Frederick William "Freddie" Winterbotham
1897 - 1990 (92 years)
Has 18 ancestors and 11 descendants in our family tree.
1894 - -
Name Frederick William Winterbotham [1] Nickname Freddie Born 16 Apr 1897 Stroud, Gloucestershire, England 
Gender Male Census 31 Mar 1901 Margate, Kent, England [2] Age: 3y Address:
Clare House, Sweyn Road, Cliftonville- In this census, it would appear that Frederick and his sister Evelyn, are staying in a lodging house run by Elizabeth Giles, a widow. Also present is a domestic nurse, Kate Roffe, who is presumably the children's guardian. Their father, Frederick is working in London and staying in a hotel. Their mother Florence, is visiting Richard Paddison in Radborough, Gloucestershire.
Census 2 Apr 1911 Eastbourne, Sussex, England [3] Age: 13y Address:
St Andrew's School, MeadsOccupation 2 Apr 1911 Eastbourne, Sussex, England [3] Scholar (Border) - Later in 1911, Frederick went to Charterhouse School, Surrey, one of the leading independent schools in the UK.
Military Service 1914 Age: 17y - Frederick joined the Gloucestershire Yeomanry. As he was very keen on horses, he was utilised training men and horses for their potential roles in the Cavalry. In 1916, the demand for horses had been reduced and replaced by bicycles.
Military Service 1916 - Freddie was interviewed in London by the Royal Flying Corps. They had been interviewing Cavalrymen for potential roles as pilots. He was accepted and began his flying training in what he called a "box kite" at an airfield near Oxford and later at Netheravon on Salisbury Plain. Initially flying a 2 seat Sopwith, he soon progressed to a Sopwith Pup which he found quite enjoyable to fly.
In April 1917, Freddie was finally posted to 29 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps and dispatched to Arras, France. Here he provided fighter support to photographic reconnasaince aircraft.
Shortly after, he was posted further north to Belgium where it became obvious that plans were being prepared for (what was to be) the Battle of Passchendaele.
On Friday 13 July 1917, whilst providing air supprt to a photographic mission, Freddie's plane (a Nieuport 17, No.B1577) was attacked by German aircraft and he was shot down over Gheluvelt, Flanders. He spent the next 2 years in POW camps in Germany before finally being shipped home (via Leith, Scotland) on 6 January 1919.
WINTERBOTHAM, Frederick William: WW1 Royal Flying Corps
These are the records of Frederick whilst serving in the RFC up until the time of his capture by the Germans.
WINTERBOTHAM, Frederick William
This photograph of Frederick was taken on 27 February 1917. This was probably taken upon the issue of his Aviator's Certificate.
WINTERBOTHAM, Group Captain Frederick William: IWM Interview, Reel 1 (00:27:32)
This is an extract from an interview undertaken by the Imperial War Museum in 1984 when Frederick was 87 years young. It tells the story of his early years in WW1 as a Royal Flying Corps pilot.
(Background in Gloucestershire; Yeomanry; Joining Royal Flying Corps; Posting to France and Belgium; Shot down.)WINTERBOTHAM, Group Captain Frederick William: IWM Interview, Reel 2 (00:28:20)
This is an extract from an interview undertaken by the Imperial War Museum in 1984 when Frederick was 87 years young. It tells the story of his early years in WW1 as a Royal Flying Corps pilot.
(Recollections of being a POW)WINTERBOTHAM, Group Captain Frederick William: IWM Interview, Reel 3 (00:28:00)
This is an extract from an interview undertaken by the Imperial War Museum in 1984 when Frederick was 87 years young. It tells the story of his early years in WW1 as a Royal Flying Corps pilot.
(More recollections of a POW; Return to civilian life; Comparisons of German Intelligence)Occupation 1928 Head of Air Staff Dept, Secret Intelligence Service - Frederick was recruited to set up and run the Air Staff Dept of the Secret Intelligence Service. During his time there, he was to meet Hitler on several occasions. Being trusted by Hitler, he was able to feed back information about the activities of the German Military indicating that they were preparing a massive military force. He was even invited to see Germany's factories at work, producing hundreds of new aircraft. Much of this intelligence was dismissed as it "couldn't possibly be accurate"!
