Andrew Cowper Andrew King Cowper MC & Two Bars ( 16 November 1898 – 25 June 1980 ) was an Australian fighter pilot and flying ace of the First World War . Born in Bingara , New South Wales , he was educated in the United Kingdom at Eastbourne College . Joining the Royal Flying Corps in May 1917 , he was posted to No . 24 Squadron RFC in France and was credited with shooting down nineteen German aircraft between November 1917 and March 1918 . Cowper was awarded the Military Cross and two Bars during the war for his efforts in destroying German aircraft , in addition to carrying out ground - attacks . He was posted to the Home Establishment in April 1918 , serving out the remainder of the war in the United Kingdom ; he was discharged in 1920 . Returning to Australia , he established his own horticultural business . He served in the Royal Australian Air Force in the Second World War , and died on 25 June 1980 aged eighty - one . Early life . Andrew Cowper was born in Bingara , New South Wales , on 16 November 1898 , the fifth child of Henry Percival Cowper , a surveyor , and his Channel Islander wife Amy Fraser ( née Farquhar ) . Cowper was a descendant of poet William Cowper and colonial administrator Philip Gidley King . He was educated in England at Eastbourne College in Sussex , graduating in 1916 . First World War . On the completion of his secondary studies in 1916 , Cowper enlisted in the Royal Sussex Regiment for service in the First World War . On 10 May 1917 , he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and was selected for flight training as a temporary second lieutenant . Gaining his wings , Cowper was posted to No . 24 Squadron RFC in France during August , piloting Airco DH . 5 s . The squadron operated over the Dunkirk and Amiens sectors , with Cowper working against German aerial and ground forces in the area . Cowper claimed his first aerial victories in November 1917 , shooting down two German Albatros D . III s . The following month , No . 24 Squadron was re - equipped with S . E . 5a s . Cowper achieved flying ace status on the new aircraft , being credited with his fifth victory on 19 February 1918 . Seven days later , he led a formation of six aircraft out on a patrol . While airborne , the group intercepted a party of four German triplanes . Closing in for an attack , Cowper managed to destroy one of the machines , while the remaining three were shot down by the other men in his patrol . Heading back to base , Cowper spotted a Pfalz D . III scout and " shepherding it by the most skilful piloting west of the lines " forced the aircraft to land , undamaged , at a British aerodrome . Thus during the period of 18 February to 6 March , he had been credited with shooting down six hostile aircraft , bringing his tally to nine . For his " conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty " coupled with displaying the " greatest courage and determination " in the destruction of these aircraft , Cowper was awarded the Military Cross . The announcement and accompanying citation for the decoration was announced in a supplement to the " London Gazette " on 22 April 1918 . Throughout the remainder of March 1918 , Cowper was credited with shooting down a further ten German aircraft , either destroying the machines in aerial combat or forcing them down as out of control . These proved to be Cowper ' s final victories of the war , bringing his ultimate score to nineteen aircraft shot down and making him No . 24 Squadron ' s fourth highest scoring ace . Cited for his " gallantry and skill . . . of the highest order " in bringing these aircraft down , Cowper was awarded a Bar to his Military Cross . On 24 March , he was made a flight commander within No . 24 Squadron and promoted to temporary captain . In addition to working against German airborne elements , Cowper carried out twenty ground - attack sorties between 21 March and 1 April 1918 . On one particular day during this period , he executed four separate attacks on entrenched German infantry and transport . In the first raid , Cowper bombed a unit of troops in their trench , causing " great havoc and confusion " despite being subject to heavy gunfire himself and consequently forced the men to abandon their trench . After returning to his aerodrome for further bombs and ammunition , he set off a second time and successfully assaulted troops and transport forces , before carrying out two further raids that day . Cowper was awarded a second Bar to his Military Cross for his " magnificent dash and determination " in his attacks on land forces . The awards of both Bars were promogulated in a supplement to the " London Gazette " on 22 June 1918 , along with the full citations for the decorations . In April 1918 , Cowper returned to the United Kingdom for duties with the Home Establishment . Transferring to the newly established Royal Air Force later that month , he spent the remainder or the war in England . The following year , he was posted to No . 79 Squadron RAF and served with the unit as part of the British occupation of Germany . He was later posted to India , before retiring from the Royal Air Force on 13 February 1920 . Post - military career and later life . Cowper returned to Australia on his retirement from the Royal Air Force , working on his parent ' s sheep farming property near Coonamble , New South Wales . At the district registrar ' s office , Randwick , Cowper wed Miriam Goldberg on 28 April 1924 ; the couple later had sons Leon and Henry . Moving to Sydney , Cowper became proprietor of a seed and plant merchant company , Henderson & Co . , while Miriam established a florist store . As their business ventures expanded , the couple purchased a gladioli - farm at Mona Vale . On the outbreak of the Second World War , Cowper enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force on 23 February 1942 . He served as an officer in the Administrative and Special Duties Branch , rising to the rank of squadron leader . He was discharged from service on 2 March 1945 , his final posting being to RAAF Base Rathmines ; his son Leon had also served as a warrant officer in the Royal Australian Air Force during the war . An accomplished and passionate horticulturalist , Cowper cultured a " fine garden " at his home in Bellevue Hill . A member of the Australian Jockey Club and Sydney Turf Club , Cowper died at the Prince of Wales Hospital , Randwick , on 25 June 1980 . Predeceased by his wife and children by some years , he was cremated .