Lt CB Oxley DSC

[Alan Baker]

One for Frank or Nick I think

I am attaching a scan of a cover from this officer to a relative in Bath. It bears the censor mark which I take to be Gould 7A14 and the initials CBO. a pencil notation on the reverse (in Frank's hand, I think) states "Lt CB Oxley". In Gould's Volume 2, he indicates that this mark has been claimed as Courageous but has no corroborating evidence.

In September 1916, Lt Oxley as transferred to HMS Courageous, following a spell on HMS Ark Royal, when he won his DSC. He remained on Courageous until 1920. I am assuming that the circular cancellation was in use at Rosyth at that time, which is where Courageous was based.

Am I right in all this? If so, it suggests that the attribution in Gould Vol 2 is correct

[Nick Colley]

Alan, Lt.Oxley's appointment to Courageous dated from 3rd September 1916, as you say. My latest Navy List is for October 1918, so I can't say what happened to him after that. Your item bears no postage, so presumably dates from after the free postage concession (June 1918 - I forget the precise date). His promotion to lieutenant dates from 15th May 1916.

The citation for his DSC reads thus:

Sub-Lieut. (now Act. Lieut.) Christopher Bernard Oxley, R.N. Sub-Lieut. Oxley was acting as Observer with Flight-Lieut. Edward H. Dunning, D.S.C., as Pilot, on escort and reconnaissance patrol for a flight of bombing machines on the Bulgarian coast, on the 20th June, 1916. Two enemy machines were engaged at close, range and forced to retire, and as our machine withdrew Flight-Lieut. Dunning was hit in the left leg and the machine itself was badly damaged. Sub-Lieut. Oxley, having first improvised a tourniquet, which he gave to Flight Lieut. Dunning, took control of the machine, whilst the latter put on the tourniquet. The pilot was obliged to keep his thumb over a hole in the lower part of the petrol tank in order to keep enough fuel to return to the aerodrome, where he made an exceedingly good landing.

That is from:
https://www.naval-history.net/WW1NavyBritishLGDecorationszzDSC.htm

Anyway, back to the point. Given the confirmation that Oxley was on board Courageous, it seems we have a prima facie case that 7A14 was used on that vessel.

chrs
N

[Tony Walker]

Cannot add much from my 7A14 covers, although I reckon one of them has been censored by Oxley, comparing with Nick's cover, with similar barred circle cancel.

All five covers have the 8 barred circle cancel, but nothing else.  Three are addressed to a Miss R Shanly in Clapham Common, another to Rev Gordon Cooper and one to a Mrs Lowther also to Clapham.

If any of you think it worthwhile I can scan the censor mark / signatures for Frank to work his magic.

Just returned from a month in China - no English paper, TV or radio throughout the trip.  Expected major happenings in my absence, but seems nothing has changed, apart from Norwich City top of the Championship!

Cheers
Tony

[Tony Walker]

It must be the jet lag.  Found a couple of other 7A14 covers, one with a neat censor's initials I'll send to Frank, the other somewhat cryptic which might also ring a bell. 

I know it's only 5pm, but i'm off to bed

Cheers
Tony

[Alan Baker]

Tony

Thanks for this. I would like to see scans of the covers, either on the forum or by email - address is scapabaker@btinternet.com
Alan

[Colin Tabeart]

Hi Alan,
If you look in FPHS Journal No 308, Summer 2016, you will find an article I wrote about the Oxley correspondence, which ought to answer all your questions - ho hum? :) :)