Arthur Britton

Arthur Frederick Britton
Born (1888-10-02)2 October 1888
Balham, London, England
Died 19 February 1919(1919-02-19) (aged 30)
Balham, London, England
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Royal Air Force
Rank Lieutenant
Unit Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry)
Machine Gun Corps
No. 57 Squadron RFC
Battles/wars World War I
Awards Military Cross
Croix de Guerre (France)

Lieutenant Arthur Frederick Britton MC (2 October 1888 – 19 February 1919) was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.[1]

Biography

Britton was born in Balham, London, the son of Frederick and Ellen Britton.[1] He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry) regiment on 27 November 1915, [2] and on 13 March 1916 he was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps.[3]

He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 June 1917,[4] and was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. Posted to No. 57 Squadron, flying the Airco DH.4, as an observer/gunner, he gained his first victories on 3 July 1917 with pilot Captain Laurence Minot, shooting down two Albatros D.IIIs over Zonnebeke. On 7 July, with pilot Lieutenant A. D. Pryor, he shot down another D.III north-east of Ypres, before his transfer to the Royal Flying Corps was officially gazetted on 12 July.[5] Finally, on 27 July, with Minot again, he shot down three Albatros D.Vs over Houthulst.[1] On 20 August 1917 he was seriously wounded and had his left leg amputated.[6]

On 1 January 1918 he was awarded the Military Cross,[7] and on 18 April 1918 he received permission to wear the Croix de Guerre awarded to him by the French government.[8]

Britton relinquished his commission on account of ill-health caused by his wounds on 28 September 1918.[9] He died from influenza on 19 February 1919.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Arthur Frederick Britton". The Aerodrome. 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  2. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29382. p. 11879. 26 November 1915.
  3. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29702. p. 7899. 8 August 1916.
  4. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30129. p. 5855. 12 June 1917.
  5. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30210. p. 7774. 27 July 1917.
  6. ↑ "Lady Carnarvon's Hospital for Officers, London". Great War Forum. October 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  7. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30450. p. 32. 28 December 1917.
  8. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30638. p. 4716. 16 April 1918.
  9. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 30923. p. 11457. 27 September 1918.


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