04.01.1864: Birth of Hippolyte Paul Bayettos in Torino, Piedmont, Italy to Dominique and Pia Carolina Bayettos

Rosalie moved to from Wauthier, Braine, Belgium in order to keep her job working for a rich couple who had moved to England (info provided by a distant relative Denis Amerlynk).

On 23 April 1889 Hippolyte and Rosalie marry at the Church of Notre Dame de France, Leicester Square, London  (Rosalie Lemere , April – June 1889, volume:1a page: 963)

Birth of Tone’s older brother Claudio Joseph Bayetto, (Q2 189, St Giles, Vol.1b p.681)

Around this time Toné will have attended the French Protestant church School of Westminster. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bloomsbury-project/institutions/french_protestant_church_school.htm

Hippolyte is incorrectly recorded as having been born in Granada, Spain (Spanish subject).

Louis Blériot sitting in his Bleriot XI at the start of his cross-Channel flight of 25 July 1909. NASM-2B02568, Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Archives

Early in the morning of July 25th, 1909  Louis Blériot (1872-1936) crossed the English Channel, a distance of 22 statute miles (36.6 km) from Les Barraques (near Calais) to Dover. There had been longer flights and further flights, but the conque st of the Channel by air was a sensation and brought Blériot instant fame. Blériot had been a successful manufacturer of automobile headlamps who became fascinated by aeronautics in starting in 1901.  He brought his latest aircraft to Les Barraques, the Type XI, a little monoplane fitted with a 25-horsepower, 3 cylinder Anzani motor. The London Daily Mail had put up a £1,000 prize for the first airplane flight across the Channel, and Blériot was competing with two other aviators, Hubert Latham and Charles de Lambert. Lambert, who received his training from Wilbur Wright, had been injured in a test flight and was out of the running. Latham had already attempted a Channel flight – he had made it halfway across the Channel in his Antoinette IV monoplane on July 19 when engine failure brought him down in a forced landing in the sea.  On the morning of the 25th, Latham was ready for another attempt with a replacement aircraft, but was still fast asleep when Blériot took to the air. The flight took 36 minutes, 30 seconds, and was not without suspense. Blériot had also been injured in a test flight and was in pain with a badly injured foot. The photograph above, taken just before the flight, shows the strain that Blériot was under. It began to rain, and Blériot feared that the moisture would cause the Anzani to pack it in. The weather became turbulent, and visibility declined; he later recalled thinking – I am alone. I can see nothing at all. At Dover, the wind nearly caused him to crash, and his landing gear and propeller were damaged. But he had made it, and he was declared the winner. It was the first successful flight by an airplane over a large body of water. Hubert Latham was not happy when he finally woke up. Blériot became a hero, celebrated on both sides of the Channel. And his Type XI became a best seller – many were produced by the Blériot firm, others by foreign licensees. [ https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/bl%C3%A9riots-cross-channel-flight ]

Tone records his occupation as a racing driver for Fiat Motors in Wembley from 1910 to 1911 (AIR/76/29)

Bayetto household during the 1911 Census. Tone’s parents Hippolyte (restaurant waiter) & Rosalie plus his older brother Claudio (motor mechanic, repair works) were living at ‘Sandringham’ 26 Sumburgh Road, Clapham Common, West Side, London. Tone was presumably visiting Bombay at the time of the census. Hippolyte’s nationality (Italian) is correctly recorded this time.

The Bayettos lived at 7 Finborough Road, Fulham, London until 25 October 1913 (while their new house in Eastcote was being built). [HO 144/1356/261608].

Regular fortnightly commentaries from the Aerodromes in Flight magazine show that Tone continues with regular flying training/practice at London Aerodrome but with the WH Ewen School, (Flight; 28 June 1913: p703) and the final record of him doing this is mid September 1913 (Flight; 27 Sept 1913: p1074) https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/William_Hugh_Ewen

The Bayettos move into their newly build house, named Ye Old Roses in Lime Grove, Eastcote on 25 October 1913. [HO 144/1356/261608]

The United Kingdom declares war on Germany and so enters the great war.

