March 1914 – Military Manoeuvres at Leven

While work continued at Dundee, the naval aviators took their planes to Leven to take part in some military manoeuvres in March and April 2014.

The Aeroplane – March 12th 2014

The storms of last week made flying impossible at Dundee, but Capt. Barnby took advantage of a lull on Thursday and made two flights on the Short of about 15 mins each. Part of this squadron went to Leven at the end of the week to make preparations for the machines working from there in conjunction with some naval manoeuvres.

The Aeroplane – March 19th 1914

Capt. Barnby, R.M.L.I., accompanied by A. M. Rogers, left Dundee on the Short for St. Andrews on Monday, alighting on the sands there, and returned at 2,300 ft., having a rough passage. On Tuesday Major Gordon, R.M.L.I., took the machine to Leven and had to stay overnight there owing to a pipe bursting as he attempted to leave. The Borel, which has been overhauled and altered, was taken out on Wednesday afternoon by Major Gordon. The machine was conveyed about 100 yards, cast off the base on trolleys, and there launched. The first flight of about 20 mins was over the Tay, while in the second A.M. Coleman was taken as passenger, but the engine did not behave well. A third flight was made west of the Tay Bridge at 900 ft. The entire detachment left next day for Leven to carry out manoeuvres there, and the Borel will be flown there when the place is ready for it.

Two Short seaplanes arrived in boxes at Leven last week, and the Borel seaplane No. 86 is expected, and Short No.42 arrived on Tuesday by air from Dundee. About twenty-five men were stationed there at the time, and more are expected daily, with Major Gordon R.M.L.I., in command. Four sheds are in course of erection and all hands are busy at unpacking and erecting machines. It is rumoured that this detachment of the Naval Air Service will remain at Leven for some six weeks.

The Aeroplane – April 2, 1914.

Leven was favoured with excellent flying weather during last week, and full advantage was taken of it by the pilots of the Naval Air Service. The unanimous opinion among the corps regarding Leven beach as a flying base is that no better could be got anywhere round the coast. The staff at Leven now includes Major Gordon, R.M.L.I., Capt. Barnby, R.M.L.I., Lieuts. Oliver and Chambers, R.N., Fowler, R.N.R., and Ireland, R.N., the first-named being in command, and the last in charge of the wireless installation. There are also about twenty men. On Monday, Lieut. Fowler and P.O. Hendry were testing wireless on Shorts Nos. 74 and 75, and all the officers at the base made short flights during the day. Major Gordon, R.M.L.I., Capt. Barnby, and Lieut. Oliver were out on Tuesday on Shorts 42 and 75. On Wednesday, Lieut. Oliver arrived on the Borel from Dundee, and on Thursday, Lieuts. Fowler and Oliver made several flights on Shorts 74, 75, and 77, and on Borel 86. On Saturday, Capt. Barnby, with Lieut. Chambers as passenger, flew Short No. 42, and Lieut. Oliver made a flight on the Borel.

The slipway between the hangars and the Tay has now been commenced at Dundee base. The only remaining machine here, the Borel, was flown to Leven on Wednesday by Lieut. Oliver, R.N. Shortly after 2 p.m. the machine was trolleyed to about 100 yards east of the sheds and launched. Lieut. Oliver, accompanied by A.M. Vitty, taxied up and down the Tay, but the Borel would not rise. He came back to the port and disembarked a quantity of petrol and made a second attempt to rise, which was unsuccessful. He then shed his passenger and the machine rose and flew to Leven. The base at Carolina Port is now deserted save for the workmen at the slipway, and will be for six weeks while the manoeuvres last.

The Aeroplane – Thursday, April 9, 1914.

During the first three days of last week no flying was done at Leven. All hands were engaged in overhauling and setting in order for the manoeuvres, which lasted till April 3rd. Despite weather conditions being unfavourable for good flying, practically all machines were on active service. The regular staff was augmented by six naval pilots. The men of the wireless department had a busy time of it, and were no doubt, glad when the manoeuvres were ended. All the Shorts have been fitted with wireless. Short seaplanes Nos. 42, 74, 75, 77′ were all engaged, and Borel No. 86. Their work was chiefly reconnaissance; and flying from the mouth of the Firth to Rosyth. All officers had spells of flying.

The machines, and one of the hangars, are, one gathers, going on to Dundee, and the other hangar is to be sent on to St. Andrews.
The Leven correspondent of The Aeroplane writes : — “Yearly a howl arises from a section of the Liberal Party over the increasing Naval Estimates. If those estimable gentlemen whose slumbers are made horrible by a ghostly procession of Dreadnoughts would only go into smaller details of administration, they might achieve some good. Take, for instance, the presence of the Flying Corps at Leven. The men arrived during the first week of March with material sufficient to build four hangars. The best part of a fortnight was spent in putting up two, end the others will not be erected at all. Flying only started towards the end of the week which terminated on March 21st. Five machines were brought. All these expensive preparations were carried out—for what? Not for training the men, but for three days’ manoeuvres. Apparently Leven is the best place for manoeuvres, but no good as a base.”

Several of those connected with the flying say that Dundee is totally unsuitable, because it is out of the track of ships making for Rosyth, whereas Leven is directly in this track. The explanation is simple. The choice of the base lay with Mr. Churchill, and he picked out Dundee, not because Dundee was the best place, but for the reason that his constituents would he gratified by his decision. They may be, but the public generally are well entitled to grumble at money being wasted like water, for no good purpose whatever.” The foregoing is published without expression of opinion, but merely as showing how official actions may be, rightly or wrongly, explained.

The Aeroplane – April 16, 1914.

Practically nothing has been done during the past week at Leven. The staff has been reduced to six, and seaplanes have had a rest. The remainder of the staff, however, are only gone to Dundee for a short spell, and are expected back shortly. The reason why is as yet unknown, to our correspondent, at any rate, Short No. 42 was out on Thursday night, and was piloted by Major Gordon, R.M.L.I., with a Marine as passenger. He circled Largo Bay, and went inland for a bit.