First World War.com - Who's Who - Arthur Roy Brown What's New Who's Who - Arthur Roy Brown Arthur Roy Brown (1893-1944) achieved lasting fame during the First World War for being credited as the air ace who finally brought the 'Red Baron' - Manfred von Richthofen - to earth. Sponsored Links Born on 23 December 1893 in Carleton Place, Ontario the son of a flour mill and power company owner, Brown was one of five children. Following a high school education Brown studied at business school in order to take his place running the family businesses. This was followed by a course at Victoria High School in Edmonton from 1913-15 so as to gain his high school matriculation. A somewhat shy but intelligent man Brown enlisted in 1915 as an Officer Cadet at the Army Officers' Training Corps. Even at this early stage Brown was fascinated by the aerial war; it was a more attractive draw than trench warfare . Although Brown expressed interest in joining the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) his father, concerned at the high casualty rate for RFC pilots, declined Brown's request for elementary flying school lessons.

Service with the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was deemed a potentially safer avenue, since these airmen were less likely to routinely undertake combat missions, instead flying coastal patrols for much of the time. Consequently Brown, along with three friends, applied to join the RNAS upon the former completing his schooling at Edmonton. Finding that they needed Aero certificates before they could join the RNAS they embarked upon flying lessons conducted at the Wright Brothers school in Dayton, Ohio (the Toronto flying school being full). On 13 November 1915 Brown emerged from training with his pilot's certificate after just six hours air time. Joining the RNAS in Ottawa along with his friends he was appointed Temporary Probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant. Brown set sail for England on 22 November 1915 and upon his arrival Brown underwent further training at Chingford. On 2 May 1916 Brown crashed his AVRO 504 aircraft, initially emerging apparently unscathed. It was only on the following morning that he experienced severe back pain; upon investigation it was revealed that he had broken one of his vertebrae. In consequence Brown spent the next two months recuperating in hospital.

In September 1916 Brown, by now recovered, was posted to Eastchurch Gunnery School and was sent for advanced training at Cranwell some four months later. In March 1917 Brown was given a posting to No. 9 Naval Squadron and given a Sopwith Pup with which he was tasked with Belgian coastal patrols. The squadron's chief task was the defence of the North Sea fleet and in driving off German seaplanes as well occasional bombing raids. However in April 1917 part of the Squadron - B Flight, which included Brown - was attached to the RFC to assist during the Battle of Arras. In the event Brown was taken ill until June, missing what the RFC came to call "Bloody April", when the new German aircraft, the Albatross DIII, wreaked havoc among Allied aircraft. Once recovered from his illness Brown was posted to No. 11 Naval Squadron, primarily a training squadron. His stay there was initially brief however; the following month, July 1917, brought him a posting to No. 4 Naval Squadron before he was moved back to No.

11 Naval Squadron later the same month, flying a variety of Sopwith aircraft (including Pups, Triplanes and Camels). Brown finally opened his aerial score on 17 July 1917 when, flying a Sopwith Pup on patrol, he brought down a German Albatross DIII south-east of Nieuport. Appointed Flight Lieutenant Brown brought down up to three further enemy aircraft while with No. 11 Naval Squadron; however, since these were not confirmed 'kills' they were not officially credited to Brown and did not form part of his official tally. With the disbandment of No. 11 Naval Squadron in mid-August 1917 Brown returned to No. 9 Naval Squadron, his original squadron, by now flying Sopwith Camels. All of Brown's nine remaining air successes were achieved with this aircraft. On 6 October 1917 Brown was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in recognition of his aerial success and in particular for coming to the aid of a lone Allied pilot under fire from four German Albatrosses.

Even though his own aircraft's guns had jammed he raced to the pilot's aid, forcing the German aircraft to scatter as he flew directly through them: a remarkable act of courage. Ten days following the award of his DFC Brown was promoted to Acting Flight Commander. With the amalgamation of the RFC and the RNAS into the new Royal Air Force (RAF) at the start of April 1918 Brown's Squadron was renamed 209 Squadron. He was also appointed Captain under the new structure and the squadron posted to the Somme area. As a consequence of the initial sweeping success of the German spring advance of 1918 209 Squadron occupied no fewer than six different aerodromes between 20-29 March 1918, each time being driven further back by continued German successes. Flying an increasing number of high-tension missions each day, Brown scored kills on 11 and 12 April in the Somme region. This brought his tally to nine. His tenth and final success came some nine days later on the morning of 21 April 1918: his victim was Richthofen.

