Freeman, Harold Augustus

Killed in Flying Accident 1918-09-09

Birth Date: unkown date

Born: Kempt, Queens County, Nova Scotia

Rev. Binney Smith Freeman & Edith Loran Smith

Home: Victoria, B.C. (parents)

Enlistment: Vancouver, B.C.: AM3, RFC

Enlistment Date: 1917-11-28

Service

RAF

Unit

C (OT) Sqn- Squadron (RFC)

Base

Central Flying School, Upavon, England

Rank

Second-Lieutenant

Position

Second-Lieutenant

Service Numbers

407032, RAF

1918-09-09; Camel F-2197, CFS, Upavon; whilst formation flying, got nose down in right hand turn and dived into ground, Upavon area, 2Lt Harold Augustus Freeman (20) killed.Court of Inquiry found the death to be due to an error in judgement on the part of the pilot.

Sopwith Camel

By unknown RAF photographer - gallery link image link, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8473883
RAF_Sopwith_Camel.jpg image not found

The Sopwith Camel became the most successful British fighter of the First World War. The Sopwith F.1 and 2F.1 Camel first went into operations on the Western Front in 1917 and then served in virtually every theatre of Royal Flying Corps (RFC), Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and Royal Air Force (RAF) service. Several Canadian aces used the Camel as their mount. The Camel was very manoeuvrable, and it could be tricky to fly in the hands of a novice pilot. For experienced pilots, however, the aircraft proved to be a superb fighter.

The Camel's machine-guns were mounted on the forward fuselage with their breeches enclosed in a faired metal cowling "hump" that gave the Camel its name. Several Camels were also shipped to Canada in the post-war period as part of an Imperial gift. Three registered Sopwith F.1 Camels entered service with the RCAF at Camp Borden in 1924. The following year, the RCAF purchased seven additional aircraft to provide further spares for the active aircraft. These latter aircraft were in fact 2F.1 models that had been "navalized" variants. Used primarily by wartime experienced fighter pilots for refresher training, the Camels lasted another five years before finally being scrapped.Wikipedia

YouTube Sopwith Camel

Wikipedia Wikipedia Sopwith Camel

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Kestrel Publications Sopwith Camel - Kestrel Publications