Frederick Stanley Gordon, DFC (29 October 1897 – 27 July 1985) was a New Zealand flying ace of the First World War. While serving in Britain's Royal Air Force, he scored nine aerial victories as a fighter pilot.
Frederick Stanley Gordon | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | "Freddie" |
| Born | 29 October 1897 Auckland, New Zealand |
| Died | 27 July 1985 (aged 87) Cromwell, New Zealand |
| Allegiance | New Zealand |
| Service | New Zealand Expeditionary Force Royal Air Force Royal New Zealand Air Force |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | No. 74 Squadron RAF |
| Battles / wars | First World War |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross Croix de guerre (Belgium) |
Early life
editFrederick Stanley Gordon was born in New Zealand on 29 October 1897.[1]
First World War
editGordon served in the Royal Air Force. By mid-1918, he was assigned to No. 74 Squadron as a fighter pilot. He began a nine victory winning streak on 2 August 1918 that was capped with his second ballon busting mission on 30 October.[1] Gordon was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 3 June 1919,[2] and the Belgian Croix de guerre on 15 July.[3]
List of aerial victories
edit| No. | Date/time | Aircraft | Foe | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 August 1918 @ 0930 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a serial number D3438 | LVG reconnaissance plane | Captured | Dickebusch | Victory shared with George Gauld |
| 2 | 16 August 1918 @ 0830 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n D3438 | Fokker D.VII | Destroyed | Messines | |
| 3 | 16 August 1918 @ 0830 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n D3438 | Fokker D.VII | Driven down out of control | Messines | |
| 4 | 16 August 1918 @ 1250 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n D3438 | Rumpler reconnaissance plane | Destroyed | East of Kemmel Hill | Victory shared with Harold Goodman Shoemaker |
| 5 | 22 August 1918 @ 0550 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n D3438 | LVG reconnaissance plane | Driven down out of control | Estaires | |
| 6 | 4 September 1918 @ 0805 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n E1978 | Observation balloon | Destroyed | South of Roulers | |
| 7 | 28 October 1918 @ 1445 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a | Fokker D.VII | Destroyed | Northwest of Wortegem | Victory shared with Andrew Kiddie Gordon and another pilot |
| 8 | 28 October 1918 @ 1450 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a | Fokker D.VII | Driven down out of control | Wortegem | |
| 9 | 30 October 1918 @ 0830 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a | Observation balloon | Destroyed | Quaremont | [1][4] |
Post-war
editEndnotes
edit- ^ a b c d "Frederick Stanley Gordon". Theaerodrome.com. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
- ^ "SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 3 JUNE, 1919". London-gazette.co.uk. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
- ^ "SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 15 JULY, 1919". London-gazette.co.uk. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
- ^ a b Shores et al, p. 172.
References
edit- Shores, Christopher F.; Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell F. (1990). Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.
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