| After serving with the 1st Canadian Signal Corps, he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in 1917. In August of that year, he was posted to 84 Squadron as an S.E.5a pilot. He scored nine victories before he was returned to the Home Establishment on 08/04/1918. (He was demobilized.) He was awarded the Military Cross "For conspicuous gallantly and devotion to duty. Whilst bombing an enemy aerodrome his squadron was attacked by a formation of forty enemy scouts. He engaged one of these with the result that it dived straight to the ground. He was then attacked by another machine, and by skilful piloting he succeeded in firing at close range behind its tail, with the result that it fell on its back and went down out of control. Later, whilst leading a low-flying attack on enemy troops he dropped four bombs from a very low altitude, scattering the enemy in all directions, and then at a height of 300 feet engaged them with machine gun fire. Shortly afterwards he attacked two enemy two-seater planes, crashing them both to earth. In addition to these he has shot down out of control four other hostile machines, and has displayed throughout the recent operations marked gallantry and skill." |