No information is available for Tone for about 19 months – from the last record of him flying at London Aerodrome in September 1913 to him joining the Royal Flying Corps in April 1915. His Service record card (AIR/76/29) doesn’t refer to any occupational activity during this period.  At his pre-enlistment medical his occupation is recorded as aviator and aero-engineer and so possibly he found some work at Hendon Aerodrome or he may simply have been doing casual work, while living at home with his parents in Eastcote, of a type that he didn’t consider had any relevance to a flying career and so wasn’t worth mentioning in his application to the RFC?

Tone Hippolyte Paul Bayetto of “Ye Olde Roses” Lime Grove Avenue, Eastcote Pinner Middlesex joined the General List on a short service commission (for the duration of the war) with the Royal Flying Corps. He was enlisted at South Farnborough on 26 April 1915 with Reg no 4808 (WO/339/56618).

The Royal Flying Corps was formed on the 13th April 1912 and comprised a Military Wing, Naval Wing, Central Flying School and the Royal Aircraft Factory. The Naval Wing split from the RFC on 1st July 1914 to become the Royal Naval Air Service (‘RNAS’), under the control of the Admiralty. On the 1st April 1918 the RFC merged with the RNAS to form the Royal Air Force (‘RAF’). 

The RFC was a Corps of the Army, and thus had Army ranks, regulations and procedures. All of the initial personnel of the RFC Military Wing comprised officers and men who transferred from the Army, and the Army continued to be a significant source of personnel for the RFC, either by permanent transfers, secondment or temporary attachment (the latter categories applying particular to observers).

Officers could initially enter the RFC in two ways: by transfer from an Army Unit or by joining the Special Reserve. The latter were sometimes known as ‘civilian pilots’ as they generally had no military experience. Subsequently it was possible to join the RFC directly and be entered on the ‘General List’ and this was how Tone joined the RMC. Once the officers service in the RFC was over he resigned his commission. There was thus an advantage in joining the Army first and applying for a transfer to the RFC, in that once the RFC service was completed the officer would return to his Army unit for continued employment. 

A new officer would normally be appointed as a temporary 2nd Lieutenant or Probationary 2nd Lieutenant and enter the Recruits Depot. He would be given ground training at one of the Schools of Instruction (primarily Reading and Oxford). If destined to be a pilot he would undertake further training and/or assessment at one of the private Flying Schools taken over by the RFC, the Central Flying School or one of the Reserve Aeroplane Squadrons (‘RAS’), later renamed Reserve Squadrons (‘RS’), then Training Squadrons (‘TS’), and subsequently merged into Training Depot Stations (‘TDS’). Alternatively he could be trained as an Observer or Balloon Officer. Officers undertaking ground duties would generally be appointed as Equipment Officers.

“Hyppolyte Paul Bayettos” (Toné’s) father becomes a naturalised UK citizen.

Tone was graded as 2nd class flyer at 1 RAS gosport [WO 339/56618]

On 22/11/2915 Tone was transferred to No.3 Flying Squadron based at Auchel Aerodrome, France, commanded by Major D S Lewis DSO (No.3FS was formed in May 1912, moved to France 12/8/1914 and stayed there throughout the war. It moved to Auchel on 1/6/1915) [REF: 66FS bio – ambiguity re dates; see McCudden’s book]

It is highly likely that Toné spent Xmas evening with James McCudden whose account follows:

“On that evening all the Sergeants in the squadron waited on the men at Xmas dinner, according to an old army custom and the men really did themselves very well. After the men had fed, we retired to our mess, and had our dinner, which was a great success, largely due to our kindly host and hostess, with whom we had our meals in our billet behind the squadron office at Auchel. After dinner we had the inevitable speech-making, at which “Fonso” was at his very best. He also recited a revised version of “Gunga Din” (his own), which family made us scream with laughter. Fonso also had a most extensive repertoire of drawing room stories and he was constantly on his feet most of the evening. Altogether the Xmas of 1915 at Auchel was, I think, one of the very best I have ever spent”

James McCudden’s air combat account while observing with Tone as pilot in Morane Parasol 5081 on escort duty in Douai [WO 339/56618]

