Post by atillathenunns on Feb 9, 2012 22:29:15 GMT 12
militarianz.freeforums.org/new-zealands-pioneering-military-airmen-and-aircraft-t1219.html
Fabian Pember Reeves
Fabian Pember Reeves was born in Christchurch on the 12th December 1895, his father was the distinguished Honourable William Pember Reeves, his mother Magdalen Stuart Reeves who was an author of some note.
William Reeves moved his family to London, England to take up the position of Agent-General for New Zealand and later to become High Commissioner.
Fabian who had been a student member of the OTC, is mentioned among the Admiralty Announcements as being commissioned into the Royal Naval Air Service as of the 18th July 1915 as Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant, for temporary service.
Reeves would begin his training first at Eastchurch before going on to Hendon. He was then stationed with Home Defence squadrons at Yarmouth and Dover, and then as an instructor at Eastchurch.
31st December 1916
By Admiralty Announcement, Flight Sub-Lieutenant Fabian Reeves to be Flight Lieutenant (for temporary service).
6th June 1917
Flight Lieutenant Fabian Reeves was killed on June 6, 1917.
At the time (around mid-day) Reeves was flying a Nieuport, XVIIbis biplane (N3204), attached to 6 Naval Squadron. The five planes of the 6 Naval Squadron was under the command of Flight Commander Chris Draper and was escorting some FE2b’s on a line west and northwest of Cambrai.
The British formation came across elements of Jasta 5, led by the legendary German fighter ace Werner Voss. The Germans had the advantage of hight before swooping to attack. Draper (who would subsequently claim one enemy destroyed and another out of control during the engagement) later reported the Germans easily outnumbered his own command.
Initially Voss would be credited for shooting down Reeves (his 34th victory of 48 kills), but after the war, eyewitness accounts from Draper would put doubt as to this being what actually happened.
Reeves was seen to have been chased by a German fighter. “Reeves threw his Nieuport around the sky in his efforts to shake loose his tormentor but then his wings were seen to fold and peel away from his fuselage.” (Reeves would crash behind enemy lines).
Whether Reeves was shot down by enemy machine gun fire or by the stresses induced by his own violent manoeuvring remains unclear.
In Werner Voss’s own report, “he had gotten on to the tail of a Nieuport which, he sent spinning down into the British lines. (Reeves crashed behind German lines)
It seems possible that Reeves simply broke up in the air and that Voss’s rather optimistic claim related to a dogfight with Draper who was forced to make a hurried exit to his own side by diving down to the safety of the British trenches, and from what I can tell, landed safely.
Whether it was Reeves that Voss shot down or whether it was Draper that was chased back to British lines will always be the subject of debate. Who ever it was, they managed to slightly wound Voss and cause enough damage to his Albatros DIII that caused his own subsequent crash landing.
Reeves remains were never recovered, he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the Missing in France. He was twenty-two years old.
Fabian Pember Reeves
Fabian Pember Reeves was born in Christchurch on the 12th December 1895, his father was the distinguished Honourable William Pember Reeves, his mother Magdalen Stuart Reeves who was an author of some note.
William Reeves moved his family to London, England to take up the position of Agent-General for New Zealand and later to become High Commissioner.
Fabian who had been a student member of the OTC, is mentioned among the Admiralty Announcements as being commissioned into the Royal Naval Air Service as of the 18th July 1915 as Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant, for temporary service.
Reeves would begin his training first at Eastchurch before going on to Hendon. He was then stationed with Home Defence squadrons at Yarmouth and Dover, and then as an instructor at Eastchurch.
31st December 1916
By Admiralty Announcement, Flight Sub-Lieutenant Fabian Reeves to be Flight Lieutenant (for temporary service).
6th June 1917
Flight Lieutenant Fabian Reeves was killed on June 6, 1917.
At the time (around mid-day) Reeves was flying a Nieuport, XVIIbis biplane (N3204), attached to 6 Naval Squadron. The five planes of the 6 Naval Squadron was under the command of Flight Commander Chris Draper and was escorting some FE2b’s on a line west and northwest of Cambrai.
The British formation came across elements of Jasta 5, led by the legendary German fighter ace Werner Voss. The Germans had the advantage of hight before swooping to attack. Draper (who would subsequently claim one enemy destroyed and another out of control during the engagement) later reported the Germans easily outnumbered his own command.
Initially Voss would be credited for shooting down Reeves (his 34th victory of 48 kills), but after the war, eyewitness accounts from Draper would put doubt as to this being what actually happened.
Reeves was seen to have been chased by a German fighter. “Reeves threw his Nieuport around the sky in his efforts to shake loose his tormentor but then his wings were seen to fold and peel away from his fuselage.” (Reeves would crash behind enemy lines).
Whether Reeves was shot down by enemy machine gun fire or by the stresses induced by his own violent manoeuvring remains unclear.
In Werner Voss’s own report, “he had gotten on to the tail of a Nieuport which, he sent spinning down into the British lines. (Reeves crashed behind German lines)
It seems possible that Reeves simply broke up in the air and that Voss’s rather optimistic claim related to a dogfight with Draper who was forced to make a hurried exit to his own side by diving down to the safety of the British trenches, and from what I can tell, landed safely.
Whether it was Reeves that Voss shot down or whether it was Draper that was chased back to British lines will always be the subject of debate. Who ever it was, they managed to slightly wound Voss and cause enough damage to his Albatros DIII that caused his own subsequent crash landing.
Reeves remains were never recovered, he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial to the Missing in France. He was twenty-two years old.
