Captain Walter K. F. G. Warneford
THE COMMANDER Walter Kerneys Francis Goodhall Warneford AFC was born on 19 July 1895, the only son of Walter and Mary Warneford. His father, Walter Wyndham Hayden Warneford, was Works Manager of the LNWR works at Crewe from 1910 to 1916 and then Wagon Superintendant at the LMS railway coach and wagon works at Earlestown. Walter’s family home was Lansdowne House, Huyton, Lancashire. By 1919 Walter was “a thick-set, hearty, athletic young man of 24, and a favourite amongst his fellow airshipmen”. Interestingly, Walter was a cousin of Reginald A. J. Warneford of the Royal Naval Air Service who...
Read MoreCaptain Arthur Stanley Elliott DSC
THE SECOND OFFICER – Without doubt, Arthur Stanley Elliott had an interesting career in the airship service. Known as an unlucky airshipman he certainly had his fair share of bad luck. Arthur was born on 18 February 1894 in Halifax, Yorkshire. His permanent home address is recorded as Charleston, Bridlington, Yorkshire. Before he joined the Royal Naval Air Service, Elliott was a junior officer in the Merchant Navy. Elliott was posted to Wormwood Scrubs on 2 January 1916 and then the Clement Talbot Works (RNAS Armoured Car Division) Wormwood Scrubs. According to his service record Elliott is...
Read MoreSergeant Charles Henry Lewry
THE COXWAIN – The first son of Henry Charles Lewry and Mary Jane Lewry Charles joined the Royal Navy in 1909 at the age of 16 and was transferred to the Royal Naval Air Service in 1916 and then to the RAF in 1918. As well as being awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal Charles was a holder of the Air Force Medal. The AFM was instituted, with the AFC, in June 1918, and was awarded to NCOs and men for courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy. Records show that Charles was transferred to the RNAS as Leading...
Read MoreSergeant Percy James Waghorn
COXWAIN – Born in Keston, Kent on 30 March 1893. Percy was a carpenter before he enlisted in the RNAS as an Air Mechanic 1 on 21 November 1914. His parents were William and Rebecca Waghorn. With a trade as an Airship Rigger he was promoted to Leading Mechanic on 1 August 1915. He was a Corporal on the formation of the RAF on 1 April 1918 and had been promoted to Sergeant by July 1919. Waghorn left effects to the value of £125 12s 6d to his father William Waghorn who was keeper of The Star Beerhouse, Capel Hill, Kent. Service numbers: F2161/202161 Many thanks to Becky Saunders for...
Read MoreAircraftman 1 Frederick Cameron
AIR GUNNER – Frederick was born in Gorton, Manchester on 19 January 1899, son of a blacksmith striker Frederick Cameron and his wife Elizabeth.1 A boilermaker as a civilian, he enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Boy Seaman on 1 April 1915 and was transferred to the RNAS as a Boy Mechanic on 19 July 1915. On 19 January 1917 Frederick was promoted to Air Mechanic 2. He served at Cranwell, Kingsnorth, Longside (October 1918) until he was transferred to Pulham in June 1919, less than a month before his death. Service numbers: J37870/313043 1. 1901 Census Photograph of Frederick...
Read MoreFlight Sergeant Charles O’Connor
ENGINEER – Born at Strand in London on 1 October 1891 Charles enlisted with the RNAS in early December 1914. His occupation given on his service record is chauffeur. The census for 1911 shows a Charles O’Connor living with his parents at 4 Devonshire Street, Bloomsbury with his occupation listed as motor fitter improver. Charles was on active service on the Royal Navy’s first aircraft carrier Ark Royal in October 1915 (probably in the eastern Mediterranean), and, according to his service record, also took part in many land operations – with 34 Naval Parties listed. Charles was promoted...
Read MoreAircraftman 2 Thomas George Jarrett
ENGINEER – Thomas was born in Bromley, Kent on 2 November 1897, although his service record gives his year of birth as 1898. A son of a railway worker, he enlisted in the RNAS as an Aircraftman 2 in mid-September 1916. He was promoted to Aircraftman 1 on 3 August 1917 and become Private 1 on the formation of the RAF on 1 April 1918. Service numbers: F20797/220797
Read MoreLeading Aircraftman Thomas Connelly
W/T OPERATOR – Born in Airdrie, Lanarkshire on 30 September 1892, Thomas Connelly worked as a miner and warehouseman until he joined the Royal Naval Air Service as a Air Mechanic 2 at the age of 24 on 6 September 1916. After a short stint on President II, Connelly was posted to Daedelus – the Royal Naval Air Service Training Establishment Cranwell on 12 September. On 20 February 1917, Connelly was briefly transferred to the RNAS Flying School at Eastchurch, Kent – considered the home of the RNAS and British aviation itself. He then went to The RNAS seaplane base at Killingholme in...
Read MoreAircraftman 2 Alfred Thomas Jacques
W/T OPERATOR – The youngest member of the crew was born on 6 May 1900 in Stapleford, Nottinghamshire. Previously working as a butcher, he enlisted in the RNAS as a Boy Mechanic on 2 November 1917. Alfred was promoted to Aircraftman 2 on 6 May 1918 and at the time of his death he lived in Long Eaton, Derbyshire. Service numbers: F40902/240902 Many thanks to Noel at the Sussex History Forum for tracking down the photograph of Alfred from the Nottingham Evening Post of 17 July 1919. Image © Local World Limited. Image created courtesy of The British Library...
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NS11 – As Bright As Day is very much a work in progress and has been made possible by the generous and enthusiastic support of many individuals and organisations. If you have any information, records or material relating to British NS Class airships we would be very interested to hear from you – especially anyone related to members of the crew of NS11 or any airship of the class during their service with the RNAS or RAF during and beyond WWI. 
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