In the most famous aerial battle of the war Brown's flight fought against the seemingly overwhelming might of Jasta 11 - the so-called 'Circus' led by von Richthofen. Brown was officially credited with shooting down von Richthofen's red Fokker DR.I, although controversy continues to the present day as to the real source of the credit. Australian Lewis gunners of 14th Artillery Brigade laid claim for bringing Richthofen down (among others). Click here to view present day photographs and film footage of the crash site. Rewarded for his efforts that morning Brown was given a Bar to his DFC and widely praised for claiming the scalp of the war's highest scoring fighter pilot: Richthofen had amassed 80 aerial victories. Upon viewing Richthofen's body on the following day Brown wrote that "there was a lump in my throat. If he had been my dearest friend, I could not have felt greater sorrow". He left the RAF in the aftermath of the armistice (in 1919) and returned to his homeland to work as an accountant. He also founded a small airline and worked for a while as editor of Canadian Aviation.

Attempting to re-enlist with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) with the advent of the Second World War, Brown's application was refused. He instead entered politics losing an election for the Ontario legislature in 1943. Brown died on 9 March 1944 in Stouffville, Ontario shortly after posing for a photograph with a current prominent air ace George Beurling. He was aged 50. Sponsored Links Saturday, 22 August, 2009 Michael Duffy Prevalent dysentery among Allied soldiers in Gallipoli came to be referred to as "the Gallipoli gallop". - Did you know? The Canadian Captain Arthur 'Roy' Brown is cred... - Brainly.com This Is a Certified Answer × Certified answers contain reliable, trustworthy information vouched for by a hand-picked team of experts. Brainly has millions of high quality answers, all of them carefully moderated by our most trusted community members, but certified answers are the finest of the finest. Captain Arthur Brown is famous for bringing down Manfred Von Richthofen, best known as the 'Red Baron' Hope this helps.

:) Captain Arthur Roy Brown DSC and bar | Military History Forum Captain Arthur Roy Brown DSC and bar liverpool annie New Member Intelligent but shy, Roy Brown loved to fly. After entering the Royal Naval Air Service in 1915, he was almost killed when he crashed an Avro 504 during a training flight on May 2, 1916. He recovered and was assigned to 9 Naval Squadron on the Western Front in April of 1917. Reassigned to 11 Naval Squadron, he scored his first victory on July 17, 1917, shooting down an Albatros D.III while flying a Sopwith Pup. In the fall, he rejoined 9 Naval Squadron to fly Sopwith Camels, becoming a flight commander in February of 1918. In what would become the most famous aerial combat of the war, Brown's flight encountered Jasta 11 on the morning of April 21, 1918. In the battle that followed, Brown scored his final victory of the war. Engaging a red Fokker DR.I he was officially credited with shooting down Manfred von Richthofen.

For this action, Brown received a bar to his Distinguished Service Cross. In 1919, Brown left the Royal Air Force and returned to Canada where he worked as an accountant, founded a small airline and became an editor for "Canadian Aviation" magazine. During World War II, Brown entered politics after his application to join the Royal Canadian Air Force was rejected. The year before he died, he ran for Parliament but lost the election. TORONTO, March 10. - Capt. A. Roy Brown, 50, whose victory over Baron Manfred von Richthofen earned him international fame as one of Canada's flying aces of the First Great War, died last night at his farm in nearby Stouffville. The Carleton Place, Ont., native gained ranking with Air Marshal W. A. (Billy) Bishop and Col. R. G. Barker in an almost legendary Canadian air triumvirate by shooting down the German ace in April, 1918, when von Richthofen, the Red Knight of Germany, had 80 air victories to his credit. Capt.

Brown had been in ill health for some time but was well enough to contest unsuccessfully Toronto Woodbine riding as a Liberal in the provincial election last Aug. 4. Educated in Toronto, Edmonton and at Willis College in Ottawa, Capt. Brown sought unsuccessfully to enlist in the Royal Flying Corps and later joined the Royal Naval Air Service. He was injured in an air accident shortly after reaching England and did not arrive in France until late in 1915. He trained at Dayton, O., on the first field built by the Wright brothers. After the war he worked for an aircraft finishing firm. He resigned in 1934 to organize General Airways, operating out of Noranda, Que., and Halleybury, Ont. He retired a few years ago because of ill health. He was an outstanding basketball and hockey player in his youth at Edmonton. Survivors include his widow, the former Edith Monypenny; two daughters, Margaret and Barbara, both assistant section officers in the Women's Division of the R.C.A.F.; and one son, Donald. Capt. Brown received the D.S.O. and D.F.C. with bar for his First Great War exploits. EDMONTON March 10 - Capt. W. R.