Died 28 Jan 1990 Blandford, Dorset, England Siblings 1 sibling 1. Evelyn Graham Winterbotham
b. 26 Sep 1894, Stroud, Gloucestershire, EnglandNotes - Frederick (aka 'Freddie') was a British secret service official who played a decisive role in the World War II Ultra code-breaking project.
A graduate of Oxford and trained in law, Frederick was a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps in World War 1 before joining the British secret service (MI-6) in 1929 as Chief of Air Intelligence. In 1938, he and MI-6 colleagues learned of a German encrypting device called Enigma. By 1940, British experts broke Enigma's code, enabling MI-6 to intercept top secret and highly sensitive messages (even from Hitler himself) transmitted to and between German armed forces. Frederick was given the responsibility of distributing the German data, code-named Ultra, to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, among others. This data proved invaluable to the Allies as a strategic tool in anticipating and undermining Axis military operations, from the Battle of Britain to Normandy.
Frederick published a book in 1974 called 'The Ultra Secret' in which he explained what 'Ultra' was and his role in it. His account has been criticised for inaccuracies and self-aggrandisement, with some justification. Read the whole story on Wikipedia.
In 1978, following the release of previously secret papers, Frederick published another book. Entitled 'The Nazi Connection', it explores the question, "Was Hitler mind-controlled?" and challenges the whole story of Britain's and Germany's roles in WW2. This article, published by Mike Sparks, makes "interesting" reading.
Freddie was made a Commander of the British Empire in 1943 and was awarded the Legion of Merit in 1945.
Person ID I15804 Winterbotham Families Last Modified 14 Dec 2012
Father 
Frederick Winterbotham (ID:I15531)
b. 8 Oct 1857, Stroud, Gloucestershire, England
d. 14 Mar 1940, Stroud, Gloucestershire, England (Age 82 years) Mother Florence Vernon Graham (ID:I15802)
b. 1870, Blackheath, Kent, England
d. 1959, Totnes RD, Devonshire, England (Age 89 years) Married 9 Aug 1893 Greenwich, London, England 
Marriage Record: WINTERBOTHAM, Frederick and GRAHAM, Florence 18930809 Family ID F3933 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 1 Erica Horniman (ID:I15805)
b. 1899, Paddington, London, England
d. 10 Jul 1959, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England (Age 60 years) Married 21 Jul 1921 Paddington, London, England Marriage Record: WINTERBOTHAM, Frederick and HORNIMAN, Erica 19210707 Age at Marriage He was 24 years and 3 months - She was 22 years and 7 months Notes - Marriage Status: Divorced
Children + 1. Pamela Winterbotham (ID:I15815)
b. 12 Aug 1924, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
d. 10 Jul 2009, Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia (Age 84 years)+ 2. Living (ID:I15816) 3. Living (ID:I15817) Last Modified 9 Jan 2011 Family ID F3934 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 2 Madge Mary Moncrieff Anderson (ID:I15806) Married 29 Aug 1939 Westminster, London, England Age at Marriage He was 42 years and 4 months - She was ?? Notes - Marriage Status: Divorced
Last Modified 9 Jan 2011 Family ID F3935 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 3 Joan Petrea Trant (ID:I15807)
b. 2 Jan 1918, Brixham, Devonshire, England
d. Jan 1986, Southampton, Hampshire, England (Age 68 years) Married Dec 1948 Chelsea, London, England Age at Marriage He was 51 years and 8 months - She was 30 years and 11 months Children 1. Living (ID:I15814) Last Modified 9 Jan 2011 Family ID F3936 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 4 Kathleen Louise B S Price (ID:I15808)
b. 30 Apr 1911
d. Nov 2004, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England (Age 93 years) Married 6 Sep 1986 Wensleydale, Yorkshire, England Age at Marriage He was 89 years and 5 months - She was 75 years and 5 months Last Modified 9 Jan 2011 Family ID F3937 Group Sheet | Family Chart
