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Sydney Dalrymple

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Sydney Dalrymple
Born(1885-05-11)11 May 1885
Ballarat, Colony of Victoria
Died12 July 1969(1969-07-12) (aged 84)
Toorak, Victoria, Australia
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Army
Royal Air Force
Years of service1915–1919
RankCaptain
UnitNo. 27 Squadron RFC
No. 24 Squadron RFC
No. 139 Squadron RAF
Battles / warsWorld War I
 • Western Front
 • Italian Front
AwardsDistinguished Flying Cross
Spouse(s)
Nancy Moule
​
(m. 1921)​

Captain Sydney Dalrymple DFC (11 May 1885 – 12 July 1969), was an Australian First World War flying ace, credited with five aerial victories while serving in the British Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force.[1]

Background and early life

Dalrymple was born in Ballarat, Colony of Victoria, one of three children, and the younger son, of William Dalrymple, and his wife Alice Kate (née Hodgson) of Geelong.[2][3] His grandfather, Alexander Dalrymple, owned Lexington Station, near Ararat, and his father became a prominent pastoralist in Queensland, owning Portland Downs on the Barcoo in partnership with his step-father W. D. Clarke, and later Llanrheidol Station, near Winton,[4] which he eventually sold in March 1918 for £120,000[5] — equivalent to £12,145,000 today. Dalrymple's mother was a granddaughter of Dr. James Ross , of Edinburgh, who had travelled to Tasmania with Governor Arthur, where he farmed and also wrote a well-regarded history of the colony.[6] Dalrymple grew up in the family residence "Stranraer", a large 23-room mansion, standing in three acres (1.2 ha) of grounds in the prestigious suburb of Toorak.[7] He played Australian rules football with Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL)in 1902.[8]

World War I

In June 1915 Dalrymple left Australia, sailing for England aboard the liner RMS Medina to join the Royal Flying Corps.[9] He learned to fly at the London and Provincial School at Hendon, and on 4 October 1915 was granted Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificate No. 1815 after soloing the L & P biplane.[10]

Dalrymple was commissioned as a second lieutenant (on probation) in the RFC on 11 October 1915,[11] appointed a flying officer on 21 December,[12] and confirmed in his rank on 8 January 1916.[13] On 22 May he was posted to No. 27 Squadron in France to fly the Martinsyde G.100 "Elephant" single-seat day bomber,[14] and on 12 June was appointed a flight commander with the temporary rank of captain.[15] He gained his first aerial victory on the morning of 1 July, destroying a Roland two-seater near Cambrai.[1] He was soon after transferred to No. 24 Squadron,[1] and was promoted to lieutenant on 1 July 1917.[16] In mid-1918 Dalrymple was transferred again, to No. 139 Squadron in Italy to fly the Bristol F.2b two-seater fighter. Assigned to reconnaissance patrols, he still ended up in dogfights, destroying four more enemy fighters, gaining double victories on 8 August and 13 September.[14]

On 1 November 1918 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. His citation read:

Captain Sydney Dalrymple.
"A gallant and skilful leader who has been instrumental in destroying at least five enemy machines. He has carried out many reconnaissances under very difficult circumstances and brought back most valuable information, including photographs of the enemy's position."[17]

Dalrymple remained in Italy with No. 139 Squadron after the armistice, taking the Prince of Wales on a flight over the front lines in March 1919.[18] He was eventually transferred to the RAF's unemployed list on 9 April 1919.[19]

List of aerial victories

Combat record[1]
No. Date/Time Aircraft/
Serial No. 		Opponent Result Location Notes
No. 27 Squadron RFC
1 1 July 1916
@ 0930–1130		 Martinsyde G.100 Roland C Destroyed Near Cambrai
No. 139 Squadron RAF
2 8 August 1918 Bristol Fighter
(D8084)		 Berg D.I Destroyed Levico Observer: Lieutenant H. Baldwin
3 Berg D.I Destroyed in flames Caldonazzo
4 13 September 1918 Bristol Fighter
(D8081)		 Albatros D.III Destroyed in flames Trento Observer: Lieutenant G. Beagle
5 Albatros D.III Destroyed in flames

Post-war life

Dalrymple sailed back to Australia, arriving in Adelaide in late September 1919.[20] In March 1920 he bought a 3,000-acre (1,200 ha) estate at Point Cook from the Chirnside family, who had owned it since 1837. The estate contained a notable homestead, stabling, a reservoir, and over five miles of sea frontage around Port Phillip.[21][22]

In February 1921 he became engaged to Nancy Moule, also from Toorak,[23] and they were married at St. John's Church, Toorak, on 18 October, in front of about 300 guests. After honeymooning in Sydney, they returned to Point Cook.[24]

In 1924 Dalrymple sold the northern section of his estate to the Cheetham Salt Company for the construction of salt lagoons,[25] and in April 1925 the Dalrymples left Point Cook to live in a house in South Yarra.[26] They eventually sold the entire property in 1939.[27]