"Wop" May of Edmonton, alive today because of the accuracy of Roy Brown's fire in the First Great War, today paid tribute to Capt. Brown who died last night at Stouffville, Ont. "I am very sorry," Capt. May said, "to learn of Roy Brown's death. Roy was a grand chap and a marvelous fighter. His passing brings back vivid memories of that day when Roy was instrumental in saving my life on my first trip over the enemy lines." Capt. Brown had enlisted in Edmonton and attended Victoria high school here with Capt. May. OTTAWA March 10 - Air Marshal W. A. (Billy) Bishop, director of recruiting for the R.C.A.F., paid tribute today to the late Capt. Roy Brown, his comrade-in-arms in air battles in the First Great War, as a "great fighter pilot" whose death last night was a "great loss to Canadian aviation." Air Marshal Bishop issued the following tribute - Capt. Roy Brown was a great fighter pilot. His career as a fighter pilot in the last war is too well known to Canadians to require elaboration from me. The part he played in building bush flying was of tremendous help in opening the Canadian north. Capt.

Brown's death is a great loss to Canadian aviation. Click to expand... The Lethbridge Herald (Lethbridge, Alberta) - Friday, March 10, 1944 Combat Report "At 10:35 a.m. I observed two Albatrosses burst into flames and crash. Dived on a large formation of fifteen to twenty Albatross scouts, D.5's, and Fokker triplanes, two of which got on my tail, and I cameout. Went back again and dived on pure red triplane which was firing on Lieutenant Wilfrid May. I got a long burst into him, and he went down vertically and was observed to crash by Lieutenant Francis Mellersh and Lieutenant May. I fired on two more but did not get them." Brown's combat report, April 21, 1918 Quotes "If he had been my dearest friend, I could not have felt greater sorrow." Roy Brown, on viewing the body ofManfred von Richthofen Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) "For the excellent work he has done on active service.

On September 3, 1917, he attacked a two-seater Aviatik, in company with his flight. The enemy machine was seen to dive down vertically, the enemy observer falling over on the side of the fuselage, shot. On September 5, 1917, in company with his formation, he attacked an Albatros scout and two-seater, driving them away from our lines. One machine was observed to go down apparently out of control. On September 15, 1917, whilst on patrol, he dived on two Aviatiks and three Albatros scouts, followed by his flight. He dived several times and picked out one enemy scout, firing about 200 rounds, when the enemy machine went down out of control, spinning on its back. On September 20, 1917, whilst leading his flight, he dived on five Albatros scouts. Flight Lieutenant Brown picked out one enemy machine and opened fire. One of his guns jammed, but he carried on with the other.

The enemy machine went down out of control and over on its back and remained in that position for about twenty seconds, whilst Flight Lieutenant Brown continued firing until his other gun jammed. The enemy machine then disappeared in the clouds, still on its back. Another officer of the same patrol was later followed by four enemy machines, as he was separated from the formation. Both Flight Lieutenant Brown's guns were jammed, but he dived on the enemy machines and drove them off, thus undoubtably saving the pilot's life." DSC citation, London Gazette, November 2, 1917 Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. On April 21, 1918, while leading a patrol of six scouts he attacked a formation of twenty hostile scouts. He personally engaged two Fokker triplanes, which he drove off; then, seeing that one of our machines was being attacked and apparently hard pressed, he dived on the hostile scout, firing the while. This scout, a Fokker triplane, nose dived and crashed to the ground.

Since the award of the Distinguished Service Cross, he has destroyed several other enemy aircraft and has shown great dash and enterprise in attacking enemy troops from low altitudes despite heavy anti-aircraft fire." DSC Bar citation, London Gazette Supplement, June 21, 1918 Name - Arthur Roy Brown Adrian Roberts Active Member I'm afraid all the evidence is that von Richthofen was brought down by ground fire. I haven't got time right now to go into it, maybe tomorrow. It suited the RAF and the Canadian government to claim that it was Brown who brought him down. To Brown's credit, he didn't make a big deal about the incident after the war; fame was very much something that that the media imposed on him and there is little doubt that he was a courageous and honourable man. He suffered from ill-health all his life, hence his early death, and it has been said that neither Brown nor MvR were medically fit to fly on that day and would have been grounded in later wars.

liverpool annie New Member It is now been over 90 years since Baron Manfred von Richthofen Germany’s greatest WW1 fighter pilot was shot down and killed over the Australian lines in the Western Front in France on 21 April 1918. Captain Browna Canadian pilot in the Royal Flying Corps, flying a Sopwith Camel single seat fighter, was known to have attacked von Richthofen and he was officially credited with shooting him down, eventually receiving a bar to his DSC for the feat. Brown’s claim to have shot down von Richthofen was immediately contested by the Australians because von Richthofen had flown at a very low height directly over their lines and had been fired on by Australian anti-aircraft machine gunners, as well as by many Australian soldiers. The controversy as to who was responsible for shooting down von Richthofen has continued over the years. C E W Bean, the author of the Official History of Australia in the War of 1914 to 1918, carried out considerable research into the death and devoted an Appendix, in Volume V of the Official History, published in 1935, to describe the circumstances in detail (1).

