VAILE, Lawrence
Second Lieutenant, Lawrence Edward Stuart VAILE
Aged 23
Royal Flying Corps
Killed on a training flight on Wednesday 29th August, 1917
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Born in Exning on 28th September 1893, the son of the Vicar of St Martin's Church, Exning, Rev.Arthur and Mrs Jeanette Stuart VAILE (née JONES). 1901 census...At the Vicarage, Exning were Lawrence E S [7], his father Arthur [43] the Vucar, born Islington, London, his mother Jeanette S[31] born Bebbington, Cheshire, his sister Laura S [8] and his brother Maurice A S [4] both born Exning and several servants. 1911 census...At the Vicarage were his parents, sister Laura and 2 servants. The initial "S" appearing in the given names is for Stuart. Lawrence was away at school at The College, Ely. His parents later moved to West House, Seaford, Sussex. |
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His early arrival in France indicates being a Territorial or Cadet before war broke out. Either no application was made for the clasp to the 1914 star, or he
never came under enemy fire during the required period. He was an instructor at the "Great Government Aerodrome" at Narborough (very near RAF Marham). He was commissioned in the Royal Flying Corps, in 1917 (not as below since the RAF did not exist until 1st April 1918). Flying in Armstrong Whitworth FK-8 B219 instructing 2nd Lt. J.J. Bennett, the aircraft stalled and crashed during a climbing turn, killing Lawrence and injuring his pupil. Lawrence's entry in "Our Exning Heroes" reads as follows: Vaile, L.E.S. RAF Lieutenant Lawrence Edward Stuart Vaile was the eldest son of the Rev. A. Vaile. He was born at Exning Vicarage on September 28th, 1893, and educated at St. Faith's School, Cambridge, and then King's School, Ely. He joined the Army at once when war broke out, and left England on August 14th, 1914, acting as a dispatch rider in the M.T., A.S.C. He was in France for two and a quarter years, and was wounded twice, but not seriously. In January, 1917, he received a commission in the R.A.F., and trained as a pilot. His Commanding Officer spoke very highly of his skill and capability, and he himself loved the work. He was retained at Narborough as an instructor, and was killed while flying in bad weather on August 28th, 1917, and is buried there. His C.O. in France, under whom he served for twelve months, writes: "I know what great qualities he possessed. He was always so cheery and plucky, and no task that he was given to do was ever too much for him." |
