Frederick F. Minchin
Encyclopedia
Frederick Frank Reilly Minchin CBE
DSO
MC
was born in Madras on 16 June 1890 and was educated at Eastbourne College
. He passed out of Sandhurst
in 1909 and after 2 years resigned his commission to train as a civilian pilot at the recently formed Eastbourne Aviation Company
. In 1913 he obtained his Royal Aero Club
certificate flying a Bristol Boxkite
at the Langney Aerodrome Eastbourne. In 1915 he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps
(RFC) with the rank of lieutenant and in 1916 was awarded the Military Cross
for his daring night bombing flights into enemy territory over Egypt and Palestine. He received the Distinguished Service Order
in 1918 for his outstanding leadership in directing raids against Bulgarian and Austro-Hungarian armies.
In 1918 the RFC and the Royal Naval Air Service
(RNAS) were merged into the Royal Air Force
. In July 1919 he served in India and was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
(CBE) having gained three awards for gallantry and Mentioned in Dispatches
on three occasions.
In 1923 Minchin joined one of the first British commercial airlines, Instone, operating from Croydon Aerodrome near London.
On 31 August 1927 Lieutenant Colonel Dan Minchin, Captain Leslie Hamilton and Princess Anne of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg
took off from Upavon airfield in a Dutch Fokker F.VIIA named the St. Raphael in a bid to become the first aviators to cross the Atlantic from east to west.
The St. Raphael was last sighted some 800 miles west of Galway heading for Newfoundland. The St Raphael was never seen again, and the fate of Lieutenant Colonel Minchin, Captain Leslie Hamilton and Princess Loewenstein-Wertheim remains a mystery.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
was born in Madras on 16 June 1890 and was educated at Eastbourne College
Eastbourne College
Eastbourne College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils aged 13–18, situated on the south coast of England, included in the Tatler list of top public schools. The College's current headmaster is Simon Davies. The College was founded by the Duke of Devonshire...
. He passed out of Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
in 1909 and after 2 years resigned his commission to train as a civilian pilot at the recently formed Eastbourne Aviation Company
Eastbourne Aviation Company
The Eastbourne Aviation Company was established by Major Bernard Fowler in 1909 on land between Eastbourne and Pevensey Bay. His original airfield lies under the present day industrial estate below St Anthony's Mount...
. In 1913 he obtained his Royal Aero Club
Royal Aero Club
The Royal Aero Club is the national co-ordinating body for Air Sport in the United Kingdom.The Aero Club was founded in 1901 by Frank Hedges Butler, his daughter Vera and the Hon Charles Rolls , partly inspired by the Aero Club of France...
certificate flying a Bristol Boxkite
Bristol Boxkite
-Military operators:* Australian Flying Corps** Central Flying School AFC at Point Cook, Victoria.* Union Defence Forces - South African Air Force Kingdom of Spain* Royal Flying Corps* Royal Naval Air Service** No. 3 Squadron RFC-References:...
at the Langney Aerodrome Eastbourne. In 1915 he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
(RFC) with the rank of lieutenant and in 1916 was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for his daring night bombing flights into enemy territory over Egypt and Palestine. He received the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
in 1918 for his outstanding leadership in directing raids against Bulgarian and Austro-Hungarian armies.
In 1918 the RFC and the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
(RNAS) were merged into the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. In July 1919 he served in India and was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(CBE) having gained three awards for gallantry and Mentioned in Dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
on three occasions.
In 1923 Minchin joined one of the first British commercial airlines, Instone, operating from Croydon Aerodrome near London.
On 31 August 1927 Lieutenant Colonel Dan Minchin, Captain Leslie Hamilton and Princess Anne of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg
Princess Anne of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg
Princess Anne of Löwenstein-Wertheim-Freudenberg was an English socialite and aviation patron and enthusiast. Anne was both the first woman to attempt and perish in a transatlantic airplane flight...
took off from Upavon airfield in a Dutch Fokker F.VIIA named the St. Raphael in a bid to become the first aviators to cross the Atlantic from east to west.
The St. Raphael was last sighted some 800 miles west of Galway heading for Newfoundland. The St Raphael was never seen again, and the fate of Lieutenant Colonel Minchin, Captain Leslie Hamilton and Princess Loewenstein-Wertheim remains a mystery.