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Auction: 23002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 149

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

Royal Air Force Combat Report, signed and dated for 4th June 1918, flying S.E.5a C/6490 in search of Albatross Scouts Time:- 11-28am Locality:- half-way between Nieuport & Ostend & 3 miles out to sea, at a height of 14,000ft.

'Seeing a formation of 8 E.A. out to sea, I flew towards them from the East & diving, attacked a straggler, after 10 rounds from each gun, he burst into flames and fell burning brightly. I zoomed away and escaped.'

Time:- 11-37am Locality:- Leffinghe, at a height of 15,000 feet.
'I attacked another straggler of the same formation. Diving from the East on them and zooming away, fired 30 rounds from each gun at 75 yards range. E.A. which was a silver Albatross, fell completely out of control and passed through clouds 8,000 feet below still out of control.', some wear, very fine

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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Sold for
£1,300

Starting price
£500