“On January 5th I went off again with a Bayetto to escort No.2 Squadron to Douai Aerodrome and back. We met the 2c’s over their aerodrome at 6000 feet and having climbed to 7000, cross the lines just south of Lens. “Archie” gave us quite a good reception, for we were quite a large formation for those days – 15 B.E.’s escorted by two Morane Parasols. Soon after crossing the lines I noticed a German machine very low over the Scarpe, north of Vitry, but as it was so low I took no notice of it. We all arrived over Douai without incident, and the bombers gracefully jettisoned their souvenirs, which did the surface of the aerodrome an awful lot of good, and the local “Archie’s” were just mad with rage. We now all turned West, and our 80 HP Le Rhône started to give an occasional knock. The low machine that I had seen near Vitry on our way was now at our level, and proved to be a Fokker, and it had by this time been joined by two others. This was the first time that I had seen more than one Fokker in the air at one time. The first Fokker had now got behind a 2c on our left, about 300 yards away, and the English pilot had not seen him. I directed my pilot (Toné) to turn so that I could fire at the Fokker at long-range and distract the Fokker pilots attention, which I succeeded in doing at a range of 300 yards. I shall never forget how that Fokker looked on the 2c’s tail whilst the British pilot was calmly flying straight, not looking behind him at all, and no doubt thinking of Blighty home and beauty. To see a Fokker just steadying itself to shoot another machine in the air is, when seen close up close up, a most impressive site, for there is no doubt that the Fokker in the air was an extremely unpleasant looking beast.”

P84 Flying Fury, James McCudden VC

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Toné & Immelmann – Morane Scout 5067

On 2 March 1916, Charles Walter Palmer and Lt Herbert Frederick Birdwood were engaged on a long reconnaissance deep over the lines, in a Morane BB (5137). The route to be patrolled was Auchel-Douai-Valenciennes- Douai-Lille-Auchel. They were escorted by Sgt Tone H Bayetto, who was flying a Morane N (5067). Tone reports that when leaving Douai the patrol was attacked by one Fokker, which followed and as they arrived at Valenciennes another four Fokkers engaged them. Bayetto then shot a drum of tracer at the nearest aircraft which he reports as 'nose diving into woods near Valenciennes with the appearance of being on fire'. They were then archied and the fight broke up after five-ten minutes. Bayetto had then lost sight of the Morane BB and returned home via Lille where he reports being attacked by another three Fokker single seaters. Palmer and Birdwood were engaged and shot down on their return by Immelmann, who was based at the airfield of FFA-62 near Douai.  Birdwood's gun had jammed (information in Palmer's last letter home) and they were unable to protect themselves from the attack.  Birdwood died immediately from bullet wounds and Palmer was captured but later died on 29 March from blood poisoning following amputation of his foot on 17 March.

Royal Flying Corps Communiques 1915-16: "2 March Sgt Bayetto (Morane Scout, 3 Sqn) on escort duty to the Valenciennes reconnaissance reports having been attacked by five Fokkers in the neighbourhood of  Valenciennes. The reconnaissance machine dived to get clear, but was closely followed by the hostile machines. Sgt Bayetto opened fire on the nearest hostile machine and drove it down, apparently into woods near Valenciennes. After this engagement he saw no more signs of the reconnaissance machine and returned over Lille where he was again attacked by three Fokkers. These he eventually evaded and after circling around Lille for 15 minutes, returned to his landing ground." [Christopher Cole, Royal Flying Corps Communiques 1915-16, (Donovan, 1990) ISBN 1-871085-03-9, p122]

The Hinckley and Bosworth Herald: “After a thrilling fight in mid air, Flight Lt Palmer, the brilliant Hinckley aviator has fallen into the hands of the Germans. He was piloting a machine on distant reconnaissance at the time, and engaged with Immelmann and other German aviators for fifteen minutes, his observer being killed and himself wounded.” [The Hinckley and Bosworth Herald, Saturday 25 March 1916].

