William
Bishop
Name: William "Billy"
Avery Bishop
Country: Canada
Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Service: Royal Flying Corps
Units: 21, 60, 85
Victories: 72
Date Of Birth: February 8, 1894
Place of Birth: Owen Sound, Ontario
Date Of Death: September 11, 1956
Place of Death: Palm Beach, Florida
Buried: Owen Sound, Ontario
Bishop attended the Royal Military College before joining the
8th Canadian Mounted Rifles at the beginning of the war. After
serving overseas with the Canadian Expeditionary Force, he
transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in December 1915 and
received his pilot's certificate in 1917. Flying the Nieuport 17
and S.E.5a, "The Lone Hawk" was considered by some to be a
mediocre pilot, but his extraordinary eyesight and consistent
practice earned him a reputation as a crack shot.
As the commanding officer of the "Flying Foxes," he was awarded
the Distinguished Flying Cross after scoring 25 victories in just
twelve days. On the morning of June 2, 1917, his single-handed
attack against a German aerodrome on the Arras front earned him
the Victoria Cross, making Bishop the first Canadian flyer to
receive this honor.
Before the war ended, he wrote "Winged Warfare," an
autobiographical account of his exploits in the air over France.
Because Bishop flew many of his patrols alone, most of his
victories were never witnessed. After years of controversy, a
television broadcast entitled "The Kid Who Couldn't Miss" led to
an inquiry by the Canadian government in 1985. In conclusion, the
Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and
Technology discredited the film, finding it to be an unfair and
inaccurate portrayal of Bishop.
Victoria Cross (VC)
"For most conspicuous bravery, determination, and skill. Captain
Bishop, who had been sent out to work independently, flew first of
all to an enemy aerodrome; finding no machines about, he flew on
to another aerodrome about 3 miles southeast, which was at least
12 miles the other side of the line. Seven machines, some with
their engines running, were on the ground. He attacked these from
about fifty feet, and a mechanic, who was starting one of the
engines, was seen to fall. One of the machines got off the ground,
but at a height of 60 feet, Captain Bishop fired 15 rounds into it
at very close range, and it crashed to the ground. A second
machine got off the ground, into which he fired 30 rounds at 150
yards range, and it fell into a tree. Two more machines then rose
from the aerodrome. One of these he engaged at a height of 1,000
feet, emptying the rest of his drum of ammunition. This machine
crashed 300 yards from the aerodrome, after which Captain Bishop
emptied a whole drum into the fourth hostile machine, and then
flew back to his station. Four hostile scouts were about 1,000
feet above him for about a mile of his return journey, but they
would not attack. His machine was very badly shot about by machine
gun fire from the ground." VC citation, London Gazette, August 11,
1917
Military Cross (MC)
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He attacked a
hostile balloon on the ground, dispersed the crew and destroyed
the balloon, and also drove down a hostile machine which attacked
him. He has on several other occasions brought down hostile
machines." MC citation, London Gazette, May 26, 1917
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. While in a
single-seater, he attacked three hostile machines, two of which he
brought down, although in the meantime he was himself attacked by
four other hostile machines. His courage and determination have
set a fine example to others." DSO citation, London Gazette, June
18, 1917 |