Leo Walmsley, an Observer with
the RFC in East Africa who flew in BE2cs and Henri Farmans, suffered
fourteen crashes, was mentioned in dispatches and awarded the Military
Cross, deserves to be remembered. He was in the early stages of a
writing career when he volunteered for the Army on the outbreak of war.
In 1914 Walmsley (1892-1966) transferred from the Army to the Royal
Flying Corps and on completion of his training joined No 26 (SA)
Squadron. The squadron, comprising mainly South African flyers,
disembarked at Mombasa in December 1915.
From the sky Walmsley followed
Colonel von Lettow-Vorbeck’s forces for nearly two years as they were
pushed out of British East Africa, through German East Africa into
Portuguese Africa and across to Lake Nyasa. After a particularly severe
crash Walmsley was finally sent home. While in hospital he again took up
his pen to start writing and set down some of his experiences in Flying
and Sport in East Africa, (Blackwood, 1920). Only about 750 copies were
sold and it is now a rare and valuable book.
This new biography, produced by
the Walmsley Society, includes two chapters (34 pages) covering his war
service and is a fascinating study of the writer’s life – hardly
less colourful than his wartime exploits – and is a good read. Most of
what has been written about the East African campaign ignores the part
played by the RFC but here is one Observer’s story that is now
accessible to a wider reading public.