Immelmann:  “At last some more arrived on March 2nd, I went up that day to take over the air barrage between Lens and Arras. I was about 2200 metres up when I suddenly saw an English biplane heading for me. It was about 2400 metres up, and close behind it, about 100 metres away, there was a monoplane. A Fokker I thought, and rejoiced at the idea that it was going to shoot the Englishman down. But it did not shoot. I took my glasses and saw (by the markings) that it was another Englishman. The next moment the two of them came down on me, firing as they dived. Being 200 metres below them I was defenceless. I escaped their onslaught by a nose-dive of 100 metres and flew a bit to westward while the Englishmen were flying east. Then I went into a swift turn, which brought me behind my opponents. They were 2200 metres up and I 2100. Then the pursuit began. The two of them were flying straight for Douai the distance between us increased continually. My engine was running badly. I thought it was most necessary to climb, but the Englishmen climbed as well. The two of them were up to about 3000 metres over Douai, and I was 2800. It was absolutely imperative for me to get higher if I meant to attack them, or to at least reach their height. I considered whether it would not be better for me to land, for I could do simply nothing with my engine. The two flew on towards Valenciennes, finally they looked only as big as flies. I got all the climb I could out of my engine; as there was no hope of overhauling them, I meant to cut them off on the way back. I succeeded in that and met the couple half way back from Valenciennes and Douai. I was now at 3200 metres up and they were 3100. Then the fun began. The English biplane led followed by the monoplane which had a device for shooting through the propeller that seemed similar to my own. I put my machine behind the monoplane and began to shoot. He on his part tried to get on to my neck. He planned to put himself behind me by means of a wide turn, and I used the moment to attack the biplane, keeping one eye on the monoplane, I shot at its companion everything I could get out of my gun. In this way I forced the biplane down to 2500 metres, whence it descended in a steep glide and landed. It was not advisable for me to turn on my other enemy, the monoplane after that, for firstly I could not make up the lost 500 metres of height with my bad engine and secondly I had a gun jam. So I let the monoplane buzz off in the direction of Lille and went home. News had already come through by telephone that an Englishman had landed at Souain [This not thought to be right and should be Somain ]. After receiving congratulations on all sides, I asked for a car. As chance would have it, Lt Claus, an old friend from the cadet corps, had come along to pay me a visit while I was still in the air. We drove off to the landing place together. The pilot (Lt Palmer) had been bandaged and was sitting in a car. He had a wound to his foot. On a stretcher close at hand was the body of the dead observer (Lt Birdwood). There were many bullet wounds in it. The machine had landed undamaged; it was dismantled and sent to our section. The machine carried two guns. The pilot used one of them to fire in front, just as I do, while the other was manned by the observer in the rear. The second machine gun was missing, it had fallen out of the dead observer’s hands and was found several kilometres away from the landing place. The Englishman said “Well, if I have been shot down, I am at least glad that Immelmann is my conqueror”. We then drove back, to the accompaniment of cheers from the assembled crowd. The machine was quite a new type, making its first flight at the front.” [From Immelmann, The eagle of Lille].

Some questions have been raised about Tone's account by John Grech in Immelmann's ninth victory, Cross & Cockade Int. 1995; 26(4):191-196.........                                                                                                    
In Immelmann's account he makes no reference to any other Fokkers or of any one joining the fight.                                                       
Bayetto reports "I continued the fight with the remaining hostile machines who were joined by a Fokker two-seater mono and a single seater." This must be a mistake as there were no Fokker two-seater monoplanes, although there were odd occasions when passengers were carried in monoplanes.                                                    
Bayetto reports being in the air for two hours, yet J.M. Bruce in his volume 'The Aeroplanes of the Royal Flying Corps, Military Wing', (Putnam, 1992), ISBN 0-85177-854-2, p302, gives the endurance of the Morane N as one and a half hours.

Tone flies Morane (LA) Parasol 5135 from 1 Aircraft Depot, St Omer to 1 Reserve Squadron, Gosport, England, shortly before No.1 RS became No. 60 Flying Squadron.

Tone flies Morane (N) Scout (“Bullet”) 5067 from 1 Aircraft Depot, St Omer to England where it is allotted to the newly formed No.60 FS on 5 May.

