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Auction: 24001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 344

A Great War Combat Report of Major W. A. 'Billy' Bishop, V.C., D.S.O., M.C., Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force Combat Report, signed and dated for 30th May 1918, flying S.E.5a C/6490 in search of 2 Albatrosses Time:- 7-53 p.m. Locality:- Armentieres.

I attacked the top one of 2 Albatross, after slight manuoevring I opened fire while on a turn, firing 20 rounds E.A. fell and crashed 1/2 mile N.W. of Armentieres, I then fired on 2nd E.A., and fired 30 rounds from 200 yards range at him, E.A. went into a spin which I think was controlled.

W. A. Bishop was given command of No. 85 Squadron, the "Flying Foxes" in April 1918. As this was a newly formed squadron Bishop was given the freedom to choose many of the pilots. The squadron was equipped with S.E.5a scout planes and left for Petit Synthe, France, on 22 May 1918. sfter familiarizing himself with the area and the opposition, Bishop took a solo flight to the Front on 27 May. He downed a German observation plane in his first combat since August 1917, and followed with two more the next day. From 30 May to 1 June, Bishop downed six more aircraft, including German ace Paul Billik, bringing his score to 59 and reclaiming his top scoring ace title from James McCudden, who had claimed it while Bishop was in Canada, and he was now the leading Allied ace.


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Estimate
£600 to £800

Starting price
£500