PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM OF NO 4 FLYING TRAINING SCHOOL RAF, ABU-SUEIR, EGYPT

Brown leather, string bound photo-album of Egyptian origin with blind stamped decoration to the upper board. Comprising 147 original photographs across 48 pages. Each photo with hand-written captions. With the compiler's ownership inscriptions in ink to the inside front cover. A better than very good copy, the binding sound and the photographs in excellent condition.

A fascinating photographic record of pilot training at the No. 4 Flying training school RAF, compiled by Ernest Michael Withy over a nine month period between July 5th 1933 and April 14th 1934. Located at Abu Sueir in Egypt, the facility (established in April 1921) was the only RAF training school outside of the United Kingdom, its primary function to train pilots for Middle East Command. The photographs are primarily of aircraft, aerial manoeuvres (including crashes, some of which are marked 'fatal'), other pilots or instructors, and scenes around camp but also include life outside of training, such as sporting events (swimming and horse racing), Port Said, markets, tourist attractions (including Lake Timsah, also known as the Crocodile Lake), aerial views of the Pyramids and gardens of Ismailia and Ezbekir. After completing training, Flight Lieutenant Ernest Withy joined No. 44 Squadron. He was killed in a training exercise on 15th February 1939 at the age of just 25, when the Bristol Blenheim 1 L155 aircraft he was operating suffered engine failure and crashed near RAF North Coates Fitties, Lincolnshire.