VALLANCE

Group of Friends Left to Right: Miriam Rinehart, Howard Rinehart, Arch Freeman, Vallance From a handwritten legend on the back of the photo Photo taken before 1921 Collection of Rob Grant, 3-1-08

 

MYSTERY AVIATOR via email from Rob Grant, 3-1-08      My sister in Hawaii was going through some boxes of family photos from my late mother's estate and she has found some more Howard Rinehart items that were evidently passed on to my grandmother Sarah Margaret Skelly when her older sister Miriam (Howard Rinehart's ex-wife) died in the sixties. Here are a few of the photos and clippings that have turned up...      Any idea who the bloke referred to as " Vallance?" in my great aunt's photo might be? He seems to be wearing a military uniform similar to those worn by early WW1 fighter pilots. Editor's Note: I suspect that "Vallance" is wearing a uniform of the RAF, but I can't confirm that. I tried to identify him by the use of various combinations of search terms, to no avail. If you can help us to make the identification, please contact me.

 

POSSIBLE IDENTIFICATION - 1 via email from Rob Grant, 3-1-08 John Edwards just sent me a possible identity to "Vallance." Here's his reply: "The unknown airman with Howard and Arch I believe to be Captain Henry Vallance, a Scottish Air Ambulance pilot (but I'm not absolutely sure). What is certain is that he is wearing an RAF uniform and that he is not one of Howard's student Canadian pilots (I have that roster)."

 

POSSIBLE IDENTIFICATION - 2 via email from Rob Grant, 3--08 Ralph, Here's a facial comparison. The bloke on the left is the "Vallance" from my family photo. The man on the right is the Scotsman (pilot) Henry Vallance.

Big problem with these two photos being the same bloke... Henry Vallance (right) was born in 1915... http://www.orcadian.co.uk/features/articles/henryvallance1.htm The photo of the three flyers with my aunt would have to be taken before 1921 as Miriam and Howard Rinehart divorced in 1921. The Scottish flyer Henry Vallance would have been far too young at that time to have taken control of an aircraft. Still searching... Rob.

 

"Vallance" has not been identified as yet, therefore I have no information as to the dates of his birth or of his death.   Editor's Note: If you have any more information on this Early Bird, please contact me. E-mail to Ralph Cooper   Back