James Bigglesworth

Pension Records

Volume 43 Number 4

Harry Woodman

Peter Cooksley

Mike O'Connor

Stow Maries Talk

Following the launch of The Friends of Stow Maries Aerodrome, the first of a series of talks on WW1 aviation subjects is to be held at the airfield on Saturday 13th July 2013.

Filton Grant

Filton - famously the home of "Bristol" - has won a grant from BAe to conserve the surviving WW1 buildings and develop a heritage centre.

Volume 43 Number 3

George Miller

We are sad to have to announce the death of George Miller.

Volume 43 Number 2

2013 Calendar

The 2013 Cross & Cockade International calendar is here!

Volume 43 Number 1

RAFM at Shuttleworth

Most people will by now have heard that the RAFM's replica RE8, Albatros DVa and Sopwith Snipe, built by Peter Jackson and TVAL in New Zealand, have landed in the UK.

Stow Maries FOR SALE

Rumours have been flying for some weeks, that Essex WW1 home defence airfield Stow Maries is up for sale.

Stow on the Beeb

I hope everyone has heard of the superb WW1 airfield restoration, underway at Stow Maries in Essex. If not, check out this link:

http://www.stowmaries.com/

Propeller Books

Bob Gardner is the leading expert on propeller design and manufacture in WW1. Over the past few years, Bob has been bringing out a series of books on British propellers and menufacturers, which, when complete, will doubtless be the definitive word. These books are now available through the society's web shop.

Finnegan Talk

Terry Finnegan, author of Shooting the Front, will be giving a talk at the IWM on 20th June 2012

Albatros Flies!

ALBATROS FIGHTER FLIES AGAIN!

Koloman Mayrhofer and Eberhard Fritsch announced that in the late morning of 10th April 2012, after a 94 year break, a WWI designed Albatros fighter has flown again.

Research Tools

Many of our members have put countless hours into developing their own research tools. Here, some members have allowed us to post their work - for you to download - for free.

War Graves Appeal

Wedmore War Graves

Volume 42 Number 4

CCI Curator

Supporting our remit as an educational charity, Cross and Cockade International are part-funding a curator's role at the Royal Air Force Museum, based at Hendon.

2012 CCI Seminar

Cross and Cockade International hosted a highly successful seminar over the weekend of 22nd to 24th June 2012.

Never mind the Olympics - THIS was THE unmissable event of 2012 - for anyone interested in WW1 in the air!

Dolphin Monograph

The society's first book, "Nieuports in RFC, RNAS & RAF Service", has sold out - and is now available as a download. Our second book was the hugely popular "Royal Aircraft Factory FE2b/d & Variants in RFC, RAF, RNAS & AFC Service".

Now here's the third in the series: "Sopwith Dolphin in RFC, RNAS, RAF and Polish Service" - available to order now - shipping from 16th March 2012.

York Meetings

As well as our London meetings, we also hold a long-running series of quarterly meetings in York

London Parking

Our London meetings are held on HMS President, moored on the Thames Embankment. While this is handy for several tube stations, it's not that easy for those wanting to travel by car.

Colin Huston has recently found a great parking scheme nearby, which might be of interest to other members.

Volume 42 Number 3

Volume 42 Number 2

Stow Maries Show

Stow Maries Aerodrome closed over winter. The next show will be Saturday 5th May 2012, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the formation of the RFC.

Alex Imrie

It has been confirmed by Alex's family that he passed away, after a short illness, on 4th June 2011.

A full obituary (below) has been prepared by the family.

Volume 42 Number 1

Nieuport Book

It's back! Our first monograph, the widely acclaimed Nieuports in RNAS, RFC and RAF Service is available for sale again.

Italian Hangar

The more observant amongst us might have noticed a unique sale, that went through on Ebay some two years ago. This was for a Bessoneau Type H hangar - picture at bottom - which was being sold "as is" from RAF Wethersfield.

2012 Calendar

The 2012 Calendar is here! But there's only 15 left as of 31st January ...

Peter Cooksley

We are delighted to announce that, contrary to reports via other forums, Peter Cooksley is still with us.

The following email was today sent to us by Frank Anderson, Chairman of the Croydon Airport Society:

Dan-San Abbott

We were saddened today to hear of the death of Dan-San Abbott, after a short illness.

US Naval Aviation

The monograph Naval Aviation in World War I has been out of print for many years and paper copies are no longer available through the Naval Aviation History Branch or the Government Printing Office.

IPMS Hendon

RAFM on Flickr

The Royal Air Force Museum has a huge collection of WW1 aviation photographs. Unfortunately, many of these are uncaptioned - and sadly many also have no acquisition details - the museum don't know who donated the albums, or when.

