Max Ogilvy-Ramsay

Carlisle Grammar School 1907-12. He was a member of the school debating society he supported the motion “International arbitration is a substitute for war”

Max joined the Royal Flying Corps and was commissioned as a 2^nd lieutenant on June 7 1917. He was appointed flying officer (pilot) on August 11 1917.

Pilot of Bristol F2b bomber, serial number D8081, accompanied by 2^nd lieut Frank Frewin Crump, RAF as gunner/ observer. Left  Villaverla aerodrome, Italy at 2.40pm August 1 1918, but was in combat with enemy aircraft.  Forced to land and crashed on Italian Grossa aerodrome at 3.00pm.  Aircraft damaged and both pilot and observer were injured.

Pilot, Lieut M Ogilvy-Ramsay died of his injuries on  August 4 1918 aged 20. He is buried at  Montecchio Precalcino Communal Cemetery Extension, Italy. 

Ramsay M O full ref AIR 76/417/13. Royal Flying Corps 139^th Squadron.

Max was training to be a pilot in 1917. It was not a requirement for an officer to be commissioned in the Royal Flying Corps to hold a Royal Aero Club Aviators Certificate.

Qualified pilots could apply for this certificate, on payment of a fee … but as there was a desperate need of pilots in France and Flanders, many pilots were often posted overseas a short time after qualifying… so there was no time to apply for a Royal Aero Club Aviator’s Certificate. In addition, it was an expense a newly commissioned officer could little afford, as officers had to purchase all their own uniform and flying kit.

His family had his gravestone inscribed with the phrase ” For this I was born“. In a letter which survives in the Nicoll family  there’s a brief mention of Max, “A generous lad. Got his wings. Shot down.“

a)            Carlisle School Memorial Register 1264-1924

b)            Census:

c)            www.ancestry.co,uk

d)           David Barnes

e)            Nicoll family archive.