Dalrymple's father had died in November 1923,[28] and his mother in February 1931,[2] leaving him in possession of the family home. In October 1935 it was sold for £16,000 to a syndicate, the land to be divided into 12 building plots and auctioned off.[29] Before being demolished much of the mansion was sold off piece-meal at auction, the Dalrymples raising another £750 for the hot water system, panelling, staircase, landing gallery and roof timbers.[7]

While his wife was a staple of the Melbourne social scene, Dalrymple concerned himself with "golf, making and designing golf clubs, driving high-powered cars, flying and stunting aircraft, sketching and caricaturing other golfers, and arguing golf and golfers."[30] On 7 August 1927 he crashed his de Havilland Moth light aircraft into the concrete wall of an empty reservoir near the North Essendon Aerodrome, completely wrecking it, although he and his passenger escaped with only minor injuries.[31]

He and his wife also had three children, Sheila, and twins June and John,[32] who became a pilot for Australian National Airways. By 1946 the Dalrymples were living in Sandringham.[33]

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b c d "Sydney Dalrymple". The Aerodrome. 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  2. ^ a b "Social Notes". The Australasian. Vol. CXXX, no. 4283. Melbourne, Australia. 7 February 1931. p. 10. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ^ "Family Notices". The Australasian. Vol. CXXX, no. 4293. Melbourne, Australia. 18 April 1931. p. 13. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ^ "Personal". The Ballarat Star. No. 20664. Ballarat, Victoria. 7 November 1923. p. 4. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ^ "Successful Appeal Against Taxation". The Northern Times. Vol. XIX, no. 959. Carnarvon, Western Australia. 11 July 1924. p. 5. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "At The Ambassadors". The Daily News. Vol. XLIX, no. 17262. Perth, Western Australia. 2 September 1930. p. 3. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ a b "Demolishing A Mansion". The Age. No. 25213. Melbourne, Victoria. 5 February 1936. p. 10. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. p. 204. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
  9. ^ "Personal". The Argus. No. 21504. Melbourne, Victoria. 29 June 1915. p. 7. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "Aviators Certificates". Flight. VII (364): 760. 8 October 1915. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  11. ^ "No. 29336". The London Gazette. 22 October 1915. p. 10391.
  12. ^ "No. 29433". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 January 1916. p. 436.
  13. ^ "No. 29432". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 January 1916. p. 418.
  14. ^ a b Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 132.
  15. ^ "No. 29641". The London Gazette. 27 June 1916. p. 6344.
  16. ^ "No. 30249". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 August 1917. pp. 8777–8778.
  17. ^ "No. 30989". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 November 1918. p. 12964.
  18. ^ "The Prince of Wales... (photograph)". The Australasian. Vol. CVI, no. 2762. Melbourne, Victoria. 8 March 1919. p. 52. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ^ "No. 31323". The London Gazette. 2 May 1919. p. 5509.
  20. ^ "Social Notes". The Australasian. Vol. CVII, no. 2790. Melbourne, Victoria. 20 September 1919. p. 44. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  21. ^ "Social Notes". The Australasian. Vol. CVIII, no. 2815. Melbourne, Victoria. 13 March 1920. p. 39. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  22. ^ "Statement of Significance: Point Cook Homestead and Stables, Point Cook Homestead Road, Point Cook, Wyndham City". Victorian Heritage Database. 8 November 2001. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  23. ^ "Family Notices". The Australasian. Vol. CX, no. 2863. Melbourne, Victoria. 12 February 1921. p. 34. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  24. ^ "Family Notices". Table Talk. No. 1891. Melbourne, Victoria. 27 October 1921. p. 29. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  25. ^ Hocking, Geoff (2016). "Point Cook". Wyndham History. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  26. ^ "Personal". Werribee Shire Banner. No. 1104. Werribee, Victoria. 9 April 1925. p. 5. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  27. ^ "Point Cook Coastal Park and Cheetham Wetlands Future Directions Plan" (PDF). Parks Victoria. June 2005. p. 12. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
  28. ^ "Family Notices". The Argus. No. 24103. Melbourne, Victoria. 6 November 1923. p. 1. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  29. ^ "A Toorak Mansion Sold". The Argus. No. 27824. Melbourne, Victoria. 23 October 1935. p. 6. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  30. ^ "National Golf Champions Opposed In Shield Final". The Sporting Globe. No. 1014. Melbourne, Victoria. 27 April 1932. p. 12. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  31. ^ "A Moth Crashes". The West Australian. Vol. XLIII, no. 7849. Perth, Western Australia. 8 August 1927. p. 11. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  32. ^ "Table Talk of The Week". Table Talk. No. 3259. Melbourne, Victoria. 23 October 1930. p. 7. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
  33. ^ "The Life of Melbourne: Twins Celebrate". The Argus. No. 31129. Melbourne, Victoria. 8 June 1946. p. 11. Retrieved 16 June 2016 – via National Library of Australia.
Bibliography
  • Holmesby, Russell (1990). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897. Seaford,Victoria: BAS Publishing. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
  • Shores, Christopher F.; Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell F. (1990). Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.
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