Bean was of the opinion that Sergeant Popkin, an Australian Vickers machine gunner, was responsible for shooting down von Richthofen and that Captain Brown had not fired the fatal shot. I did find this also Adrian ..... Dolphin New Member The best book on the death of Rittm Manfred von Richthofen is The Red Baron's Last Flight by Norman Franks and Alan Bennett; ISBN 1 898697 75 2. It comes down fairly heavily towards Sgt Popkin. I suspect that for its own reasons the RAF needed to credit an airmen with bringing down its greatest enemy, so that's what happened. A couple of months ago I was treated to an address by the son of a pilot from No 3 Sqn AFC, who was a pallbearer at von Richthofen's funeral. He was just back from a trip to France and told us that it was a strange feeling to stand on the exact spot where his father stood, with a wreath, at Bertangles cemetery in April 1918. Gareth Adrian Roberts Active Member Annie I'm afraid all the evidence is that von Richthofen was brought down by ground fire.

I haven't got time right now to go into it, maybe tomorrow. Click to expand... Gareth's information and your anzacs.net link say everything that I was going to say, so I won't bother writing a long discussion. Suffice it to say that the main evidence against Brown is the forensic evidence of the path of the fatal bullet throught MvR's body; the Triplane was stripped of all its fabric by souvenir hunting troops immediately after the crash, so no evidence there. Incidentally, despite a wound which would have been fatal in under a minute, he still managed to put the aircraft down without destroying it. It turned on its nose and he received facial injuries, but the aircraft would probably have been repairable and the injuries not fatal by themselves. Corgi AA39913 - Diecast Model, The Red Baron vs.

Arthur Brown Fokker Dr.I Triplane Designed in response to the highly maneuverable Sopwith Triplane, the Fokker Dr.I was first flown in 1917 and was one of the most successful and recognizable combat aircraft of WWI, attributing much of its fame to the German WWI ace Manfred von Richthofen ï¿½ the iconic "Red Baron". Light weight, small size and three wings made the aircraft highly maneuverable and deadly in the hands of an expert pilot but very unforgiving of less experienced pilots. Common for airplanes of that era, a fixed crankshaft configuration allowed the entire engine to spin with the propeller, creating strong gyroscopic forces that adversely affected the airplane's handling under power. ï¿½ Copyright 2003-2017 The Flying Mule, Inc. Sopwith Camel Designed as a heavier, more powerful refinement of the Sopwith Pup, the Camel was first flown in 1917. Earning its name from the distinctive humped fairing surrounding its twin .303 Vickers machine guns, the Camel's unforgiving flight characteristics claimed the lives of many students in flight training.

In the hands of a skilled pilot though, it was an extreme dogfighter that could out-maneuver any contemporary with the possible exception of the Fokker Dr.I. Common for airplanes of that era, a fixed crankshaft configuration allowed the entire engine to spin with the propeller, creating strong gyroscopic forces that adversely affected the airplane's handling under power. Together with the S.E.5a, the Camel helped gain superiority over the German Albatros and is credited with shooting down 1,294 enemy aircraft, more than any other Allied fighter. ï¿½ Copyright 2003-2017 The Flying Mule, Inc. Corgi's 1:48 scale Camels are some of the most historically significant aircraft included in their WWI aircraft series. WWI fighters were relatively small in comparison to their WWII counterparts and 1:48 scale captures significant details that would be lost in smaller scales. The model uses fine gauge wire to represent the structurally significant bracing wires found on the actual aircraft. Additionally, the mold faithfully replicates the complex contours of the entire aircraft, simulating a stretched fabric covering.

A detailed pilot figure sits behind the twin Vickers machine guns while the top wing includes the inboard cut-outs, so essential to the pilot's forward visibility in a dogfight. Up front, the propeller and engine are nicely detailed and free to rotate in unison behind the cowling, just as with the real aircraft. The model rests on rolling rubber tires that accurately reproduce the gray color vulcanized natural rubber takes on after prolonged exposure to sunlight. Corgi's 1:48 scale Dr.Is capture the unmistakable lines of the real aircraft, including ailerons that extend beyond the upper wing-tips. Fine gauge wire represents the structurally significant bracing wires found on the actual aircraft. Additionally, the mold faithfully replicates the complex contours of the entire aircraft, simulating a stretched fabric covering. A detailed pilot figure sits behind the twin Spandau machine guns. Up front, the propeller and engine are nicely detailed and free to rotate in unison behind the cowling. The model rests on rolling rubber tires that accurately reproduce the gray color vulcanized natural rubber takes on after prolonged exposure to sunlight. ï¿½ Copyright 2003-2013 The Flying Mule, Inc.

