Bishop, William Avery

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: See full biography at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Bishop
Wiki profile notes:
- Air Marshal William Avery Bishop, VC, CB, DSO & Bar, MC, DFC, ED (8 February 1894 – 11 September 1956) was a Canadian flying ace of the First World War. He was officially credited with 72 victories, making him the top Canadian and British Empire ace of the war, and also received a Victoria Cross. During the Second World War, Bishop was instrumental in setting up and promoting the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan.
- William Avery Bishop (commonly called Billy Bishop to distinguish him from his father) was born in Owen Sound, Ontario, on 8 February 1894, blond, blue-eyed, and weighing 11 pounds. He was the third of four children born to William Avery Bishop Sr. and Margaret Louisa (Green) Bishop. William Avery Bishop Sr. was a lawyer and graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, Ontario. He was the Registrar of Grey Countyand was appointed to the post after backing the winning Liberal Party candidate in the national elections of 1896. He was consequential enough to be invited to a dinner for British dignitaries hosted by Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier.
- Bishop returned to England in September 1916, and, with the influence of St Helier, was accepted for training as a pilot at the Central Flying School at Upavon on Salisbury Plain. His first solo flight was in a Maurice Farman “Shorthorn”.
- In November 1916 after receiving his wings, Bishop was attached to No. 37 Squadron RFC at RFC Stow Maries, Essex, flying the BE.2c. He was officially appointed to flying officer duties on 8 December 1916.Bishop disliked flying at night over London, searching for German airships, and he soon requested a transfer to France.
- Bishop’s no-holds-barred style of flying always had him “at the front of the pack,” leading his pilots into battle over hostile territory. Bishop soon realized that this could eventually see him shot down; after one patrol, a mechanic counted 210 bullet holes in his aircraft. His new method of using the surprise attack proved successful; he claimed 12 aircraft in April alone, winning the Military Cross for his participation in the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The successes of Bishop and his blue-nosed aircraft were noticed by the Germans, and they began referring to him as “Hell’s Handmaiden”. Ernst Udet called him “the greatest English scouting ace” and one Jasta had a bounty on his head.
- By the end of the war, he had claimed some 72 air victories, including two balloons, 52 and two shared “destroyed” with 16 “out of control”. However, two official historians for the Royal Canadian Air Force, Hugh Halliday and Brereton Greenhous argue the real number was far lower, the latter putting this as low as 27.
Second Great Grandson of Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory –https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=5207
Find a GRAVE: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/10460/william-avery-bishop