Edwin Moon
Encyclopedia
Squadron Leader
Edwin Rowland Moon DSO*
(8 June 1886 – 29 April 1920) was an English aviation
pioneer who served in the Royal Naval Air Service
and Royal Air Force
during the First World War. He was a prisoner of war and he was twice awarded a DSO.
). The Moonbeam Engineering Company Limited built motor launches and later expanded to include the sale of wrought iron propellers and marine engines for export around the world. Edwin Moon, possibly inspired by the 1903 Wright brothers
flight, took a corner of the workshop to realise his dream of constructing and flying an aircraft of his own design.
He tested his first plane, Moonbeam I, in the Fawley
area, near the home of his future bride. His first short "hop" took place on Websters Field at Ower Farm, near Calshot
and at Moulands Field, Regents Park. Following these test flights on the prototype plane, he built a second plane, Moonbeam II.
Moonbeam II was a monoplane
, weighing 260 lbs, of which 160 lbs was engine and propeller. A V-4 cylinder, 20 h.p. J.A.P engine was fitted, and it had a 6 ft wooden propeller. In 1910, the plane was conveyed by horse-drawn cart to the meadows belonging to North Stoneham
farm from where he made the first successful flight; the precise date of the first flight is not known, although researchers believe that it was between 12 April 1910 and 11 June 1910.
The following year, on 2 April 1911, a French pilot, Maurice Tétard, flying from Brooklands
to Larkhill
, called at North Stoneham to make some adjustments; although he only stayed for about half an hour, a large inquisitive crowd rapidly gathered to admire the plane. In 1917, the field at North Stoneham was requisitioned by the War Office as an Aircraft Acceptance Park, but before completion, the base was given to the US Navy to develop an assembly area; this subsequently evolved into Southampton International Airport.
Moon later regularly flew his plane from Stoneham, as well as from Beaulieu Heath (near the site of the later World War II airfield
) and Paultons Park. He gained his aviator's certificate in 1914.
, Moon soon enlisted in the Royal Naval Air Service
with the rank of Flight Sub-Lieutenant
. His military service took him to East Africa, based on HMS Hyacinth
, from where on 6 January 1917 he was on a reconnaissance flight with Cdr. Richard Bridgeman as observer. They were forced to land with engine trouble and came down in a creek of the Rufiji River
delta where they destroyed the seaplane to avoid the possibility of its being captured by the enemy. They then spent three days wandering in the delta trying to avoid capture and to rejoin their ship. During this time they had little or nothing to eat, and were continually obliged to swim across the creeks, the bush on the banks being impenetrable.
On 7 January, they constructed a raft from the window frame of a house; after two days of drifting on the raft they were swept out to sea on the morning of 9 January, where Cdr. Bridgeman, who was not a strong swimmer, died of exhaustion and exposure. Moon tried to keep Bridgman on the raft but he slipped off into the sea. After Moon had been on the raft for some thirteen hours the tide turned and the raft was thrown on to the shore. Moon was rescued by natives who handed him over to the Germans, who interred him in a prisoner of war
camp. He was released from captivity on 21 November 1917.
In June 1917, Moon was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
; the citation read:
Following his release from captivity, Moon received a bar
to his DSO, for the display of "the greatest gallantry in attempting to save the life of his companion". Bridgeman's body was recovered from the sea and is buried in Dar es Salaam
CWGC Cemetery.
As well as the DSO, Moon was awarded the Royal Humane Society
's silver medal for his attempts to save Bridgeman's life and The Legion of Honour
– Croix de Chevalier. He was also recommended for the Victoria Cross
, but this was not awarded.
His other military awards were:
station at Felixstowe
with the rank of Squadron Leader in the newly formed RAF.
On 11 August 1919, Moon survived a crash of the Felixstowe Fury
flying boat which killed one of the crew. The Fury was a large five-engined flying boat which had just left Felixstowe on a test flight to Plymouth; she was due the next day to attempt a long-distance 8,000-mile (12,875 km) flight from England to South Africa and return.
In December 1919 Moon represented the Minister of War at the funeral of Sir John Alcock the transatlantic pioneer.
On 29 April 1920, Moon was at the controls of a flying boat on an instructional cruise when it crashed into the sea. Moon and three other crew members were killed, while two were rescued, slightly injured. At the inquest a survivor, Observer-Officer L. H. Pakenham Walsh, D.F.C. said that
The Coroner said, so far as he could make out, there was nothing wrong with the machine or the piloting. It appeared to be a pure accident. He recorded a verdict of "Death from injuries received through the sudden accidental fall of a flying boat."
Moon was buried at Southampton Old Cemetery
with a wooden marker which is believed to be part of the propeller of the plane in which he died, which was erected by his comrades of 230 Squadron, Royal Air Force
.