1000+ images about ~Richthofen~ on Pinterest | Planes, Death certificate and World war Forward Manfred von Richtofen, famously known as the Red Baron, was the top scoring ace of World War I, recording 80 official air combat victories, and perhaps as many as 100 in all. All of his last victories came while flying his bright red Fokker Dr.I triplane. Introduced into service toward the end of the war, the Dr.I offered exceptional maneuverability compared with other pursuits of the day. See More The Red Baron chased Edmonton pilot just before being shot down (with video) | World War I The Red Baron chased Edmonton pilot just before being shot down (with video) In a dogfight with a legend by David Ryning, Email EDMONTON – Though they didn’t know it, on the morning of April 21, 1918 at an aerodrome at Bertangles, France, two former Edmonton schoolmates were preparing for an historic flight. For the younger of the two — Lt. Wilfrid “Wop” May, who had only recently joined the Royal Air Force’s 209 Squadron — it would be his first taste of aerial combat.

It was also very nearly his last, as by the end of the day he would come under the guns of Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron. Related: The Red Baron Plane May had already had an inauspicious introduction to 209 Squadron. An impromptu road trip with the driver sent to fetch him almost cost May his posting to the squadron. “The driver was a good chap, and on the way to the squadron we got on a party, and arrived two or three days late,” May wrote in a March 1950 letter. His new commanding officer was furious. “The base commander kicked him out and said, ‘I don’t want anybody like you in my squadron. Go back, and somebody else can have you,’ ” said his son, Denny May. “He walked out of the office, and there was Roy Brown.” Denny May holds a framed picture where on the back is written Frame made from prop from Richthofen’s plane, Apr. 21, 1918. His father Wop May, a fighter pilot in the First World War wrote those words after retrieving a part of the wooden prop after the Red Baron was shot down.

He (Wop) was the final allied pilot to be pursued by Manfred von Richthofen (Red Baron) before the German ace was shot down. Ed Kaiser, Edmonton Journal Capt. Arthur Roy Brown, 24, was an old friend. Although he was originally from Carleton Place, Ont., he had lived with an aunt and uncle in Edmonton from 1913-15 while he went to Victoria High School, where he met May. May had no inkling his schoolmate was now a flight leader at 209 Squadron, so the reunion was a surprise to both men. After hearing his friend’s predicament, Brown offered to intercede on May’s behalf. The commanding officer relented when Brown offered to take May into his flight. Brown tutored May on combat flying, and took him on several uneventful flights over the German lines to help the novice get acclimated. Brown had also given May some very specific instructions for his first experience of combat. “He was told to stay up on top, above the fight,” Denny May said.

“Don’t shoot at anything and don’t be stupid, just see what it’s like and come home alive.” On mid-morning April 21, pilots of 209 Squadron, including May and Brown, took off on patrol, and before long spotted German aircraft led by Richthofen. Richthofen, 25, had a fearsome reputation. He was the highest-scoring ace of the First World War, credited with destroying 80 enemy aircraft. In Germany, he was a larger-than-life celebrity and a national hero, especially given the way aerial combat was portrayed as a glamorous, knightly endeavour by both sides. “That was certainly how the forces involved treated it,” said Rod MacLeod, professor emeritus in history at the University of Alberta. “They recognized a good recruiting tool when they saw one. It was this sort of glamorous thing, one-on-one combat and all that nonsense. It was, in fact, pretty much nothing like that.” In reality, aerial warfare was a brutal business where rookie pilots died in appalling numbers.

“Depending on whether you were over one of the really active sectors of the Western Front, statistically, your life expectancy as a new pilot from when you started up was about three weeks,” said MacLeod. “The guys who were really good at it and ran up the big scores — like (Billy) Bishop and Richthofen — they were killers.” As the opposing aircraft joined in a twisting, turning “dogfight,” May did as instructed and stayed on the periphery of the melee. That lasted only so long, however. This wartime flask belonged to Edmonton’s Wilfrid Reid “Wop” May, famous as the last person the famous Red Baron chased. It’s now part of the Royal Alberta Museum’s vast collection of Great War artefacts. Fish Griwkowsky, Edmonton Journal Down below him, the young pilot spotted a German plane that seemed on its own and vulnerable. May couldn’t resist. May chased the straggler — probably Wolfram von Richthofen, also a novice pilot and a cousin of the famed Baron — who dived to get away. May followed the German and suddenly found himself in the midst of the chaotic free-for-all. “The enemy aircraft were coming at me from all sides,” May wrote.

