Frederick C. Armstrong
| Frederick Carr Armstrong | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Army |
| Born |
13 June 1895 Toronto, Ontario |
| Died |
25 March 1918 (aged 22) South of Ervillers |
| Buried at | Arras Flying Services Memorial |
| Allegiance | George V[1] |
| Service/branch | Royal Naval Air Service |
| Rank | Flight Commander |
| Unit | No. 3 Wing RNAS, No. 3 Squadron RNAS, |
| Commands held | C Flight, No. 3 Squadron RNAS |
| Awards | |
Flight Commander Frederick Carr Armstrong DSC (13 June 1895 –25 March 1918) was a Canadian First World War flying ace, officially credited with 13 victories.
Early life and service
Armstrong was a tall blonde man.[2]
Aerial service
After joining the Royal Naval Air Service in 1915, Armstrong was posted to 3 Wing RNAS. He then transferred to 3 Naval Squadron at Dunkirk in February 1917, flying the Sopwith Pup.[2] He scored his first victory on 6 April 1917, using Sopwith Pup serial no. N6178. Using this same plane, on 12 April, he shared his second victory with fellow ace Edmund Pierce. His third win was shared with Pierce and Arthur Whealy on 2 May, when they set an Albatros reconnaissance plane ablaze. A fourth victory, four days later, an Albatros D.III sent down out of control over Bourlon Wood, was shared with Kerby. On 7 July, a splashed German seaplane six miles north of Ostend was worth a win apiece for Armstrong, Joseph Stewart Temple Fall, James Alpheus Glen, and Leonard Henry Rochford, and Armstrong was an ace.[2][3]
He later switched to the Sopwith Camel. Thus mounted, he scored two single-handed wins on 16 September 1917. His scoring then lapsed for the Winter.[2][3]
He resumed his victories on 24 January 1918. He went on to score five times in March 1918; the last win, on 24 March, seems to have been a squadron affair, with Armstrong, Pierce, Whealy, Edwin Hayne, Frederick Britnell, and three other pilots all being credited with a victory for driving an Albatros D.V down out of control.[2][3]
Death in action
Armstrong was shot down in flames south of Ervillers on 25 March 1918 while he was on Special Patrol.[2][3]
Text of citations
Act. Flt. Cdr. Fred Carr Armstrong, R.N.A.S. In recognition of his services with a Wing of the R.N.A.S. at Dunkirk between February and September, 1917. He has destroyed several hostile machines, and has led his flight with very great skill and gallantry.[4]
References
- Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920 Christopher F. Shores, Norman L. R. Franks, Russell Guest. Grub Street, 1990. ISBN 0-948817-19-4, ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.
Notes
- ↑ Canadian airmen were required to complete an Attestation Paper in which they declared an oath of allegiance to King George the Fifth and agreed to serve in any arm of the service for the duration of the war between Great Britain and Germany. aerodrome.com
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920. p. 52.
- 1 2 3 4 http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/canada/armstrong2.php
- ↑ (Supplement to the London Gazette, 30 November 1917) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/30408/supplements/12548 Retrieved on 15 June 2010.
Websites
"WWI Aces of Canada". www.theaerodrome.com. Retrieved 14 June 2008.
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