Paul Hartley Raney - Royal Flying Corps Service

Royal Flying Corps Service

In December 1916, at the age of 23, Paul Raney enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps. After training for a few months at Camp Borden, Ontario, he was selected as a "Cadet for Further Instruction in Aviation," and crossed the Atlantic to England aboard the S.S. Megnatic in May 1917. Raney attended final flight and combat training in England, earning his wings in mid-June. In early July, Raney arrived in France, at the reserve camp, or as it was called the "Pool Pilots Mess", which was where new recruits were stationed before "an opening" appeared at active Squadrons. On 8 August, Raney was posted to 66 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps, then operating at Estreé Blanche in the Ypres area. 66 Squadron shared their aerodrome with 56 Squadron, as well as a few other British fighter squadrons of various types. After arrival on 12 August 1917, Raney began active duty.

At the time, 66 Squadron was equipped with the stable, easy to fly, yet underpowered Sopwith Pup. This aircraft, though an excellent trainer, was relatively outclassed by the mainstream German opponents that were then in the air. In June–August 1917, the Albatros D.III and Albatros D.V were the main fighters of the German airforce. Although nimble and maneuverable, the Pup was nowhere near as fast or powerful as its opponents, and could not hope to outpace or outclimb them. As well, the Pup was equipped with one synchronized Vickers machine gun, while the German planes featured two or more synchronized Spandau machine guns. Although other British Squadrons were equipped with the better fighters that were available, 66 Squadron would have to make do with its Pups until later in the year when they would be outfitted with the much more deadly Sopwith Camels.

Raney's short tour of duty, commencing on 12 August 1917, consisted of unrelenting patrols over enemy territory. Most pilots flew one or more per day, early morning, afternoon or evening, at about one to two and hours a piece. Wings of two to ten fighters would take off, cross over to enemy territory, and carry out the Allied mandate of air superiority by "keeping the Germans on the defensive".

After arrival, Raney was delighted to be sharing his squadron with his good friend from training in Canada, and whom had been with him aboard the Megnatic in their journey across the Atlantic, 2nd Lieutenant Patrick A. O'Brien. They shared their first practice formation flight on 12 August. At dawn the next day (13 August) both of them flew in formation for their first practice flight over enemy lines, arriving back at the aerodrome around 8:40AM. As O'Brien noted, he was "taken over the lines to get a look at things". O'Brien would later fly his first combat patrol over enemy territory the same day, while Raney had aerial fighting practice.

On 16 August, Raney had his first offensive patrol. The next day (17 August) after Raney's second patrol, Patrick O'Brien did not return from his evening patrol over German lines, and was declared missing (O'Brien, after shooting down a D type Albatross scout, sustained a gunshot wound to his neck, subsequently losing consciousness. His plane spun down out of control, crashed, and O'Brien was pulled from the wreckage alive, becoming a prisoner of war that evening, and taken to a prisoner's hospital). As O'Brien was Raney's best friend in France, he was quite troubled by the event. After no word on O'Brien for three days, Raney signed for Pat’s personnel belongings and sent them back to Cox & Co, the airforce (RFC) Bankers in England.