“I seemed to be missing some of them by inches; there seemed to be so many of them the best thing I thought to do was go into a tight vertical turn, hold my guns open and spray as many as I could.” Related Stories: The Great War in the air Firing continually rather than in short bursts caused May’s guns to jam. His solution was to drop out of the fight by kicking his Sopwith Camel into a spin. He recovered at a lower altitude, counted himself lucky and headed for home. May’s relief evaporated, though, as bullets started ripping past his aircraft. To his horror, he saw that a blood-red Fokker triplane had dropped onto his tail. He headed for the ground, manoeuvring wildly to shake the German. “Richthofen was firing at me continually, and the only thing that saved me was my poor flying,” May wrote. “I didn’t know what I was doing myself, and I do not suppose Richthofen could figure out what I was going to do.” It was probably just as well that May at the time didn’t know the identity of his pursuer.

Denny May’s father Wop May was a fighter pilot the First World War, and was the person Manfred von Richtofen (the Red Baron) was chasing when he was killed. Ed Kaiser, Edmonton Journal “He said if he’d known who was chasing him, he would have died from fright,” Denny May said. Trees rushed past May’s wingtips as he followed the contours of the countryside, leading the deadly low-level chase. An observer on the ground later claimed that May’s Camel flew so low over the Somme that its wheels touched the water. Farther on, he flew down a main road into the village of Vaux and both aircraft had to swerve sharply to narrowly avoid a church steeple. As he manoeuvred, May’s neck was rubbed raw and bloody against the cockpit cowling as he frantically turned his head to peer behind him, expecting the killing burst at any moment. High above, Brown spotted his friend’s predicament and made a diving attack on the red triplane. As he closed on Richthofen, Brown fired. The triplane stuttered and broke off the attack on May. Brown, seeing the triplane apparently stricken, broke from his attack, pulling up and away.

According to witnesses on the ground, however, the triplane didn’t crash immediately. It made a turn, dropping lower and heading toward German lines. In the meantime, Allied troops on the ground including several Australian machine-gun crews were filling the air with lead as they tried to bring down the German aircraft. “It is not a particularly pleasant feeling to fly home over enemy country,” Richthofen wrote in his autobiography, Der Rote Kampfflieger (The Red Battle Flyer). “One is shot at and cannot shoot back. It is true, however, that a hit is rare.” The fact that he was flying so low over Allied lines was uncharacteristic of Richthofen. Normally a careful, calculating pilot, he was usually mindful of staying well out of range of enemy ground fire. This lapse was likely his undoing. Medals belonging to Wilfred “Wop” May which will become a First World War display at Rutherford House. Taken at the Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton. Greg Southam, Edmonton Journal The triplane suddenly reared up, stalled, then dived to the ground, where it flattened out in a controlled crash, raising a huge cloud of dust. Allied troops scrambled across the field to take the pilot prisoner.

The first one to arrive said he found the pilot conscious but mortally stricken. A single bullet had hit Richthofen. He spoke a few words in German, then died still strapped into the cockpit. “It was devastating for the Germans,” MacLeod said. “Richthofen was a national hero; he was the poster boy for the entire German air force. There had been earlier ones, but nobody had as high a profile as Richthofen.” “It is bound to have a great effect on the Hun, especially when they lost their best fighter and their stunt squadron was defeated,” Brown wrote to his father on April 27. Since Richthofen’s death, there has been much controversy over whether the fatal shot came from the air or the ground. Brown was given official credit, but many historians believe that the fatal bullet was fired by one of the Australian troops on the ground. The answer will never be definitively known, but the weight of evidence seems to support this conclusion. What is beyond doubt is that May and Brown, the two Edmonton schoolmates, played an integral role in bringing down the Red Baron.

Brown’s intercession on behalf of May caused Richthofen to break off his attack, part of a chain of events that ended in the death of the most deadly fighter pilot of the First World War. May finished the war with 13 confirmed victories and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He went on to fame as a bush pilot and airline entrepreneur. He died in 1952 at age 57. Brown returned to Ontario after the war. Although he gained a measure of fame as the man credited with downing the Red Baron, he became reticent about discussing the event. He was remembered as a strong leader who never lost a man under his command. He died in 1944, at age 50. Allied troops held a funeral with full military honours for Richthofen. His remains are now interred at Wiesbaden, Germany. Fast facts about Wop May, Roy Brown and the Red Baron 1. Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron, had a silver cup made to commemorate each of his first 60 victories, engraved with the date and type of machine brought down. He discontinued the practice when silver became scarce in Germany. 2.

