 1915 where intensive training was undertaken. By February 1915 the Regiment was ready to embark for service overseas and left Fremantle bound for the Middle East. A and B Squadrons embarked first and Blaxland’s C Squadron a week later aboard the transport ship Surada.

Once in Egypt the 10^th went to Mena camp at the base of the Pyramids and then Heliopolis to continue their training. Soon a call arrived for reinforcements to help assist the infantry at Gallipoli. As the conditions there were not conducive to horses, the Light Horsemen could only be sent dismounted, but all volunteered and the 10^th embarked for Gallipoli, landing at Anzac Cove on 21^st May 1915.

Blaxland and his fellow troopers were sent up to the heights, with C Squadron splitting to go to the region of Quinn’s Post and Pope’s Hill, two of the most vital positions. Trooper Greg Blaxland served for nearly two months on the peninsula until he fell seriously ill and was evacuated on 16^th July 1915 with enteric fever. This illness may have saved Blaxland’s life as a few weeks later the 10^th Light Horse incurred frightful losses during their attack on the Nek.

Blaxland was invalided to hospital, firstly to Mudros and then to Malta where he stayed until September and was then transferred to England where he spent time in hospitals in Bristol and London. He took a long time to recover but by mid-1916 was fully fit but decided against rejoining the 10^th Light Horse, then in the midst of Egypt. He applied and was granted a transfer to the 16^th Battalion and joined them in France in October 1916 just in time for their journey back to the Somme. He served with the 16^th for two months until he was hit in the foot by shrapnel and was evacuated to the 11^th Stationary Hospital at Rouen France. There his wound was deemed serious enough for him to be evacuated to England. By mid-December he was being treated at 2^nd Birmingham War Hospital. By March 1917 he had recovered from his wound but developed mumps which meant he had more time under medical attention with the 16^th Field Ambulance at Wareham.

By the time he was again fully fit, Blaxland must have decided that life as a soldier in the trenches wasn’t for him so applied for a transfer to the Flying Corps. In June 1917 Blaxland was sent to the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) depot and from there was attached to the 30^th AFC Training Squadron in England at Ternhill and in August, the 29^th Training Squadron.

Blaxland trained in several different machines, spending seven hours flying the Maurice Farman Shorthorn, 23 hours in the Avro, 16 hours in the Sopwith Pup, 15 hours in the Bristol Scout, 20 hours in the Sopwith Camel and 15 hours in the S.E.5.

On 8^th November 1917 Blaxland was appointed a 2^nd Lieutenant and in February 1918 was made a Lieutenant. This last promotion was made just before he was sent to France where he spent another 80 hours in the S.E.5. With his training now complete, Lieutenant Greg Blaxland was assigned to No.2 Squadron Australian Flying Corps in France.

(Photo below AWME01883 - 2 Squadron Australian Flying Corps - Greg Blaxland 4th from right in back row)

In his early days flying in an operational squadron, Blaxland showed himself to be a very competent pilot. In his first two months of air combat he helped shoot down two German planes, the first on 2^nd April 1918 where he and Lt Clark brought down a large German two seater which crashed in flames at Corbie, while a few days later he was in one of three 2^nd AFC planes that machine gunned another two seater sent crashing.

Blaxland flew further patrols but without bringing down any further German planes. On the afternoon of May 8^th Blaxland took part in a patrol of five S.E.5’s. According to the aviation historian Alan Fraser, these planes:

took off from the aerodrome at Bellevue on the Doullen-Arras road in northern France to carry out a routine offensive patrol over the area of the front line. Weather conditions were described as fair. About an hour later, at about 4000 metres over the Nieppe Forrest, the patrol, by now reduced to four, sighted a formation of three aeroplanes of an unfamiliar type some 600 metres below them. These were assumed to be German and three of the patrol dived to attack. The leader of the Australians, Lt L.J. Primrose, then recognised the machines as French Spad single-seaters and pulled out of the dive without firing. Another pilot Lt E.E. Davies, attempted to open fire but experienced trouble with his guns. The third pilot, however, continued his attack and fired a number of shots into one of the French machines.[1]

This third pilot was Lt Greg Blaxland and his bullets peppered the French machine, killing the pilot, Adjutant Henri Renault. Renault’s planes crashed in the village of St Sylvestre-Cappel, north of Hazebrouck. Renault’s body was taken to the 1^st Australian General Hospital at Hazebrouck and buried nearby.

Shooting down an allied plane was not a matter to be taken lightly and the commander of Renault’s squadron launched an immediate enquiry. The incident was reported to the British. Lt Colonel Mills who commanded 51^st Wing, of which No.2 Squadron AFC was a part. He launched an immediate investigation.

