In Memory Of

BUDD, ERIC FRANK CORYDON

Service Details
Age:
 27
Date of Birth:
 1890-03-03
Rank:
 Lieutenant
Unit:
 52nd Sqdn.
Unit 2:
 and Royal Engineers
Regiment:
 Royal Flying Corps
Former Regiment:
 formerly Royal Irish Regiment & RE
Date of Death:
 1917-09-11
Cause of Death:
 Killed in action, was flying as Air Gunner / Observer with 52 Squadron Royal Flying Corps in RE8 (Reconnaissance Experimental 8) number A3477 on 11th September 1917 with Lieutenant H.C.Smith RFC as pilot when they were shot down and killed over Belgium
Commemoration
Grave Reference:
 II. C. 35.
Cemetery:
 RAMSCAPPELLE ROAD MILITARY CEMETERY
Localitly:
 Nieuwpoort, West-Vlaanderen
Country:
 Belgium
Additional Information
Son of Martin Budd, of Johannesburg. Eric Budd (eldest son of Martin Budd, Landing, Shipping and Forwarding Agent of Lourenco Marques, Portuguese East Africa and his wife Ada Adelaide Ann Budd) became a mining engineer in Johannesburg, South Africa. Born at Kimberley, South Africa on 3rd March 1890, educated at Harrow School, England until 1908, he originally joined the South African Irish Regiment, then Royal Engineers (Tunneling Companies) and finally Royal Flying Corps. He was 27 when he was killed. His father died the following year. Originally buried in the Oost-Dunkerke-Bains British Cemetery, a cemetery on drifting sands about 460 metres West of the watering-place, he was at a later date exhumed and re-interred and remembered with honour in the Ramscapelle Road Military Cemetery, Belgium. His Adjutant wrote: "Budd was on Artillery Observation when he was attacked by four enemy scout machines. His pilot was immediately killed, the machine descending of its own accord. Budd was meanwhile firing continuously, and it was found when the machine reached the ground that he had fired the whole of his ammunition. He was picked up unconscious and died within one hour. During the unequal fight he brought down one enemy machine. He was universally admitted to be one of our best Observers. He is a great loss to the Squadron." A brother officer wrote to his father: "Your son went up yesterday as Observer for our artillery with Lieutenant H.C.Smith as pilot. They were attacked by German fighting machines and shot down after putting up a good fight. Your son died of wounds very soon after, and I do not think he suffered, as he was not conscious. Your son was very brave and always keen to fly. He was most popular with all his brother-officers. I am very sorry to lose him, as he was a valuable Officer and friend." Another wrote: "Lieutenant Budd put up an excellent fight, as is evident by his bringing down his opponent. When his machine-gun was found, the barrel was blue with heat from over 200 rounds he managed to fire".