The nickname Richthofen’s Flying Circus didn’t come from the fact that his squadron’s machines were painted bright, garish colours. It refers to the fact that the squadron was able to pack up its tents and quickly move by rail or road to another section of the front. 3. One of Richthofen’s successors as commander of Jagdgeschwader 1 was Hermann Goering, who went on to be head of the Luftwaffe and Hitler’s second-in-command during the Second World War. 4. Roy Brown got his first flying lessons at the Wright Brothers school in Dayton, Ohio. After an early training accident, the man who would eventually be credited with shooting down the Red Baron was forced to put up a $500 cash bond against further damage to the school’s airplanes. Brown borrowed the money from his father. 5. Most fighter pilots flew without parachutes in the First World War. The British believed that the use of parachutes would promote cowardice. “The British, in their typical fashion, said it wouldn’t do to give people parachutes because it might encourage them to abandon valuable government property,” said retired U of A history professor Rod MacLeod. 6.

Wilfrid (Wop) May had a rough introduction to military aviation. An instructor took May and another recruit for a demonstration flight, with disastrous results. “They were in a Bristol fighter, going for a flight to demonstrate what flying was like,” Denny May said. “They landed at the airport, and an R.E. 8 (a bombing and reconnaissance aircraft) landed on top of them. Both aircraft were smashed to pieces, but everybody walked out without a scratch.” Denny May tells the story of his father who was chased by the Red Baron just before the legend was shot down. Screengrab, Edmonton Journal Canada produced many of the First World War’s greatest aces | World War I Canada produced many of the First World War’s greatest aces PHOTO: Crystal Schick, Calgary Herald The late production model of a 1916 Sopwith Triplane, which was completed in June of 2000 by restoration volunteers and dedicated to Calgarian Alfred William (Nick) Carter, pilot and Flight Commander of No. 10 Naval Squadron, at the Aero Space Museum of Calgary.

by Nelson Wyatt, Email For a country with a small population, Canada was well-represented among the ranks of the deadliest air aces of the First World War. Two Canadians — Billy Bishop and Raymond Collishaw — are among the top 10 scorers overall. Three of the 10 are Germans, with Manfred von Richthofen, the fabled Red Baron, leading everyone with 80 victories. First World War ace Raymond Collishaw was born in Nanaimo, B.C. and is credited with shooting down 60 enemy aircraft. Archive photo, Postmedia News Dozens of other Canadians became aces, with five or more victories. Other notable Canadians include Donald MacLaren, William Barker and Roy Brown. Brown is known mainly for the controversy surrounding his downing of Richthofen. Canada insists Brown fired the fatal shots. Australia says some of their infantry felled the ace by shooting from the ground. Most of these pilots were barely out of their teens. Bishop looms the largest of Canada’s aces, with books, plays and a few controversial films about him.

After the first war, he was instrumental in founding the Royal Canadian Air Force and was put in charge of recruitment to swell the RCAF’s ranks during the Second World War. He would end the First World War with the Victoria Cross, the Commonwealth’s highest honour for valour and 72 aerial victories. “Billy Bishop was a man absolutely without fear,” was how Eddie Rickenbacker, one of the United States’ greatest First World War aces, summed him up in “Billy Bishop: The Courage of the Early Morning,” by Bishop’s son, Arthur. “I think he’s the only man I have ever met who was incapable of fear.” Bishop was one of three Canadian airmen to win the Victoria Cross during the First World War. The other two were Barker, the most decorated Canadian serviceman and Alan McLeod, a 19-year-old pilot who fought off an attack by several German planes before crashing and then dragging his wounded gunner to safety despite his own injuries. Known as “The Lone Hawk” for his preference for solo missions, the Owen Sound, Ont.-born Bishop was Canada’s highest-scoring ace and the third highest overall of the war.

Canadian fighter ace William (Billy) Bishop sits in a Nieuport aircraft in a 1917 file photo. Air combat was in its infancy when the First World War began, only 11 years after the Wright Brothers invented the airplane and took it for its first successful flight in 1903. Archive photo, National Archives of Canada The Royal Flying Corps officer — there was no RCAF when the war started so Canadians joined the British service — was awarded his Victoria Cross for a single-handed attack on a German airfield at Arras on June 2, 1917. He also won the Distinguished Flying Cross for shooting down 25 of the enemy in 12 days. “He has become a kind of mythical figure,” Diana Bishop, the ace’s granddaughter, said in a telephone interview. She was three years old when Bishop died in 1956 but says he remained a “wonderful, friendly ghost that haunted our house” even after he was gone. “I would say he’s probably been the biggest influence in my life, without a doubt — and I didn’t even know him,” said the former journalist. “It was my journey to have him as a grandfather and I couldn’t be prouder.