No report came from No.2 Squadron AFC pilots regarding this event and when blamed for the event, Blaxland claimed he had shot at a German plane. He visited the crash site and claimed that the markings on this French plane were different to the plane he had shot down.

The war diary of Blaxland’s Squadron contains no mention of the encounter, nor is there any official report written by Lt Blaxland. The leader of his patrol, Lt Primrose, perhaps in an attempt to help Blaxland, stated that the French planes were camouflaged and identifiable markings on the French planes were very indistinct. Unfortunately Primrose was killed in action shortly after so he could not elaborate on his statement.

Identification of planes was always a problem in the war and this was not the first, nor the last, time that pilots mistakenly shot down planes of their own side. Perhaps because the incident was allegedly covered up by No.2 AFC Squadron and not reported by their commanding officer, Lt-Col Mills felt he had to take action. As Major Sheldon, commander of 2^nd AFC Squadron, had not taken action on the incident or even reported it to higher authorities, Lt-Col Mills asked him to explain his actions. Sheldon responded in writing that:

 It was reported to me that French machines had been met on the date in question but no report was made to me that Lt Blaxland had fired at these machines. This accounts for the entry being made in the Sqdn. Record Book. Lieut. Blaxland still affirms that the machine {which} crashed was not one of those met on patrol.[2]

This response must not have pleased Mills and two days later Sheldon was recalled to Australia to assist in the organisation of an air corps. As for Blaxland, Lt-Col Mills, hoping to placate the French who were rightly angered over the incident, knew he had to make an example of him.

In his official report Mills stated about Blaxland that:

 I consider he displayed a culpable negligence which necessitates the taking of disciplinary action, such as will constitute an example to other pilots. This course of action would seem all the more necessary in view of the very strong feeling which was expressed to me by the two Group Commanders and {the} Squadron Commander of the unit to which the French pilot belonged.[3]

On 12^th May, four days after killing Adjutant Renault, Blaxland was recalled to England to serve in a training squadron. At the time, Blaxland, may have felt this was a harsh price to pay, but the fact remains that through an error of judgement or impetuosity, he shot down and killed Adjutant Renault, also a gifted pilot.

Blaxland arrived back in England, fresh from downing another German plane on 10^th May, and reported to No.1Wing of the Australian Flying Corps. From mid-May till the end of September 1918, Blaxland trained new pilots, firstly at No.6 Training Squadron at Minchinhampton, then No.8 Training Squadron at Leigherton in Gloucestershire. For a pilot who had a taste of air combat it must have been a frustrating time to be stuck in England training novice pilots.

On 1^st July 1918, Blaxland was on another flight as instructor in an Avro when his plane crashed, fortunately he escaped with only slight injuries. According to Blaxland:

 the engine cut out low over valley. In turning into the wind to get into a field the pilot stalled trying to clear a stone wall[4].

Blaxland was sent to 2^nd Southern General Hospital in Bristol, but as his injuries were not severe he was soon back with No.6 Training Squadron.

At the end of September 1918 Blaxland was able to wangle his way back to No.2 Squadron in France. With the allied offensive, the Germans were being pushed back and the British forces were preparing for an advance into German held territory. The Flying Corps were busy keeping pressure on the Germans by bombing and air attacks.

Blaxland arrived back at his squadron on 2^nd October 1918 and two days later flew his first operational flight since May in an Offensive Patrol in the vicinity of Lille. During the patrol Blaxland shot down a Fokker Biplane. His patrol report states:

I was one of six SE5’s at 12,000 feet at 1000 (hrs), when about two miles S. of Lille we encountered a formation of ten Fokker Biplanes at 10,000 feet. Our patrol dived and I dived on one putting a burst of about 100 rounds, starting firing at some 75 yards to 25 yards when E.A. {Enemy Aircraft} turned over on it’s side and went down vertically. I followed the E.A. down to about 6000 feet but had to turn and engage two other E.A. who were getting on my tail. When last seen the E.A. I had followed and fired at was still diving vertically and turning slowly on it’s longitudinal axis.[5]

On 16^th October, also in the vicinity of Lille, Blaxland was on an offensive patrol when their group spotted 15 Fokker Biplanes below them at 16,000 feet. Diving on them, Blaxland picked out a target and fired on several planes without result but after a short time, got in behind a Fokker and fired a long burst into it, after which it was seen to burst into smoke and flames and fall out of control towards the ground. Lieutenant Dibbs, who was flying another S.E.5 alongside Blaxland, describes part of the action:

After a head on encounter with one German in which we liberally sprayed one another with tracer bullets, I looked around and could see but one other S.E.5 in the fight. This machine, which I after ascertained to be Blaxland’s was in the centre of a bunch of Fokkers, and tracer ammunition seemed to be flying in all directions. As I turned towards Blaxland, he zoomed suddenly and I followed him. Together we climbed above the German machines, which, apparently anticipating a renewed attack, dived away east. Both of Blaxland’s and one of my guns were jammed and, while we were clearing the stoppages, seven Fokkers appeared from the south and passed a few hundred feet above us. They appeared not to see us and flew unconcernedly on their way.