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
Edwin Rowland Moon DSO*
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(8 June 1886 – 29 April 1920) was an English aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
pioneer who served in the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
and Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during the First World War. He was a prisoner of war and he was twice awarded a DSO.
Family
Moon was one of four children of Edwin George Wade Moon and Catherine Esther Butt, who lived in Cranbury Avenue in Southampton. Moon married Isabel Madeline Waldron in 1911 and had a daughter named Mary in 1913.The aviation dream
The Moon family owned a boat-building business based at the Wool House (now the Southampton Maritime MuseumSouthampton Maritime Museum
Southampton Maritime Museum is housed at The Wool House, a medieval warehouse in Southampton, Hampshire.The museum documents the maritime heritage of Southampton and the Solent area, its history as a base for ocean liners and in particular its connections to RMS Titanic.Its mission statement is:...
). The Moonbeam Engineering Company Limited built motor launches and later expanded to include the sale of wrought iron propellers and marine engines for export around the world. Edwin Moon, possibly inspired by the 1903 Wright brothers
Wright brothers
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903...
flight, took a corner of the workshop to realise his dream of constructing and flying an aircraft of his own design.
He tested his first plane, Moonbeam I, in the Fawley
Fawley, Hampshire
Fawley is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, England. It is situated in the New Forest on the western shore of the Solent, approximately 7 miles south of Southampton. Fawley is also the site of an oil refinery, operated by Exxon-Mobil, which is the largest facility of its kind in the United...
area, near the home of his future bride. His first short "hop" took place on Websters Field at Ower Farm, near Calshot
Calshot
Calshot is a coastal village in Hampshire, England at the west corner of Southampton_Water where it joins the Solent. A settlement at the site is believed to have existed since the fifth century AD...
and at Moulands Field, Regents Park. Following these test flights on the prototype plane, he built a second plane, Moonbeam II.
Moonbeam II was a monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
, weighing 260 lbs, of which 160 lbs was engine and propeller. A V-4 cylinder, 20 h.p. J.A.P engine was fitted, and it had a 6 ft wooden propeller. In 1910, the plane was conveyed by horse-drawn cart to the meadows belonging to North Stoneham
North Stoneham
North Stoneham is a settlement and ecclesiastical parish in south Hampshire, England. It was formerly an ancient estate and manor. Until the nineteenth century, it was a rural community comprising a number of scattered hamlets, including Middle Stoneham, North End, and Bassett Green, and...
farm from where he made the first successful flight; the precise date of the first flight is not known, although researchers believe that it was between 12 April 1910 and 11 June 1910.
The following year, on 2 April 1911, a French pilot, Maurice Tétard, flying from Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
to Larkhill
Larkhill
Larkhill is a garrison town in the civil parish of Durrington, Wiltshire, England. It is a short distance west of Durrington village proper and north of the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge. It is about north of Salisbury....
, called at North Stoneham to make some adjustments; although he only stayed for about half an hour, a large inquisitive crowd rapidly gathered to admire the plane. In 1917, the field at North Stoneham was requisitioned by the War Office as an Aircraft Acceptance Park, but before completion, the base was given to the US Navy to develop an assembly area; this subsequently evolved into Southampton International Airport.
Moon later regularly flew his plane from Stoneham, as well as from Beaulieu Heath (near the site of the later World War II airfield
RAF Beaulieu
RAF Station Beaulieu was a World War II airfield in the New Forest, Hampshire, England. It was also known as Beaulieu airfield, Beaulieu aerodrome and USAAF Station AAF 408...
) and Paultons Park. He gained his aviator's certificate in 1914.
Military career
Following the start of World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Moon soon enlisted in the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
with the rank of Flight Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
. His military service took him to East Africa, based on HMS Hyacinth
HMS Hyacinth (1898)
HMS Hyacinth was one of the Highflyer class cruisers of the Royal Navy. She was built by the London and Glasgow Shipbuilding Company in Glasgow, being laid down in January 1897, launched on 27 October 1898 and commissioned in September 1900....
, from where on 6 January 1917 he was on a reconnaissance flight with Cdr. Richard Bridgeman as observer. They were forced to land with engine trouble and came down in a creek of the Rufiji River
Rufiji River
The Rufiji River lies entirely within the African nation of Tanzania. The river is formed by the convergence of the Kilombero and Luwegu rivers. It is approximately 600 km long, with its source in southwestern Tanzania and its mouth on the Indian Ocean at a point between Mafia Island called Mafia...
delta where they destroyed the seaplane to avoid the possibility of its being captured by the enemy. They then spent three days wandering in the delta trying to avoid capture and to rejoin their ship. During this time they had little or nothing to eat, and were continually obliged to swim across the creeks, the bush on the banks being impenetrable.
