Conrad Lally Captain Conrad Tolendal Lally was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories . His valorous military service was matched by his devotion to serving his home town and community in peacetime . Early life . Conrad Tolendahl Lally was the sole child born to Lucy Fedora Wells and Conrad Colthurst Whitley Lally ; he arrived in 1882 . His noble French General great - grandfather had fought the British in India . His grandfather served through three wars in China with the Royal Navy before emigrating to Canada . Young Lally was educated at private schools before matriculating at Upper Canada College . After graduation , he went into banking , opening and managing the first Imperial Bank of Canada branch in Banff in 1906 . Two years later , he moved to Wainwright , Alberta to go partners in a general store . He became active in civic affairs , becoming mayor . However , as World War I erupted , he volunteered for military service with the Royal Flying Corps . World War I . In December 1915 , Lally received orders for pilot ' s training at Reading University in England . On Christmas Day , he left his business and mayoralty for St . John ' s , Newfoundland . A ten day voyage aboard the RMS Metagama took him across the ocean . He began aviation training on 24 January 1916 , flying 13 minutes in a dual control craft . By the time he graduated on 24 June 1916 , he had garnered 22 hours 4 minutes flight time in his log . Circa 26 June 1916 , Lally was appointed a Flying Officer with the rank of second lieutenant . Because of his natural talent , he was posted to 24 Flying Training Squadron as an instructor . During the next eight months , he would accumulate 329 hours of flight time . On 25 April 1917 , he was posted as a pilot to 25 Squadron , which was equipped with two - seater Royal Aircraft Factory FE . 2 bombers . On 7 June 1917 , with Lieutenant L . F . Williams manning the observer ' s guns , the two of them drove down a German Albatros D . III fighter out of control and destroyed another west of Lille . The squadron then upgraded to Airco DH . 4 bombers . On 5 August 1917 , with Basil Blackett at the observer ' s guns , Lally used his new machine to destroy an Albatros D . V over Perenchies . On 3 September 1917 , the new team drove an Albatros D . V down over Quesnoy in mid - morning and another one over Douai in the evening . The following day , 4 September 1917 , the new ace was appointed a Flight Commander with its accompanying promotion to temporary captain . His aerial victories , however , were secondary to his main duties of bombarding the enemy and taking aerial photographs of his dispositions . These were the milieu of the valorous deeds that earned him both awards of the Military Cross . His first award , the Military Cross , came on 29 November 1917 , when he was invested in London , though it would not be gazetted until 18 January 1918 . It would be followed up in July 1918 with a Bar in lieu of a second award . On 3 September 1918 , Lally crashed into a tree and put himself into hospital for two months with a thrice - fractured jaw and smashed face . He returned to flying on 4 November 1918 , one week before the Armistice . Post World War I . On 12 December 1919 , Lally was granted a short service commission in the Royal Air Force as aFlight Lieutenant . On 10 January 1920 , he was put on the RAF ' s unemployed list . Lally returned to Wainwright and became the postmaster in 1923 . The next year , he married Mary Beryl Rodden ; the union would produce a daughter . Lally also returned to public and community service . In the public sphere , he served a second term as mayor , presided as a police magistrate , was president of the local board of trade , and oversaw the schools as a trustee . He also captained the town ' s hockey team , master of the local Masonic lodge , and supported the Anglican Church . Honors and awards . Military Cross citation Lt . ( T . / Capt . ) Conrad T . Lally , R . F . C . , Spec . Res . For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in many bomb raids and photographic and long - distance reconnaissances , many of which he has led most successfully . He has taken part in numerous combats and has destroyed three hostile positions . When ordered to bomb a position he spent 1 1 / 2 hours looking for it , then returned for more petrol and at the second attempt dropped a bomb , on it and with another set a dump on fire , under most difficult weather conditions . Bar to the Military Cross Lt . ( T . / Capt . ) Conrad T . Lally , M . C . , R . F . C . , Spec . Res . For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty . Flying through and above the clouds , he released his bombs over his objective , well behind the enemy lines , at a height of 500 feet , under heavy fire . On two later occasions he carried out photographic reconnaissances of hostile aerodromes under very bad weather conditions , on account of which several other machines had to give up the journey . He has shown himself to be a most determined and successful leader , his example of courage and skill being of great advantage to his squadron . On 2 November 1918 , he was awarded the Air Force Cross as part of the new medal ' s inauguration . It would be actually presented to him in March 1921 by Lieutenant Governor Dr . Robert Brett .