Harold Mellings Captain Harold Thomas Mellings was a World War I flying ace credited with 15 aerial victories . Early life and career . Mellings earned Aviator ' s Certificate No . 2028 at the Beatty Flying School in Hendon on a Caudron biplane on 11 November 1915 . Service on the Aegean Front . Mellings began his career as a fighter ace on 30 September 1916 , when he flew a Bristol Scout to victory over an LVG near Smyrna . He sent the observation plane spinning down out of control . It would be exactly a year until victory number two . This second action was a clash between polyglot forces . Mellings was flying a recently rebuilt Sopwith Triplane equipped with an extra gun , and was accompanied by John Alcock in a Sopwith Camel and a third pilot in a Sopwith Pup . The opposing Germans were a two - seater observation plane escorted by two Albatros W4 s . The ensuing dogfight resulted in Melling shooting away the upper left wing of Walter Kreuger ' s W4 ; Kreuger crashed into the Aegean sea . In November , Mellings destroyed enemy planes on the 19th , 25th , and 29th , becoming an ace while still flying Sopwith Triplane No . N5431 . Soon afterwards , he was transferred out of No . 2 Wing to No . 10 Naval Squadron on the Western Front in France . Service on the Western Front . Mellings ' s new assignment put him in the cockpit of a Sopwith Camel . He used it to score his sixth triumph on 28 February 1918 . He tallied four more wins in March , including a double victory on 24 March , to become a double ace . After one more win , on 9 April , he was wounded in action on the 15th . He would not score again until 9 July 1918 . He then notched two victories each on 20 and 24 July . Later in the day of the 24th , he was killed in action by Ludwig Beckmann . Mellings ' s final tally was ten enemy aeroplanes confirmed destroyed , five driven down out of control , and two unconfirmed victories . Honors and awards . Distinguished Service Cross ( DSC ) Flt . Sub - Lieut . Harold Thomas Mellings , R . N . A . S . In recognition of his services on 19 March 1917 , when he attacked a hostile aeroplane with great gallantry at heights varying from 12 , 000 to 2 , 000 feet . Bar to the Distinguished Service Cross ( DSC ) in lieu of a second award Fit . Lieut . Harold Thomas Mellings , D . S : C . , R . N . A . S . For the great skill , judgment and dash displayed by him off Mudros on 30 September 1917 , in a successful attack on three enemy seaplanes , two of which were brought down in the sea . Distinguished Flying Cross ( DFC ) Lieut . ( Hon . Capt . ) Harold Thomas Mellings , D . S . C . ( Sea Patrol ) . A very gallant officer who , on a recent patrol , attacked and caused to crash an enemy two - seater . Later , on the same patrol , he was attacked by four Fokkers , one of which he shot down at a range of ten yards ; this machine was seen to crash . A second was driven down smoking . Since he was awarded a Bar to the Distinguished Service Cross Captain Mellings has , in addition to the above , accounted for eleven enemy machines — seven destroyed , and four driven down out of control . The Hellenic Royal Order of the Redeemer awarded on 21 September 1916 . References . " Sopwith Camel Aces of World War 1 . " Norman Franks . Osprey Publishing , 2003 . ISBN 1 - 84176 - 534 - 1 , ISBN 978 - 1 - 84176 - 534 - 1 .