RNAS in Milan 1918

[Tony Walker]

I have a PC with a Milan cds dated 20 January 1918, with a pencilled initial and the letters RNAS added in to the double ring censor mark - identified in Gould as 6C12, but with no allocation.  See attachment.

The Navy and RNAS were well represented in the south of Italy at Otranto, Brindisi and elsewhere, but why might they be located in the far north, and well inland at/near Milan?

I cannot find any reference to RNAS units in this area.

Comments appreciated

[Peter Harvey]

Hi Tony,

I had never really thought about this and have little knowledge of the RNAS during this period. However, I internet searched RNAS and Milan and found a few links straight away to the Caproni aircraft-manufacturing company in Milan and the RNAS.

Caprino heavy bombers were used by the French, British and the Americans in WW1 built at the Caprioni factory in Malpensa (45 miles north of Milan), the aircraft were collected from the factory and I assume flown north and south by the RNAS.

Looking at the pictures of the aircraft on-line, I struggle to see how they managed to fly north and over the Alps, so I assume along the southern french coast Nice to Marseilles and north to the war in France would have been a common route.

There are links to Sub Lt Harry Lawrence Dunn and the sale of his  log books on line and these certainly mention flying to Milan.

Hope this helps your research.

Peter

[Tony Walker]

Many thanks Peter, don't know how I missed those links.

Am presently working through my RNAS material from WWI, and it seems the navy were just as happy playing soldiers on land and airmen as they were sailors!

Cheers
Tony