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Event Map 
Born - 16 Apr 1897 - Stroud, Gloucestershire, England 
Census - Age: 3y,Address:
Clare House, Sweyn Road, Cliftonville - 31 Mar 1901 - Margate, Kent, England
Census - Age: 13y,Address:
St Andrew's School, Meads - 2 Apr 1911 - Eastbourne, Sussex, EnglandOccupation - Scholar (Border) - 2 Apr 1911 - Eastbourne, Sussex, England 
Married - 21 Jul 1921 - Paddington, London, England 
Married - 29 Aug 1939 - Westminster, London, England 
Married - Dec 1948 - Chelsea, London, England 
Married - 6 Sep 1986 - Wensleydale, Yorkshire, England 
Died - 28 Jan 1990 - Blandford, Dorset, England = Link to Google Earth Pin Legend 
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Photos 
WW1 Aircraft: Nieuport 17 Design and Development
The type was a slightly larger development of the earlier Nieuport 11, and had a more powerful engine, larger wings, and a more refined structure in general. At first, it was equipped with a 110 hp (82 kW) Le Rhône 9J engine, though later versions were upgraded to a 130 hp (97 kW) engine. It had outstanding maneuverability, and an excellent rate of climb. Unfortunately, the narrow lower wing, marking it as a "sesquiplane" design with literally "one-and-a-half wings", was weak due to its single spar construction, and had a disconcerting tendency to disintegrate in sustained dives at high speed. Initially, the Nieuport 17 retained the above wing mounted Lewis gun of the "11", but in French service this was soon replaced by a synchronised Vickers gun. In the Royal Flying Corps, the wing mounted Lewis was usually retained, by now on the improved Foster mounting, a curved metal rail which allowed the pilot to bring the gun down in order to change drums or clear jams. A few individual aircraft were fitted with both guns - but in practice this reduced performance unacceptably, and a single machine gun remained standard.Operational History
The type 17 reached the French front in March 1916, and quickly began to replace the Nieuport 11 in French service. It was also ordered by the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service, as it was superior to any British fighter at that time. Worthy of note is the fact that during part of 1916, the Nieuport 17 equipped every fighter squadron of the Aéronautique Militaire. The Germans supplied captured examples to several of their aircraft manufacturers for them to copy. This resulted in the Siemens-Schuckert D.I which, apart from the engine installation, was a close copy and actually went into production, although in the event it was not used operationally on the Western Front.
By early 1917, the Nieuport was outclassed in most respects by the latest German fighters. Newer models (the Nieuport 24 and the 27) were brought out in an attempt to retain the type's ascendency. However, the SPAD S.VII had already replaced the Nieuport fighters in many French squadrons by mid-1917. The British persisted with Nieuports a little longer, not replacing their last Nieuport 24bis until early 1918.
Many Allied air aces flew Nieuport fighters, including Canadian ace W. A. Bishop, who received a Victoria Cross while flying it, and most famously of all, Albert Ball, V.C.
Like the other Nieuport types, the 17 was used as an advanced trainer for prospective fighter pilots after its operational days were over.
Documents 
Aviator Certificate awarded to Frederick WINTERBOTHAM
Frederick was awarded this Aviator Certificate on 27 February 1917. Unfortunately, the aircraft type and location are not recorded.
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Sources - [S6413] Winterbothams in Australia and the UK, Keith and Suellen (nee Winterbotham) McPherson (Reliability: 3), 27 Mar 2011.
- [S7983] Census 1901 Margate, Kent, England RG13/823/86/21 (Evelyn G Winterbotham), (RG13/823/86/21).
- [S7984] Census 1911 Eastbourne, Sussex, England RG14/4849/37-43 (Frederick Winterbotham), (RG14/4849/37-43).
- [S6413] Winterbothams in Australia and the UK, Keith and Suellen (nee Winterbotham) McPherson (Reliability: 3), 27 Mar 2011.