On 7 January, they constructed a raft from the window frame of a house; after two days of drifting on the raft they were swept out to sea on the morning of 9 January, where Cdr. Bridgeman, who was not a strong swimmer, died of exhaustion and exposure. Moon tried to keep Bridgman on the raft but he slipped off into the sea. After Moon had been on the raft for some thirteen hours the tide turned and the raft was thrown on to the shore. Moon was rescued by natives who handed him over to the Germans, who interred him in a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
camp. He was released from captivity on 21 November 1917.
In June 1917, Moon was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
; the citation read:
Since April 1916, has carried out constant flights over the enemy's coast, including reconnaissances, bomb-dropping and spotting for gun fire in all weathers. Has shown great coolness and resource on all occasions.
Following his release from captivity, Moon received a bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
to his DSO, for the display of "the greatest gallantry in attempting to save the life of his companion". Bridgeman's body was recovered from the sea and is buried in Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam
Dar es Salaam , formerly Mzizima, is the largest city in Tanzania. It is also the country's richest city and a regionally important economic centre. Dar es Salaam is actually an administrative province within Tanzania, and consists of three local government areas or administrative districts: ...
CWGC Cemetery.
As well as the DSO, Moon was awarded the Royal Humane Society
Royal Humane Society
The Royal Humane Society is a British charity which promotes lifesaving intervention. It was founded in England in 1774 as the Society for the Recovery of Persons Apparently Drowned, for the purpose of rendering first aid in cases of near drowning....
's silver medal for his attempts to save Bridgeman's life and The Legion of Honour
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
– Croix de Chevalier. He was also recommended for the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, but this was not awarded.
His other military awards were:
- 1914–15 Star
- British War MedalBritish War MedalThe British War Medal was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The medal was approved in 1919, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who had rendered service between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918...
- Victory MedalVictory Medal (United Kingdom)The Victory Medal is a campaign medal - of which the basic design and ribbon was adopted by Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Union of South Africa and the USA in accordance with decisions as taken at the Inter-Allied Peace Conference at...
with oak palm
Later career and death
After the war Moon was in command of the flying boatFlying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
station at Felixstowe
Felixstowe
Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
with the rank of Squadron Leader in the newly formed RAF.
On 11 August 1919, Moon survived a crash of the Felixstowe Fury
Felixstowe Fury
-References:*Bruce, J.M. "The Felixstowe Flying Boats: Historic Military Aircraft No. 11, Part 3". Flight, 23 December 1955. Pages 929-932....
flying boat which killed one of the crew. The Fury was a large five-engined flying boat which had just left Felixstowe on a test flight to Plymouth; she was due the next day to attempt a long-distance 8,000-mile (12,875 km) flight from England to South Africa and return.
In December 1919 Moon represented the Minister of War at the funeral of Sir John Alcock the transatlantic pioneer.
On 29 April 1920, Moon was at the controls of a flying boat on an instructional cruise when it crashed into the sea. Moon and three other crew members were killed, while two were rescued, slightly injured. At the inquest a survivor, Observer-Officer L. H. Pakenham Walsh, D.F.C. said that
the flying boat started off all right, and it had made several practice landings on the water. After about an hour, and at 2,000 ft. up, Squadron-Leader Moon took control, as he wished to do a glide. When about 1,500 ft. up the machine received a bump on the tail, which threw the machine out of control and developed into a spin. Squadron-Leader Moon then did all he could to right the machine but the distance from the water was not sufficient to allow of a complete recovery. The machine struck the water on a fairly natural keel. Witness was of opinion that if they had had another 100 ft. or 200 ft. they would have got out of it all right. On striking the water the machine absolutely collapsed. It was impossible to do anything, because the boat was upside down. Witness went under, and when he came up he did not see anybody else.
The Coroner said, so far as he could make out, there was nothing wrong with the machine or the piloting. It appeared to be a pure accident. He recorded a verdict of "Death from injuries received through the sudden accidental fall of a flying boat."
Moon was buried at Southampton Old Cemetery
Southampton Old Cemetery
Southampton Old Cemetery is a cemetery located in Southampton, England.The cemetery has had various titles including The Cemetery by the Common, Hill Lane Cemetery and is currently known as Southampton Old Cemetery. An Act of Parliament was required in 1843 to acquire the land from Southampton...
with a wooden marker which is believed to be part of the propeller of the plane in which he died, which was erected by his comrades of 230 Squadron, Royal Air Force
No. 230 Squadron RAF
No. 230 Squadron is an RAF squadron, currently based at RAF Benson.The squadron was part of Royal Air Force Germany, operating the Puma HC.1 there from 1980. Following the drawdown at the end of the Cold War, the squadron disbanded on 30 April 1992...
.