Flt Sgt John Rye was born in Liverpool on 28.01.1887 and from 1903 served in the navy first as a boy cadet. On 11.04.1916 he transferred to the RNAS. His RAF service record indicates that from 01.04.1918 to 21.03.1920 he had worked at Pulham, Howden and for longer periods at the Royal Airship Works at Cardington, Bedford. His time at Cardington indicates that he was probably involved in some way with the construction/tests on the R38 as it was being built there.
