Thomas Culling
| Thomas Grey Culling | |
|---|---|
| Born |
31 May 1896 Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Died |
8 June 1917 Warneton, France |
| Allegiance | British Empire |
| Service/branch | Royal Naval Air Service |
| Rank | Flight Sub-Lieutenant |
| Unit | No. 1 Squadron RNAS |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross |
Flight Sub-Lieutenant Thomas Grey Culling was New Zealand's first World War I flying ace, and was credited with six aerial victories.[1]
Culling was assigned to fly Sopwith Triplane No. N5444 with 1 Naval Squadron after joining the Royal Naval Air Service in 1916. He began to score victories in Bloody April 1917, with his first three coming that month.[2] The third one was significant; it was part of one of the war's epic dogfights. On 23 April, Culling was the wingman of the great Australian ace, "Stan" Dallas. The two ANZAC pilots took on a formation of fourteen German planes; using impeccable air tactics suiting the Triplane's technological advantages, the two Naval aces thwarted the pending air offensive in a 45-minute debacle for the Germans that resulted in three losses.[3]
Culling went to three more wins in May. He was killed in action by a German naval flier on 8 June 1917.[4]
References
- Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920. Christopher F. Shores, Norman L. R. Franks, Russell Guest. Grub Street, 1990. ISBN 0-948817-19-4, ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.
- Australian Hawk Over the Western Front: A Biography of Major R S Dallas DSO, DSC, C de G Avec Palme. Adrian Hellwig. Grub Street, 2005. ISBN 1-904943-34-9, ISBN 978-1-904943-34-1.
Sources of information
- ↑ http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/nzealand/culling.php Retrieved 13 February 2010.
- ↑ Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920. p. 128.
- ↑ Australian Hawk Over the Western Front: A Biography of Major R S Dallas DSO, DSC, C de G Avec Palme. pp. 94–101.
- ↑ Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920. p. 128.