THE R.F.C. MIGRATION TO SCOTLAND.
Up to the time of going to press with our last issue three of the Army aviators taking part in the flight to Scotland had got as far
as Banbury, while Capt. Becke had reached Towcester. On the 1Oth ult. Capt. Longcroft and Lieut. Herbert also got that far, while Capt. Dawes descended about two miles short of Towcester on account of engine trouble. Lieut. Waldron also had trouble with his motor, and finished at Bicester. The next day, Capts. Becke and Longcroft and Lieut. Herbert went on to Kelham, near Newark, while Lieut. Waldron progressed as far as Towcester, where Capt. Dawes was engaged in repairing his machine. On the Zist ult., Lieut. Waldron went on to Newark, and after a brief
stop to replenish his petrol tank, &c , continued his journey to York. He was closely followed by Lieut. Herbert and Capt. Longcroft, while on the arrival of Capt. Dawes at Newark later in the day, Capt. Becke also started away for York. When nearing Doncaster, however, he had serious trouble with his engine and had to land. Capt. Dawes in stopping at Newark slightly damaged the chassis of the machine, and so had so stay there for repairs.
Saturday saw three of the pilots, Capt. Longcroft and Lieuts. Waldron and Herbert arriving at Newcastle-on-Tyne, but they found some difficulty in locating their destination on account of the thick fog. Capt. Longcroft went about 15 miles north of the city, and then had to land to find his direction, while Lieut. Herbert had to descend twice. Lieut. Waldron landed with the idea of discovering his whereabouts at Benwell, to the west of Newcastle, and a mishap to the elevating gear prevented him finishing the three or four miles to Gosfouh Park. Capt. Dawes started from Newark, but had to land after covering eight miles. A second descent was necessary three miles further on, while he finally landed twenty miles south of York. Capt. Becke on Monday having had a new engine fitted to his machine, moved from York to Newcastle, and arrived about twenty minutes after Capt. Dawes, who had had to come down once to find his way. Capt. Becke, however, found the fog very troublesome, and had to come down five times before reaching Gosforth Park.
Tuesday saw Capts. Longcroft, Dawes and Becke, and Lieut. Herbert completing the fifth stage from Newcastle to Edinburgh, the landing in each case being effected near the Retford Barracks. Lieut. Waldron started on this stage but was stopped by engine trouble at Stamford Bridge about 28 miles south of Berwick. After adjustments he started again during the afternoon and reached Berwick. On Wednesday he got away early and flew straight through to Montrose and was in fact the first to arrive there. After an interval Capts. Becke, Dawes and Longcroft arrived and were duly received by the Provost and Corporation, while Lieut. Herbert completed the journey during the afternoon.
Flight 1.3.1913
I guess that this would make Waldron the pilot most likely to have landed at Upper Heyford, this being quite close to Bicester.