Pilot Officer Sydney "Timbertoes" Carlin, (18899 May 1941) was a British

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

, despite having previously lost a leg during the Battle of the Somme. He returned to the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

in World War II, serving as an air gunner during the

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...

Early life

Sydney Carlin was born in

Kingston upon Hull Kingston upon Hull, usually abbreviated to Hull, is a port city and unitary authority in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It lies upon the River Hull at its confluence with the Humber Estuary, inland from the North Sea and south-ea ...

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...

, the son of William Carlin, a

drysalter Drysalters were dealers in a range of chemical products, including glue, varnish, dye and colourings. They might supply salt or chemicals for preserving food and sometimes also sold pickles, dried meat or related items. The name ''drysalter'' or '' ...

. By 1901 he was a boarder at a small private school in the village of Soulby,

Kirkby Stephen Kirkby Stephen () is a market town and civil parish in Cumbria, North West England. Historically part of Westmorland, it lies on the A685, surrounded by sparsely populated hill country, about from the nearest larger towns: Kendal and Penri ...

Westmorland Westmorland (, formerly also spelt ''Westmoreland'';R. Wilkinson The British Isles, Sheet The British IslesVision of Britain/ref> is a historic county in North West England spanning the southern Lake District and the northern Dales. It had an ...

. He enlisted with the 18th Hussars (later the

18th Royal Hussars The 18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, first formed in 1759. It saw service for two centuries, including the First World War before being amalgamated with the 13th Hussars to form the 13th/18th Royal ...

) in 1908, but he bought himself out and resigned in December 1909 for the sum of £18. In 1911 he was working as a farm labourer at Frodingham Grange, North Frodingham, Yorkshire.

World War I

Just over a year after the

British entry into World War I Britain entered World War I on 4 August 1914 when the King declared war after the expiration of an ultimatum to Germany. The official explanation focused on protecting Belgium as a neutral country; the main reason, however, was to prevent a Fre ...

, he re-enlisted on 8 August 1915; the army refunded half (£9) of the money he had bought himself out with in 1909. Serving in Belgium with the 18th Royal Hussars he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal on 5 August 1915, and was later commissioned as a second lieutenant in September 1915 and made a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

in May 1916. He lost a leg serving in the Battle of Longueval/Delville Wood, on the Somme in 1916, while commanding a Royal Engineers Field Company section holding a trench against repeated German counter-attacks. For this action he was awarded the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC ...

in October. Extraordinarily, he joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1917, following his recovery. On 12 March 1918, Carlin was seconded from the Royal Engineers to the RFC. After serving as an instructor at the

Central Flying School The Central Flying School (CFS) is the Royal Air Force's primary institution for the training of military flying instructors. Established in 1912 at the Upavon Aerodrome, it is the longest existing flying training school. The school was based at ...

, he was posted in May 1918 to

No. 74 Squadron RAF Number 74 Squadron, also known as "Tiger Squadron" from its tiger-head motif, was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It operated fighter aircraft from 1917 to the 1990s, and then trainers until its disbandment in 2000. It was the Royal Air Fo ...

flying S.E.5As, where he earned his nickname "Timbertoes". Carlin is recorded as an

ace An ace is a playing card, die or domino with a single pip. In the standard French deck, an ace has a single suit symbol (a heart, diamond, spade, or club) located in the middle of the card, sometimes large and decorated, especially in the c ...

balloon buster, with five balloons downed; he was also an ace against aircraft, with four machines claimed destroyed, and one aircraft 'driven down out of control'. His exploits earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross. On 9 August 1918 Lieutenant Carlin was promoted to temporary captain. In early September he was involved in a mid-air collision with his commanding officer, Major Keith Caldwell, but was relatively unscathed. On 21 September Carlin was shot down over Hantay by ''Unteroffizier'' Siegfried Westphal of Jasta 29 and held as a

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of w ...

. He was repatriated on 13 December 1918 and admitted to the RAF Central Hospital on Christmas Day 1918. Carlin relinquished his commission on "account of ill-health contracted on active service" on 7 August 1919. and retained the rank of lieutenant.

Inter-war years

On 1 January 1924 Carlin was promoted from flight lieutenant to

squadron leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is als ...

. Nevertheless, in 1924, Carlin departed Britain for

Mombasa Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of the British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital city status. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...

aboard the SS ''Madura''. He was listed on the passenger list as an "agriculturist". He farmed for some years in Kenya. From 20 May 1931 to 8 August 1935 Carlin served as the justice of the peace for Kisumu-Londiani District, Kenya.

World War II

On re-enlistment to the RAF he was graded as a probationary pilot officer on 27 July 1940, almost eleven months after the outbreak of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. He made pilot officer in September 1940, flying as an air gunner in

Boulton Paul Defiant The Boulton Paul Defiant is a British interceptor aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II. The Defiant was designed and built by Boulton Paul Aircraft as a "turret fighter", without any fixed forward-firing guns ...

aircraft with No. 264 Squadron RAF and later

No. 151 Squadron RAF (Translation: "Fidelity unto duty" or "Faith for duty" or "Fidelity into duty") , colors= , colors_label= , march= , mascot= , equipment= , equipment_label= , battles= , decorations= , battle_honours= , commander1= , commander1_label= , command ...

. He also made several unofficial trips as an air gunner with No. 311 (Czech) Squadron, flying Wellingtons. Carlin was injured in action at

RAF Wittering Royal Air Force Wittering or more simply RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and the unitary authority area of North Northamptonshire. Although Stamford in Lincolnshire i ...

during an enemy bombing raid on 7/8 May 1941, and died in Peterborough on 9 May 1941. He is commemorated on the Screen Wall, Panel 1, at Hull Crematorium.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Carlin, Sydney 1889 births 1941 deaths The Few 18th Royal Hussars soldiers Military personnel from Kingston upon Hull Royal Flying Corps officers Royal Air Force officers British Army personnel of World War I Royal Air Force personnel of World War I British World War I flying aces Recipients of the Military Cross Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Recipients of the Distinguished Conduct Medal Royal Air Force personnel killed in World War II Shot-down aviators Royal Engineers officers Deaths by airstrike during World War II Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II English amputees English expatriates in Kenya