Last WW1 Veteran Dies

The world's last known combat veteran of World War I, Claude Choules, has died in Australia aged 110.

Officers Mess or Village Hall?

DRINKSTONE VILLAGE HALL IS ON THE MOVE - Relocation not demolition for rare historic building!

A ninety-year-old relic from the First World War, which was originally an officers mess hut at Great Ashfield Airfield and has served as the Drinkstone Village Hall in Suffolk since 1924, is being moved, lock, stock and barrel, to a new home at a museum and wildlife centre on the former First World War aerodrome at Stow Maries in Essex.

Volume 41 Number 4

Hawker Memorial

Last year we reported that a permament memorial to Major Lanoe Hawker VC was being created on the site of his fatal crash in France. Phil Mobbs, from today's 24 Sqn, tells us that the project is now complete.

Lighter Restoration

World's Oldest Aircraft Carrier (sic)

Seminar Papers

Stripped Camel!

We are offering for download a most interesting eBook, by Martin Koopman, which shows the construction of the Sopwith Camel in all it's intricate detail. The eBook includes 47 pages in full colour, 420 mm x 297 mm, with a resolution of 120 dpi.

2013 AGM

The Cross & Cockade International AGM will be held at the RAF Museum, Hendon, on Saturday 20th April 2013.

Presenting the Leaman Lecture this year will be curator of the Trenchard Museum, Francis Hanford.

CCI accept cards

Stow Maries Show

Stow Maries held a highy successful Vintage Fly-In on Sunday 8th May 2011

Stow Maries Memorial

Colin Ashford

Noted WW1 artist and CCI member Colin Ashford has been elected Vice President of the Guild of Aviation Artists

Stow Maries Film

Volume 41 Number 3

Volume 41 Number 2

2011 Calendar

The 2011 calendar is SOLD OUT!

Guild of Aviation Artists

Volume 41 Number 1

Calgary Theft

Museum at Stow Maries

Channel 4

New boss at RAFM

Avro Blue Plaque

A Blue Plaque has been dedicated, commemorating the first Avro factory

Trophy for MOSI

Desmond Penrose Trophy

Severnside Military Show

The Severnside Military Show this year will be held on the Saturday 12^th and Sunday 13^th of June with a large gathering of armour, jeeps, trucks and enthusiasts. The event has moved from Kemble and will now be held at the Severnside Vintage showground in Cambridge, Glos. The new venue provides a laid back, friendly atmosphere for all of the family to enjoy.

Journal Index

There's now 43 complete years of Cross & Cockade International journals. If you think or know that we've published an item on a particular subject somewhere in those 160 journals - but don't know just where - then you need the index.

Volume 40 Number 4

RAFM Car Parking

Best Article 2009

Regional Meetings

BBMF under threat

Our government has decided that the Battle Of Britain Memorial Flight is expendable - and are threatening to withdraw funding.

Leaman Lecture

To mark Paul Leaman's imminent retirement as Chair of Trustees, after 40 years of dedicated service to the society, we're implementing a keynote lecture in his name, to be given at our AGM each year by an eminent aviation historian.

Note that you don't need to be a CCI member to attend - and admission to the RAFM and the Leaman Lecture is free of charge.

Those Magnificent Men

Crossing the Line

IWM Film Archive

Bristol Bus to AGM

When Europe Went Mad

When Europe Went Mad: A Brief History of the First World War

- a new title by Terence Finn, working with Tim Kenney marketing - watch the review in the next journal!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Europe-Went-Mad-History/dp/1571974970/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263757676&sr=8-1

Newspaper Archive

Guild of Aviation Artists

In 2010 the Guild will be hosting its 40th annual exhibition! If you've any interest in aviation, and enjoy a well-produced painting, this is a not-to-be-missed event.

IPMS Bolton Show OFF

IPMS Show, Hendon

Scale ModelWorld 2013

Not to be missed if you have any interest in aviation modelling! This will be our fourth year in attendance. The 2013 show will again be at the Telford International Exhibition Centre.

Make a note in the diary - 9th & 10th November 2013

Volume 40 Number 3

New books in the Shop

We have two new titles (well, new to us anyway) in the shop:

Fairey IIIF - the InterWar Military Workhorse
by Phil Jarrett

Down the Flare Path
by Denis Montgomery

Stow Maries Calendar

Scale ModelWorld 2009

FE2 Unveiling

Volume 40 Number 2

FE2b/d Monograph

Inevitably, further details have come to light since the publication of both of our monographs. We will be adding them to this page of our website. If anyone has further information that could be shared with others using this site, please forward it, in the first instance to the Editor.