However , being unable to resist the temptation to put a burst into one of them, I pulled up the nose of my S.E.5 and gave the rear left hand machine twenty rounds with the remaining serviceable gun. The Germans were forthwith galvanised into activity, and, half rolling, down they came. Blaxland and I dropped vertically, with stick well forward and a touch of the throttle, and left the German machines behind us. We did not see the remaining members of our own formation, from whom we had been separated in the fight, until we landed at the aerodrome.[6]

By 18^th October Lille had fallen into British hands and a large bombing raid was launched on German held territory at Tournai and nearby villages. German transport, the railway station and the German aerodrome were all bombed and machine gunned. Lt Blaxland, as part of a group with 2^nd AFC, attacked the nearby village of Allain. Their bombs had wreaked havoc on the Germans and continuing their mission they were dived on by a group of Fokker Biplanes. The supporting fighter planes engaged most of the Germans, but three Fokkers attacked the 2^nd AFC bombing planes and promptly engaged them. According to Blaxland:

Whilst S.E. of Tournai on a low bombing patrol, after dropping my bombs I was attacked at 1250 at 1200 feet by 3 Fokker Biplanes. I succeeded in getting a burst of 50 rounds from 75 yards into one of the E.A. which immediately went down vertically and I saw him at a point about 2 miles from the S.E. corner of Tournai.[7]

Blaxland next met the Germans in the sky, when on 28^th October, his squadron led by Captain Cole spotted a group of Fokker Biplanes that were attacking a formation of British D.H.9’s on a bombing mission. The planes from 2^nd Squadron intercepted the Fokkers and after a brief but busy action shot down five of them, with Blaxland claiming another scalp, the German he attacked was seen spinning out of control in smoke and flames.

 The next few days brought few combats, but on 4^th November, a bright and clear day, many air fights broke out east of Tournai. Early in the morning, Blaxland, leading a flight, got involved with seven Fokkers. Though Blaxland didn’t shoot one down, several pilots of his section were more successful and four Fokkers were seen to fall. The planes of 2^nd Squadron returned to base, but by noon were back in the air, this time on a bombing mission. Each plane was loaded up with bombs for a low flying raid on the German aerodrome at Chapelle-a-Wattines.

The S.E.5’s of 2^nd Squadron were about to release the bombs over the aerodrome when they were attacked by five Fokkers and more were seen in the air high above. The S.E.5’s immediately released their bombs and joined in combat with the Germans. The five Fokkers that attacked the S.E.5’s were all shot down in the combat that followed, one of which was claimed by Blaxland. More scrimmages occurred throughout the day and several more German planes were shot down, though three Australian pilots had also been killed. On 9^th November 1918, when the Germans were in full retreat, Blaxland was promoted to Captain and was confirmed as a Flight Commander of 2^nd Squadron AFC. On the eve of the Armistice No.2 Squadron was still busy bombing the Germans and on their last active mission bombed Enghein train station and its environs.

After the Armistice, 2^nd Squadron maintained their patrols which of course were peaceful as compared to previous days. While No.4 Squadron AFC was sent to Germany as part of the Army of Occupation, No.2 Squadron remained near Lille until it was demobilised in 1919.

As for Captain Greg Blaxland, in the last month of the war he shot down six German planes bringing his total in the war to eight. Blaxland was obviously a talented pilot, and had he not been involved in the unfortunate shooting down of Adjutant Renault, and subsequently missing five months of the air war on the Western Front, he could have been one of the top Australian air aces.

Normally if a pilot had shot down five enemy planes he would be awarded an immediate decoration, normally the Distinguished Flying Cross. However this was not the case with Greg Blaxland. He shot down eight enemy planes but did not receive any medal or mention in dispatches. Was there still a black mark on his record from the shooting down of Adjutant Renault?

Nevertheless with the war now over, Blaxland was granted leave to England and spent some time relaxing after the rigours of the last month of the war. With his leave over, Blaxland reported to Australian Flying Corps HQ in London and was put on temporary assignment to a Training Brigade while waiting for an available ship back to Australia. On 5^th March 1919 Captain Greg Blaxland boarded the transport ship Nevassa for the journey home.

Blaxland had been away from home since early 1915 and in that time his father, Dr. Walter Blaxland, had taken a job in Sydney and so Greg decided to meet his father there instead of returning to Fremantle. On 25^th June 1919 his appointment to the AIF was terminated and he embarked upon civilian life. In the 1920’s he undertook a Bachelor of Education at Sydney University and married in 1927. He died on the 25^th of August 1969.