Red Baron

 So, what’s the second connection to 21st April?

Replica of the F.E.2b flown at the time by Allen

It relates to the death of Manfred von Richthofen, AKA the Red Baron in 1918 and has a Swansea connection.

Today, 44 St. Helens Road is the premises of Kevin Thomas Pharmacy, but over a hundred years ago it was the home of Archibald Bates, Ironmongers.

At the time of the 1911 Census, schoolboy, Allan was aged 14 and the son of Archibald Bates the Ironmonger and Harriet Elizabeth Bates. Allan had three older siblings, Archibald Alfred, Florence Harriet and Richard Bertram.

Top left: Red Baron Top right: 44 St Helens Rd today Bottom left: The Red Baron’s red Fokker DR. 1 triplane Bottom right: South Wales Weekly Post 21 April 1917














During the First World War, Allan was ranked Second Lieutenant serving with the No. 25 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps.

No. 25 Squadron was formed in September 1915 in Montrose, Scotland. By the end of 1915, it had relocated to Norfolk. Initially the squadron flew Vickers F.B.5 but these were replaced in the following February with the Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b. In February 1916, the squadron was based at the aerodrome at Auchel, France. During the 1916 Somme Offensive, the Squadron saw action and April 1917 was known as Bloody April because of the heavy casualties suffered by the RFC, with air support during the Battle of Arras.

It was during that month, April 1917, whilst flying a F.E.2b, Allan along with Sergeant William Alfred Barnes, was shot down by the Red Baron, and plunged into a house. Both men were killed and are buried at Noyelles-Godault Communal Cemetery, Somme.

The following year, April – 21st April 1918 – the Red Baron, credited with 80 victories, 6 of which were Welsh pilots, saw his luck run out at the hand of a Canadian pilot, Arthur Roy Brown. The Red Baron was buried at South Cemetery, Wiesbaden, Germany.

Copyright - The Bay Magazine,  April 2023

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