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Auction: 18001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 9

An interesting - and poignant - pocket diary compiled by Lieutenant F. P. Pemble, No. 213 Squadron, Royal Air Force, who was killed in a collision on 29 June 1918

pencilled entries covering the period 8 December 1917 to 28 June 1918, with notes relating to aircraft flown, pilots with whom he served, active service and day-to-day life, in good condition

Frederick Philip Pemble was born on 29 July 1899, the son of F. A. Pemble of Minnis Road, Birchington, Kent.

His diary commences with a series of training flights at up to 10,000 feet over South-East England in December 1917 and refers to his first 'solo' in early January 1918. At the end of the same month his diary notes dense fog and how he 'Smashed up a B.E. 2e on ground'. Then in March he 'had a Pup over - rolled on bank' and in May he 'crashed on airfield'.

Notwithstanding such an inauspicious start to his flying career, Pemble gamely joined No. 213 Squadron at Dunkirk, but the bad penny turned up again on the 4 May when he 'crashed taking off for operations'. He adds: 'Hun bomb raid at sunset. Worked searchlight for Slatter's landing (2 bombs dropped). Vincent landed after chasing seaplanes.'

The next day he flew two patrols, the first being late to take off and failing to catch up with his colleagues, the second involving a 'HOP Zeebrugge-Ostend, Nieuport & Dixmunde - Heard heavy guns and went through top of gas attack.' That evening there was another attack on his aerodrome - 'Hun raid 10 p.m., bombs dropped, 4 men hit'. The very next day was equally sombre - 'Paynter died today' - whilst on the 8th he noted 'Late patrol 8.15 p.m.: Ack Ack from Ostend. Raid immediately after patrol.'

In June his patrols continue apace and on the 12th his diary notes 'Nelson wounded - Died on 15th June. Slept in a ditch also. Barn off the airfield.' On the 16th he made two patrols in a Camel, with the next few days taken up escorting D.H.9s, the log noting on the 27th, '7 set out to escort D.H. 9s -3 came back, 4 dived on 2 Huns but failed to engage - Evans missing'.

A final entry in his diary on 29 June 1918 is noted in a different hand: 'F.P.P. - K. ACC. IN AIR COLLISION WITH D. 3383 F./L. F. L. CATTLE.'

Pemble is buried in Adinkerke Military Cemetery, Arrondissement Veurne, Belgium; his parents named their home 'Adinkerke' in his honour.

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Sold for
£190