The Morane “bullet,” with a 80 h.p. Le Rhone engine, was quite a different proposition. This was a monoplane with a fuselage (body) of the monococque, or cigar-shaped, type and very small wings, giving, therefore, a very high loading per square foot of lifting surface. The speed near the ground was not too bad for 1916, being about ninety to ninety- five miles per hour, but, owing to the high loading on the wings, the machine became inefficient at a height. It had the gliding angle of a brick, as a pilot moodily complained after an unsuccessful forced landing. It is obvious that, if a machine has a very small wing surface, it must be kept going fast, when gliding without the engine, to preserve its flying speed, and this can only be done by keeping the nose well down ; hence the unfriendly description quoted above. Above 10,000 feet it was difficult to turn a ” bullet ” sharply and steeply without ” stalling ” ; moreover, in bad weather it was very uncomfortable to fly, giving the impression that it was trying its best to kill the pilot all the time. The lateral control, 1 of the ” warp ” type, was to some extent responsible for this. The armament was a fixed Lewis gun firing through the propeller, which was fitted with a metal deflector a steel wedge which prevented the propeller being shot through. There was no synchronising gear on any of the Moranes. By this is meant the device by which the detona- tion of the gun was harmonised with the beat of the propeller ; actually the gun is blocked when the blades of the propeller are in the line of fire. 

SIXTY SQUADRON R.A.F, A HISTORY OF THE SQUADRON FROM ITS FORMATION BY GROUP-CAPTAIN A. J. L. SCOTT

Tone was detached from No.3 FS to no.24 Flying Squadron (along with Frank Goodrich) in late May 1916. At that time No.24 FS was commanded by Major Lanoe Hawker at Bertangle and were fully equipped with Geoffrey de Havilland’s DH2s – single-seat pusher fighters – the World’s first ever fighter aeroplane unit in the field.

http://ww1aviationheritagetrust.co.uk/?page_id=158)

In the middle of June three Bristol Scouts and *two Morane Monoplanes with their pilots* were withdrawn from the corps squadrons of the third wing and attached to 24 Squadron. The third wing scouts were not replaced when they became casualties and their numbers dwindled away until, by the end of July, they ceased to exist.

CCIJ – 53. Hawker VC. by Tvrrel M. Hawker (Mitre Press. 1965). p176

Tone in MS 5195 – two flights, each “No HA seen” [AIR 1/169/15/160/5]

Tone in Morane Scout 5195 Reports: “Cross line at 3000ft and patrol the other side of line between Miracort and Combles” [AIR 1/169/15/160/5]

Toné in MS 5195 “Saw no HA. Cloud from 2,500ft to 11,000ft” [AIR 1/169/15/160/5]

On 2 July (2nd day of Battle of the Somme) Tone in Morane N Scout 5195 twice attacked a balloon near Flers, forcing it to be hauled down. During the second attack he was hit by ‘archie’, damaging his propeller and one valve rocker, bending and twisting others. The engine cowl was torn off and one warping wire was shot away, he was thrown into a side-slip, but regained control and climbed to 2500ft. Tone’s motor was only developing 7-800 revs and vibrating badly, he landed on the British side of the lines near Carnox, and arranged for the machine to be moved across fields one and a half miles for collection by squadron transport. [CROSS & COCKADE INT.1995;26(4):191-196].

Toné on escort patrol in Morane Scout 178A but returned owing to engine trouble [AIR 1/169/15/160/5]

S

Toné had a morning test flight in Morane Scout 178A “testing new engine and wings”. Four evening fights as escort to no.3 Squadron “down at HA over Beaulencourt but found it to be a Nieuport Scout. Climbed up again and continued escort. Landed at No. 3 Sqd again owing to oil not pulsating in glass” [AIR 1/169/15/160/5]

Tone was flying Morane A178 in the morning when he was attacked by three German biplanes, thought to have been Rolands, and managed to escape by diving away. Whilst in the dive the Morane inverted and the tail dropped and started to spiral. Tone was then forced to flatten out before making his way back. That afternoon/evening he made four further flights as escort to no.3 Squadron during which he had to land at no 3 Sqdn “owing to engine trouble”. [CROSS & COCKADE INT.1995;26(4):191-196; AIR 1/169/15/160/5]. Aeroplane photo: Cross & Cockade Intl Winter 2014 45.283]

On 21 July Toné engaged hostiles twice during an early afternoon army patrol in MS178A but on both occasions he was forced to withdraw after his gun jammed. Later that afternoon he saw more EA being chased by “DHs and FA” also “saw big explosion or gas attack west of Peronne”. [CROSS & COCKADE INT.1995;26(4):191-196, AIR 1/169/15/160/5]

Tone returned to Home Establishment

(service record card:AIR/76/29)

Toné was at 17 Wing (was RFC Training Wing) as fighting instructor. (service record card:AIR/76/29)

Tone at 17 Wing (was RFC Training Wing) as fighting instructor.

