His parents’ only child, Raymond Tenney Balch was born in 1894 in Newburyport Massachusetts and fell to his death from a training aircraft over Sutton Park just months before the end of the First World War.
He was educated locally at Newburyport, then in 1912 enrolled at the Phillips Academy, Andover, the oldest (and most prestigious) boarding school in the USA. After a short career in banking in Boston he signed up at the Naval Cadet School of Massachusetts graduating in 1917 as an Ensign. He was assigned to the 9th Deck Division, but was unable to go into active service for medical reasons.
Forced to Enlist in Canada
Disappointed but undeterred, Balch travelled to Toronto where he enlisted with the newly formed Royal Flying Corps Canada, undertaking training at Bayside in Canada and at Fort Worth, Texas, during the winter months.
He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in November of 1917 and in December of that year was sent to Castle Bromwich for further training before joining the Great War on the mainland of Europe.
Joins No.74 Training Squadron
Raymond Balch was assigned to the No.74 Training Squadron at Castle Bromwich aerodrome. In February the next year he won his First-Class Pilot’s licence and was promoted to First Lieutenant on 1st April 1918.
On 25 May 25 1918, two days before his transfer to the Front, he took his aircraft out for aerial manoeuvres and target practice over Sutton Park. The plane was an RAF SE5a which had come into prominence towards the end of the War.
Balch pulled out of a dive over the park on his way back to Castle Bromwich airfield, the aircraft broke up. Balch was thrown to the ground and killed.
The SE5a was prone to have gear system problems, and it was not unknown for the propeller and sometimes the entire gearbox to break loose from the engine and airframe in flight.
Lieutenant Balch was 23 years old when he was killed and one of 85 students of Phillips Academy who died in service during the First World War.
He was buried in Castle Bromwich graveyard close by the new gate. On 4 August 2014 a vigil took place at Castle Bromwich Church led by Rev Gavin Douglas to commemorate the centenary of the declaration of hostilities between Britain and Germany. The service started at the grave of Lt Raymond Tenney Balch.
Remembered in Massachusetts and Castle Bromwich
‘The Municipal History of Essex County in Massachusetts’ of 1922 lists Balch’s achievements ending with the words, ‘He was of that fine manly type, honourable and devoted to duty, modest in manner, but with the courage to face any test coming in the line of duty. Long may his memory be kept green, this young man who died for others, the supreme test of manhood.’
In 1922 the Phillips Academy in Andover built a memorial tower to commemorate the sacrifice of the students who had given their lives during the First World War. The Honor Roll includes the name of R T Balch. The tower was hung with a carillon of 19 bells cast by John Taylor’s bell foundry in Loughborough.Fitting then, that it will be Taylor’s who are to carry put the restoration work and the casting of two new bells at St Mary & St Margaret’s church just across the road from the grave of the brave lieutenant.
Acknowledgements: This article has been developed from research by Terrie Knibb and the Castle Bromwich Youth & Community Partnership. For more information about the Castle Bromwich Graveyard Project go to http://castlebromwichgraveyard.co.uk/
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