VERY RARE WW1 NO4 SQUADRON RNAS EXPEDITIONARY FORCE EAST AFRICA JUNE 1915 – SEPT 1916 PHOTO, DOCUMENT AND MEDAL GROUP TO LEADING MECHANIC WHO PLAYED A ROLE IN THE SINKING OF THE KONIGSBERG IN JULY 1915, SERVED IN THE MAKTAU, TAUGA CAMPAIGNS, THEN SERVICE AT SEAPLANE STATIONS BACK AND THE UK AND COMMISSIONED IN 1918

2nd Lieutenant Sidney Thomas Fowler (1871-1970) was born in Bexley, Kent, prior to his military service Fowler worked at Bexley Power Station but in May 1915 he joined the Royal Naval Air Service and was almost immediately sent to East Africa to join no 4 Expeditionary Squadron RNAS under the command of Flight Lieutenant John Tulloch Cull. As a 1st Class Mechanic, he played a small part in the sinking of SMS Konigsberg on 11 July 1915 in East Africa where he carried out work on one of the seaplanes which took part in the sinking of Konigsberg.

The photograph album and scrapbook included in the group contain a large number of rare photographs relating to this small expeditionary force sent to East Africa during Fowlers service there; June 1915 to September 1916. Photos include many officers and OR’s who Fowler served with including Flight Commander Cull who was the pilot of one of the spotter planes involved in the attack and which crashed after it was hit by enemy fire. Both Cull and his Observer survived after being picked up by a small boat, an extensive eyewitness account of this action written by Fowler is included in the group.

After the sinking of the Konigsberg, in August 1915, Cull’s 4 Expeditionary Squadron RNAS, moved to Mombasa and September 1915 and the seaplanes were sent to Mesopotamia. Cull and the small number of men with him and two Caudron’s moved inland to Maktau to help the Army in the Kilimanjaro area. Joining General Michael Tighe’s forces, they, in very difficult country, not suited for aircraft, they were also pitched against the famed German General Lettow-Vorbeck……

SEE PDF FOR FULL DETAILS OF CONTENT. IF YOU WISH PICTURES OF THE DOCUMENTS ETC (THERE ARE A LOT!), PLEASE GET IN TOUCH

CONTENTS OF GROUP IN BRIEF:
1) Fowlers medal group framed
2) Superb 19.5 x28cm hand drawn/watercolour painting of Short Seaplane No.1087
3) Rare Photo album with approx 130 photos, mainly relating to Fowler’s service in East Africa.
4) Four small diaries for 1915, 1916, 1917 and 1918.
5) Superb large scrapbook file with 89 photos (almost all East Africa service) and a large number of letters and documents relating to Fowlers Service, especially East Africa
6) large clip folder containing a large amount of documentation;
7) Army Book 130, partially filled but also has a number of pages filled in by Fowler at a later date, giving an account of events leading up to and of the destruction of the Konigsberg and details of his non Wartime life.
8) Swahili Phrases book – clearly used in East Africa
9) Large amount of copied research and CD

Group is heavy, weighing approx 14KG packed.

A really quite amazingly complete and rare group to one of the few men who served with the RNAS in East Africa during 1915 (especially). Photographs and documents relating to this expedition rarely come up for sale.