Carrick Paul's "Yellow Peril" Biff

A history of Australian aviation from 1914-1919 and much more.

cam, 339 words, 8 comments, Carrick Paul, William Weir, Bristol Fighter, Yellow Peril, Palestine Theatre, C4627

Lt Carrick Paul and Lt William Weir were a biff crew with No.1 Sqn AFC in the Middle East. According to a passage from Les Sutherlands book their aircraft [C4627] was bright yellow. Has anyone seen a picture of this aircraft?

From Les Sutherland's "Aces and Kings";

The 'Yellow Peril' - I've forgotten her number - was not the easiest machine to fly, but no one wished her any harm, with the possible exception of the enemy. Stewart[sic] Paul and his offsider, Bill Weir, could handle the Peril, and knew how to use their guns. I remember seeing, from a grand-stand seat, the Yellow Peril and its crew demonstrate how the job should be done. They were, or rather the Yellow Peril was, on the tail of a Hun two-seater. The poor wretch tried to dive away, but after Paul had fired about ten rounds it disintegrated. Just fell into bits.

However the specialty of the Yellow Peril was a cavalry camp, and when it swooped down hectic things used to happen. I mention that Paul and Weir could use their guns. Because of it, this anti-cavalry turn of theirs earned them a unique distinction. They were specially mentioned in Turkish orders, as follows;

All ranks are instructed to take immediate cover upon approach of the YELLOW ENGLISH AEROPLANE.

Paul and Weir certainly wrote that name on the Turkish memory in letters of fire.

Paul and Weir claimed five aircraft. From Mark Lax's research;

23 May 1918, DVa OOC [C4627]

23 May 1918, DVa OOC [C4627]

13 Jun 1918, Rumpler DES [C4627]

28 Jul 1918, Rumpler DES [C4627]

16 Aug 1918, Rumpler DES [C4627]

From that the "Yellow Peril" was most likely C4627. My question is, has anyone seen a photograph of this aircraft? Given the film of the day it should appear almost black. Unless it was a sandblasted fabric, and was a CDL colour, in which case it would appear light.

cam

More reading: AFC Tags, Carrick Paul, William Weir, Bristol Fighter, Yellow Peril, Palestine Theatre, C4627

Comments

Andrew Smith . # .

Reveille article June 1, 1938: G\'day Cam,

Sutherland wrote of \"Yellow Peril\" and Carrick Paul and states \"Paul\'s Bristol by the way differed from her squadrons sisters in color. She was doped a dark yellow, and was accordingly known within the flight as the \"Yellow Peril\".

I tend to believe Sutherland only for the fact that not one objection was raised regarding the above statement in the following issues of Reveille by members of 1 AFC.

Sutherland later wrote of Paul\'s demise, which until I read this article remained a mystery to me.

According to Sutherland Paul fell overboard whle trying to retrive an errant deck quote. The Wiltshire was crossing the Great Australian Bight at the time.

Regards,

Andrew

carpo5 . # .

yellow: My initial thoughts on this subject was not that the aeroplane was yellow (as, for example, later tigermoths) but yellow ochre. A common pigment and a constituent of PC10. A pilot may wish to paint his Kite a new or original colour, but he needs the paint! I suggest that yellow ochre would be the only readily available colour for this purpose. Just my 2 cents worth.
Carpo

Ross Moorhouse . # .

Would have been good camo....: CDL or some other yellow type colour would have been very wise as a camo colour. Considering that from above it would have made it harder to spot against the desert below. Maybe they used a French based CDL being more yellow than the British one?

cam . # .

Where would they have got: .... French CDL out in Palestine though? If it was yellow then you have to think painting it was an opportunistic/impromptu thing, rather than a a deliberative attempt that involved putting an order in for yellow from Britain and then waiting three months for it.

Was there a French unit in Macedonia? There was one in Gallipoli I think in 1915. Wasnt there also a French Seaplane carrier in the region in 1915/1916. Maybe they found stocks left over from those? But that is a couple of years from 1915 to mid-1918.

An engaging mystery.

cam

Ross Moorhouse . # .

blasted sand.: I have no idea where they could have obtained French CDL or any CDL for that matter. But knowing how good at scrounging we Aussie are the yellow must have come from somewhere.

Your comment on maybe sandblasting of the original paint on the plane is interesting. I have a problem with this. If the top coat of say PC10 was blasted off the fabric too would have been weakened by the constant erosion from the sand. But then this might mean that in fact the whole plane was recovered in field and they had no PC 10. Then we would have had the yellow looking affect.

But I am just guessing. :-)

Andrew Smith . # .

Yellw Peril wrongly identified???: Cam,

I have just read Hudson Fysh\'s bio QANTAS Rising and he states that a Yellow painted Bristol Fighter was a presentation aircraft from Mrs Kirby and Son, and that he would not fly in it if at all possible as the Kirby\'s were well known Undertakers in Sydney. Was this aircraft \"Yellow Peril\"?

With Gordon Branch\'s help and referencing several works including the ASWW1AH Journal from 2001 and Sutherland\'s \"Aces and Kings\" it was ascertained that two Brisfits were presentation aircraft associated with the Kirby\'s C4840 and C4623.

Sutherland wrote that C4623 was a \"perverse devil\" so I would discount that aircraft, so if the Flying Fysh is correct that only leaves C4840.

The aircraft we thought to be \"Yellow Peril\" C4627 was also a presentation aircraft, the \"City of Adelaide\", presented by Mrs. Harry Bickford.

I cannot find a claim for Paul whilst and if he ever flew C4840, but \"Yellow Peril\" derived its reputation from the Turks at least for attacking ground troops not destroying enemy aircraft.

Perhaps Hudson Fysh at age 75 identified the wrong aircraft. Does a photo of C4840 exist?

More research to follow.

Andrew

cam . # .

I haven\'t any pics of C4840: Will keep an eye out for it now. Interesting that Fysh fingered it as yellow, rather than CDL.

cam

cam . # .

I think we will know soon though: from the AWM collection B02475 ;

ID Number: B02475
Maker: Unknown
Place made: Aleppo
Physical description: Black & white
Summary: A Bristol Fighter which was christened by the Hun pilots \'The Yellow Peril\', starting out on a reconnaissance. The billets of the 40th Wing, Australian Flying Corps, are in the background.
Credit line: Lent by Sergeant W A Smith.
Copyright: clear

Never thought to search on \"yellow peril\".

cam