Casualty of the Great War, Claude was born in Co. Galway Ireland in 1895, the son
of the Rev. Canon John Crawford Trotter and Fanny R. Trotter, of The Rectory. Ardrahan, Co. Galway. He attended Galway Grammar School and the Royal School in Armagh. He enjoyed played cricket and football and was on his latter schools team for both. He was living in Canada when war broke out and joined the Alberta Dragoons at Valcartier, Quebec, Canada on September 23, 1914. He was soon promoted to Lieutenant. He was twice wounded, once with the Canadian Force while rallying his men in a bombing raid on German trenches, and again as an observer in the RFC when his plane crashed and his pilot was killed. On this occasion he was recommended for the Albert medal for endeavouring to save his pilot's life, but just missed the award on technical grounds. He obtained his pilot wings in late 1917 and flew for many months over France. His C.O. wrote: "He was always the cheeriest of any party to which he belonged; his only fault was that he was disregardful of danger. Fear to him seemed an absolutely unknown thing. He is merely a case of the best always being the first to go." His C.O. in the Canadians, on a former occasion, had also written of him: "Allow me to congratulate you on the work done by your son Claud while he was in France. By application, courage, and hard work he soon developed into a most efficient officer, popular among his brother officers and respected by the men. I was connected with him in two trench raids, and on both occasions he displayed courage and resource much above the average, and by his own gallantry and example greatly aided the success of both enterprises."
He was serving with the Royal Air Force, No. 44 Squadron at Hainault Farm aerodrome on attachment from the Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment). He was blinded by a searchlight beam on the night of Sunday 13th October, whilst on patrol in Camel E5417 and lost his life in the resulting crash.
A guard of honour from no. 44 squadron lined up outside the gates to present arms as a trailer bearing the flag-covered his coffin entered All Saints Church grounds at Chigwell Row on the afternoon of Thursday 17th October. As this gallant officer was laid to rest, a firing party from the 13th Artists Rifles fired a salute and Camels of No. 44 Squadron from nearby Hainault Farm, circled overhead.
The remains of the propellor from his aircraft are to be seen as a memorial to him in the church.
(Civil Registration:Deaths Dec 1918
Trotter Claud H 23 Ongar 4a 1007)
of the Rev. Canon John Crawford Trotter and Fanny R. Trotter, of The Rectory. Ardrahan, Co. Galway. He attended Galway Grammar School and the Royal School in Armagh. He enjoyed played cricket and football and was on his latter schools team for both. He was living in Canada when war broke out and joined the Alberta Dragoons at Valcartier, Quebec, Canada on September 23, 1914. He was soon promoted to Lieutenant. He was twice wounded, once with the Canadian Force while rallying his men in a bombing raid on German trenches, and again as an observer in the RFC when his plane crashed and his pilot was killed. On this occasion he was recommended for the Albert medal for endeavouring to save his pilot's life, but just missed the award on technical grounds. He obtained his pilot wings in late 1917 and flew for many months over France. His C.O. wrote: "He was always the cheeriest of any party to which he belonged; his only fault was that he was disregardful of danger. Fear to him seemed an absolutely unknown thing. He is merely a case of the best always being the first to go." His C.O. in the Canadians, on a former occasion, had also written of him: "Allow me to congratulate you on the work done by your son Claud while he was in France. By application, courage, and hard work he soon developed into a most efficient officer, popular among his brother officers and respected by the men. I was connected with him in two trench raids, and on both occasions he displayed courage and resource much above the average, and by his own gallantry and example greatly aided the success of both enterprises."
He was serving with the Royal Air Force, No. 44 Squadron at Hainault Farm aerodrome on attachment from the Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment). He was blinded by a searchlight beam on the night of Sunday 13th October, whilst on patrol in Camel E5417 and lost his life in the resulting crash.
A guard of honour from no. 44 squadron lined up outside the gates to present arms as a trailer bearing the flag-covered his coffin entered All Saints Church grounds at Chigwell Row on the afternoon of Thursday 17th October. As this gallant officer was laid to rest, a firing party from the 13th Artists Rifles fired a salute and Camels of No. 44 Squadron from nearby Hainault Farm, circled overhead.
The remains of the propellor from his aircraft are to be seen as a memorial to him in the church.