(service record card:AIR/76/29)

Tone was promoted from (temp 2nd Lieutenant) Flight Officer to Flight Commander (& temporary captain) along with J B McCudden [Service record card; London Gazette 1/6/17]

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Tone was presented with a silver topped inscribed conductor’s baton by members of the Central Flying School orchestra

Tone joined No. 66 Squadron as Flight Commander whilst it was based in Estrees-Blanche near Aire / Liettres France, under the command of GLP Henderson MC, and heavily engaged in the battle of Ypres flying Sopwith Pups [REFS: 66 FS biog; CROSS & COCKADE INT.1995;26(4):191-196; service record card:AIR/76/29]

Tone in B1760 led a patrol comprising HK Boyson, WA Pritt, LB May, DM Paton & WH Kelly. Boyson had engine trouble and so returned to collect another machine (REF: 66FS bio)

Tone in B1756 led an uneventful early morning patrol of six Sopwith Scout at Abeelhoek [AIR 1/1778/204/148/20]

Tone completed an early morning test flight in Sopwith Scout B2168 [AIR 1/1778/204/148/20]

Tone in B2168 led two early morning practice patrols of 6 Sopwith Scouts, practising formation flying [AIR 1/1778/204/148/20]

18 Oct 1917. Tone repatriated to home establishment via Calais and Dover. [WO 339/56618]

Medical Board Examination at Caxton Hall SW. – likely to be incapacitated for 3 1/2 months. At this point he was staying at Endasleigh Palace Hospital, 25 Gordon Street, London- [WO 339/56618]

12 Dec 1017. Tone writes to the War Office from Mrs Mulliner’s Hospital describing the plane crash and requesting a “wound gratuity” [WO 339/56618]

18 Feb 1918. Tone granted a £125 gratuity. [WO 339/56618]

8 Mar 1018. Letter from Toné to Air Ministry reporting for duty. [WO 339/56618]

Precise date unclear but around this time Toné was posted to No. 1 Training Squadron based at Beaulieu Airfield, East Boldre. [AIR/76/29].

Note: No. 1 TS having relocated to East Boldre from Port Meadow, Oxford on 16th December 1917 and remained there until being disbanded and absorbed into No. 29 Training Depot Station on 27th July 1918 [http://www.eastboldre.org/airfieldhistoryww1.html].

Final Medical Board examination in Hampstead. Noted: “He has absolutely recovered. Fit in every way. No headaches, sleeping well …. very keen to fly again.” Considered fit for light duty flying duties. Flying pay resumed. [WO 339/56618]

Tone’s final transfer was to the newly formed No. 29 Training Depot Station which was also located at East Boldre. [No. 29 TDS was formed on on 27th July 1918 when No. 1 TS and No. 73 TS, which had arrived at East Boldre from Turnhouse on 20th February 1918, were merged – http://www.eastboldre.org/airfieldhistoryww1.html].

7 Nov 1918

18 Dec 1930. Death of Hippolyte Paul Bayetto, aged 66y. Buried with his son.

“I had a friend, Wing Commander Willie Fry, who knew Lt T P H Bayetto. Willie gave me the information which I used in a caption for a photograph of your great uncle in an old booklet of mine: British Fighter Units Western Front 1914-1916 which was published by Osprey in 1978. If you go on the web I think you’ll find there are still copies avaliable. The caption reads: ‘A popular officer in the RFC was Lt. T.P.H Bayetto… Bayetto’s father was head chef at one of London’s leading hotels and was always happy to give any RFC friends of his son a good meal free of charge’“. Alex Revell