William Gordon Claxton William Gordon Claxton DSO , DFC & Bar ( June 1 , 1899 – September 28 , 1967 ) was a Canadian World War I flying ace credited with 37 victories . He became the leading ace in his squadron . Background . Born on June 1 , 1899 in Gladstone , Manitoba , Claxton enlisted with the Royal Flying Corps ( RFC ) in Canada upon his eighteenth birthday in 1917 . After pilot ' s training at Camp Borden , he was assigned to No . 41 Squadron in France the following March flying S . E . 5a aircraft . Claxton arrived on the Western Front late in the war but he had a run of victories that saw him emerge from the war as his squadron ' s most successful airman . He claimed 37 air victories in 79 days during the War ' s final year . This meteoric career was marked by several multiple victory days . His calmness under fire earned him the nickname " Dozy " . It also led him into situations where his planes experienced battle damage . In June 1918 alone , he would crash - land once and bring home shotup planes twice . Career as a fighter pilot . Claxton opened his tally of ' kills ' on May 27 , 1918 in the skies above East Estaires , downing a German Fokker Dr . I aircraft . The following day he brought down two Pfalz D . III aircraft . Between June 12 and June 30 , Claxton successfully downed 17 German aircraft plus an observation balloon . Thirteen of these planes fell in a four day stretch , from June 27 through June 30 . On June 30 , alone he brought down six enemy aircraft . On that incredible day , he flamed a Pfalz D . II , destroyed two Albatros D . V s , and drove another Pfalz D . III down out of control — all before lunch . In the afternoon , he destroyed yet another Pfalz D . III and shot a DFW C model down in flames . No World War I ace would do better in a single day . By the end of July , he had increased his total to 27 . On August 3 , 1918 , Claxton was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and appointed flight commander . By that time , his victory list had grown to 30 . On August 17 , 1918 , Claxton was shot down by Leutnant Johannes Gildemeister during an encounter with Jasta 20 in which he and fellow pilot Frederick McCall were outnumbered 20 - to - 1 ; by this time he had amassed 37 air successes . In this dogfight , he brought down three enemy planes before being hit . Claxton crash - landed behind enemy lines with a serious head wound and was only saved by prompt attendance of a German doctor , who performed cranial surgery . Claxton ' s final score was two observation balloons destroyed , 16 aircraft driven down out of control , and 19 aircraft destroyed . Two of the planes he destroyed were shared victories with 41 Squadron ' s second ranking ace , Frederick McCall . Post war . He remained a prisoner of war until the armistice . Claxton was repatriated on December 1 , 1918 . Returning to his homeland Claxton , who had received a Bar to his DFC and the Distinguished Service Order ( DSO ) took up a career as a financial journalist . He died in Toronto on September 28 , 1967 , aged 68 . He was cremated . Text of citations . Distinguished Flying Cross . " Lt . William Gordon Claxton . This officer at all times shows fine courage and disregard of danger . He has accounted for six enemy aeroplanes and one kite balloon , three of the aeroplanes being destroyed and three driven down out of control . On a recent occasion , having destroyed a hostile balloon , he pursued an enemy scout ten miles and eventually drove it down ; he was then attacked by five enemy triplanes and other scouts , but managed to return to our lines , though his machine was riddled with bullets . " Distinguished Flying Cross - Bar . " Lieut . William Gordon Claxton , D . F . C . This officer is conspicuous for his courage in attack . Recently in one day he destroyed six enemy aeroplanes — four in the morning and two in the evening . In thirteen days he accounted for fourteen machines . His utter disregard of danger inspires all who serve with him . " Distinguished Service Order . " Lieut . William Gordon Claxton , D . F . C . Between 4 July and 12 August this officer destroyed ten enemy aeroplanes and one kite balloon , making in all thirty machines and one " kite balloon to his credit . Untiring in attack in the air or on the ground , this officer has rendered brilliant service . "