Anthony Jacques Mantle | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1899 London, England |
| Died | 1988 (aged 89) Durham, England |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Naval Air Service Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1917–1920 |
| Rank | Flying Officer |
| Battles / wars | First World War |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) Mentioned in dispatches |
Anthony Jacques MantleDFC (17 December 1899 in London – 1988 inDurham) was apilot who joined theRoyal Naval Air Service in 1917 at the age of 17. He went to France, Italy and later over Turkey. His flying career ended when he was forced to land behind enemy lines in Russia and was taken as a prisoner of war and held for 10 months inMoscow. He was awarded theDistinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in 1919. His cousin,Jack Mantle, was a recipient of theVictoria Cross.
Mantle volunteered for service with theRoyal Naval Air Service (RNAS) in early 1917, but this was merged with theRoyal Flying Corps (RFC) on 1 April 1918 to form the world's first independent air force, theRoyal Air Force. He was appointedsecond lieutenant on probation the day the RAF was formed.[1] His service record indicates that from September 1916 to March 1917 he had been working as a broker's clerk at the firm of J Amis onMincing Lane in theCity of London.[1]
It is not clear where he was initially based, but in November 1917 he was posted toGreenwich, and then toVendome in France on 8 February 1918 to theRoyal Naval Air Service Training Establishment (RNASTE) airfield, (known locally as the 'Camp de Poulines')[2] 5 km to the South of the town (47°45′05″N1°02′38″E / 47.75137°N 1.04389°E /47.75137; 1.04389) where he trained on theCurtiss JN-4, a.k.a. the 'Jenny'. After just over a month in France, he was posted back to the United Kingdom on 23 March, going toRAF Cranwell.[1] It seems it was then intended that he should join either 66 or 67 Wing based on theAdriatic, but it took some months to organise transport. Until transport was available, he was based atRAF Eastchurch. He departed in July 1918. In October 66 Wing was renumbered 62 Wing. By 11 October he was on the island ofMudros. He was ordered back to England in December 1918. He was attached toNo. 222 Squadron andNo. 226 Squadron during this period. Transport again seems to have been problematic, and by March 1919, he was still inMalta, at Spinola Bay,San Ġiljan.
Mantle was now offered the opportunity to see action on theCaspian Sea. He was stationed inland atPetrofska from April 1919,[1] where he flew theDH-9A aircraft (Dehavilland two seater biplanes), as part of the British movement to protect oil interests inBaku, Azerbaijan.
While out on a raid over the Volga in, with his observer,Harry Ingrams, in August 1919, their plane developed engine trouble and they were forced to crash land on a large island in theVolga Delta. They were unhurt and managed to burn the plane, but were ambushed shortly afterwards by an armed group of locals who took them prisoner. The local Commissar tore up the official documentation offering a reward for their safe return over the border and then organised for a local schoolteacher to act as translator as they were taken toAstrakhan for questioning. He was then taken by train toMoscow whereupon he spent several weeks inLubyanka prison in the company of other allied prisoners before being moved to Bytereski Prison.
Months later, after the work of an Army chaplain calledFrank North, he and several of his companions were taken to the border with Finland and released in part exchange forBolshevik prisoners. While prisoner, he was promotedflying officer on 7 December 1919.[3] He arrived in Finland on 31 March 1920.[1] He returned to the UK on a ship that docked atSouthampton on 24 April 1920.[1] He was placed on the unemployed list and demobilised on 26 June 1920.[1][4]
On 25th October, 1918, he led his flight for 2½ hours in a successful raid on Constantinople. His formation was attacked by hostile scouts on the journey, but by clever airmanship he succeeded in destroying two enemy machines without incurring loss to his flight. 2nd Lieut. Mantle rendered valuable services previously in the Adriatic, for which he was mentioned in despatches in the London Gazette of 1st January, 1919