Last updates made 20-Feb-2010.

Nieuport Monograph

Inevitably, further details have come to light since the publication of both of our monographs. We will be adding them to this page of our website. If anyone has further information that could be shared with others using this site, please forward it, in the first instance to the Editor.

Last updated 31-May-2011

We also have a full Name Index, lovingly crafted by Trevor Henshaw and the team. This is integral to the download version of the monograph - and we also offer it here for those who have the printed book:

Name Index

WW1 Weekend

Henry Allingham Dies

Virtual Reims 1909

Liverpool University 'virtually' recreated 1909 Reims Air Race

About us

Who are we?

Cross & Cockade International (CCI) is the First World War Aviation Historical Society. There are around 1,500 members in 25 countries all over the world. We are registered UK charity number 1117741. All trustees, officers of the society and contributors to the journal give their services voluntarily.

WW1 Aviation Links

Links to other WW1 Aviation sites

Volume 40 Number 1

GoAvA Exhibition

The Annual Exhibition of paintings at the Guild of Aviation Artists was being held at The Mall Galleries in London, between 20th and 26th July 2009, and was, yet again, a resounding success.

AV Roe Centenary

On Sunday 12th July 2009, underneath the railway arches on the Walthamstow Marshes,  an exhibition was held to celebrate to 100th anniversary of the first all-British powered flight.

Oeffag Alb D.III running

Last weekend an original 1918 Austro Daimler engine was run, during a Aviation Festival near Vienna. Even better - the engine was in an Oeffag Albatros D.III!

FE2b/d Monograph

Following the resounding success of the society's first book, "Nieuports in RFC, RNAS & RAF Service", on 1st July 2009 we launched our second. Publication coincided with the unveiling of the newly-restored FE2b at the RAF Museum, Hendon.

We are taking orders NOW through the on-line shop! Don't wait for too long, as interest is proving to be higher than expected, and we're not expedting stocks to last beyond the autumn.

Price delivered in the UK is £30.00, overseas by surface is £32.50 and overseas by airmail is £38.15 - excellent value by any measure!

Baracca Exhibition

An exhibition on top Italian ace Francesco Baracca is on display at Lugo (between Bologna and Ravenna) in Northern Italy until 19th July 2009. Anyone in the area should make this a "must see" item!

Bessoneau on Ebay

Mark Evans of the Midland Warplanes Museum has put the following item on Ebay, with a BuyNow price of just £1,500!

Not something you'll see every day. Lets hope someone buys it who can restore it properly - and maybe even put it on display. Wouldn't it be great to see it housing a WW1 aircraft again??

New Belgian Morane

For the last 20 years, the Ypres Technical School have had a beautiful 110hp Le Rhone rotary engine. Three years ago, staff and students started building an aeroplane for the Le Rhone to live in. Now it's ready to roll!

London Meetings

Thanks to the tireless efforts of Jeff Hargrave, we have a set of London Meeting dates for 2013.

Following the continued success of the London meeting talks, CCI will be hosting a further series of presentations in 2013  aboard HMS President, previously known in WW1 as HMS Saxifrage. Launched in 1918 as an Anchusa Class corvette, she was equipped as a |QQ'QQ| Ship! It's a fantastic venue for meetings - a wonderful piece of history in its own right. The ship is moored on the Thames Victoria Embankment in Central London, opposite the OXO Tower; postcode EC4Y 0HJ. Nearest tube stations are Blackfriars and Temple.

Check out other news items for information on local parking, for those who prefer not to use the tube.

Flypast Over Eastchurch

On Friday 24 July 2009 a formation of current and historic aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm flew over Eastchurch on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent, the birthplace of Naval Aviation and home of the first Royal Naval Air Station.

The Royal Navy fly past was the opening event of "Sky Sheppey 2009" a weekend of flying displays, events and exhibitions celebrating 100 years of British aviation.

Stowe Maries Open Day

Situated within the Parish of Cold Norton, near Maldon in Essex, England, stand the remains of buildings that once made up a front line Home Defence aerodrome. Built by the RAF towards the end of the First World War the aerodrome was abandoned in 1919 and has remained within the ownership of the same farming  family ever since. The majority of the original buildings remain, and visitors are always amazed at how atmospheric the site remains.

This unique time capsule is now being restored to its original glory. Watch this space to see the progress - large parts of the restoration are due to be competed this year! Visit www.stowmaries.com for more news, and the full story behind this fantastic project.

2010 AGM

The society's 2010 AGM took place, as planned, in the main auditorium of the RAF Museum, Hendon, on Saturday 17th April.