(Civil Registration:Deaths Dec 1918
Trotter Claud H 23 Ongar 4a 1007)
Casualty of the Great War, Claude was born in Co. Galway Ireland in 1895, the son
of the Rev. Canon John Crawford Trotter and Fanny R. Trotter, of The Rectory. Ardrahan, Co. Galway. He attended Galway Grammar School and the Royal School in Armagh. He enjoyed played cricket and football and was on his latter schools team for both. He was living in Canada when war broke out and joined the Alberta Dragoons at Valcartier, Quebec, Canada on September 23, 1914. He was soon promoted to Lieutenant. He was twice wounded, once with the Canadian Force while rallying his men in a bombing raid on German trenches, and again as an observer in the RFC when his plane crashed and his pilot was killed. On this occasion he was recommended for the Albert medal for endeavouring to save his pilot's life, but just missed the award on technical grounds. He obtained his pilot wings in late 1917 and flew for many months over France. His C.O. wrote: "He was always the cheeriest of any party to which he belonged; his only fault was that he was disregardful of danger. Fear to him seemed an absolutely unknown thing. He is merely a case of the best always being the first to go." His C.O. in the Canadians, on a former occasion, had also written of him: "Allow me to congratulate you on the work done by your son Claud while he was in France. By application, courage, and hard work he soon developed into a most efficient officer, popular among his brother officers and respected by the men. I was connected with him in two trench raids, and on both occasions he displayed courage and resource much above the average, and by his own gallantry and example greatly aided the success of both enterprises."
He was serving with the Royal Air Force, No. 44 Squadron at Hainault Farm aerodrome on attachment from the Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment). He was blinded by a searchlight beam on the night of Sunday 13th October, whilst on patrol in Camel E5417 and lost his life in the resulting crash.
A guard of honour from no. 44 squadron lined up outside the gates to present arms as a trailer bearing the flag-covered his coffin entered All Saints Church grounds at Chigwell Row on the afternoon of Thursday 17th October. As this gallant officer was laid to rest, a firing party from the 13th Artists Rifles fired a salute and Camels of No. 44 Squadron from nearby Hainault Farm, circled overhead.
The remains of the propellor from his aircraft are to be seen as a memorial to him in the church.
(Civil Registration:Deaths Dec 1918
Trotter Claud H 23 Ongar 4a 1007)
of the Rev. Canon John Crawford Trotter and Fanny R. Trotter, of The Rectory. Ardrahan, Co. Galway. He attended Galway Grammar School and the Royal School in Armagh. He enjoyed played cricket and football and was on his latter schools team for both. He was living in Canada when war broke out and joined the Alberta Dragoons at Valcartier, Quebec, Canada on September 23, 1914. He was soon promoted to Lieutenant. He was twice wounded, once with the Canadian Force while rallying his men in a bombing raid on German trenches, and again as an observer in the RFC when his plane crashed and his pilot was killed. On this occasion he was recommended for the Albert medal for endeavouring to save his pilot's life, but just missed the award on technical grounds. He obtained his pilot wings in late 1917 and flew for many months over France. His C.O. wrote: "He was always the cheeriest of any party to which he belonged; his only fault was that he was disregardful of danger. Fear to him seemed an absolutely unknown thing. He is merely a case of the best always being the first to go." His C.O. in the Canadians, on a former occasion, had also written of him: "Allow me to congratulate you on the work done by your son Claud while he was in France. By application, courage, and hard work he soon developed into a most efficient officer, popular among his brother officers and respected by the men. I was connected with him in two trench raids, and on both occasions he displayed courage and resource much above the average, and by his own gallantry and example greatly aided the success of both enterprises."
He was serving with the Royal Air Force, No. 44 Squadron at Hainault Farm aerodrome on attachment from the Canadian Infantry (Alberta Regiment). He was blinded by a searchlight beam on the night of Sunday 13th October, whilst on patrol in Camel E5417 and lost his life in the resulting crash.
A guard of honour from no. 44 squadron lined up outside the gates to present arms as a trailer bearing the flag-covered his coffin entered All Saints Church grounds at Chigwell Row on the afternoon of Thursday 17th October. As this gallant officer was laid to rest, a firing party from the 13th Artists Rifles fired a salute and Camels of No. 44 Squadron from nearby Hainault Farm, circled overhead.
The remains of the propellor from his aircraft are to be seen as a memorial to him in the church.
(Civil Registration:Deaths Dec 1918
Trotter Claud H 23 Ongar 4a 1007)