But I’m also proud of my dad.” Billy Bishop’s son Arthur was also a fighter pilot with the RCAF in the Second World War as well as a journalist and noted author. Although impressed with her grandfather’s service, Diana Bishop’s recollections of him are more personal than the average Canadian. To most, including the legions of children who have done school projects on him over the years, he was a daredevil, a knight of the air. “He wasn’t a great business person and he was a prankster and all those things,” Diana Bishop says with a hint of a smile in her voice. She said he was someone who tried to make “a lot more fun” for the family. Diana Bishop cited pranks her grandfather pulled such as holding a backwards dinner party, where dessert came first and all the other courses came in reverse order. Even the servants walked backward. Other times he’d show up at home with blocks of soap or ice and get everyone involved in carving projects. “He brought home instruments to play at one point so that everybody would learn to play the clarinet or violin,” she said. “He was always doing little projects like that.

He loved to entertain.” That was a view shared by her father in a 2001 interview with The Canadian Press. “You’d have to know my old man to realize he was quite a character and he was a lot of fun,” said Arthur Bishop, who died last year. “He was always a jolly kind of guy.” Diana Bishop acknowledged that her grandfather was also a controversial figure and some filmmakers and authors have taken issue with his service record. Billy Bishop was profiled in a contentious 1982 National Film Board of Canada documentary which challenged many of his claims, including those that led to his getting the Victoria Cross. Two Senate subcommittees found attribution errors and events shifted in time to add to the film’s drama but they were also unable to substantiate Bishop’s claims. The film, “The Kid Who Couldn’t Miss,” was subsequently labelled a docudrama on the Senate’s recommendation. “I’ve made my peace with it because I actually had to go in and play devil’s advocate for a little while with myself and say, ‘Do I really believe that he possibly could have done that’?” Diana Bishop said.

“I think in the end people will remember, honestly, he was the first of a breed to do combat in the air,” she said, adding it took extraordinary courage to go up in flimsy machines with the engines spitting oil in their faces and people shooting at them. “My grandfather, he was young and he was bold and he was brash, all of those things,” she said. “In the end, he did what he did.” Others also had notable careers. Collishaw, who shot down 60 enemy aircraft as well as eight observation balloons, joined the Royal Naval Air Service after being rejected by the Royal Canadian Navy. Leading the so-called “Black Flight” squadron, he was the first pilot to claim six kills in one day. The native of Nanaimo, B.C., stayed with the air force after the war, served in Russia in 1919 and attained the rank of air vice-marshal in the Second World War after distinguished service in North Africa. He retired from the Royal Air Force in 1943 and died in Vancouver in 1975.

Roger Gunn, in his book “Raymond Collishaw and the Black Flight,” wrote that while Collishaw wasn’t the most brilliant of student pilots, he persevered. Among his many accomplishments, he participated in the Allies’ first real attempt at strategic bombing, on a factory in Germany in 1916. “Raymond Collishaw had many close encounters with death during his lengthy and successful career and he survived them all,” Gunn wrote. “His bravery in combat was recognized many times with the award of decorations and praise and, in short, his legacy should not be as forgotten by Canadians as it has become.” MacLaren, who was a fur trader before joining the RFC in 1917, scored an impressive 54 kills before his flying career was ended by a broken leg incurred while wrestling with a friend in October 1918. Another of those who helped found the RCAF, the Ottawa-born MacLaren had a career in civil aviation after the war and died in 1989 at the age of 94. Donald MacLaren posess in front of an Airco DH 5.

Handout photo, Library and Archives Canada Barker, who was Canada’s most decorated war hero, was involved in one of the first war’s most famous dogfights in October 1918 when he went up against 15 German fighters all by himself and was wounded three times. Despite passing out from his injuries twice, he shot down three of the enemy and drove the rest off before crashing. He notched 50 kills overall, starting in 1916 when he was an observer-gunner. The overwhelming majority were claimed as a pilot, including 46 in the same Sopwith Camel aircraft. After the war, he started an unsuccessful airline with Bishop — Bishop-Barker Aeroplanes Ltd., and then joined the RCAF in 1922. He resigned in 1924. Barker then worked in the tobacco industry and was the first president of the Toronto Maple Leafs before dying in a plane crash while demonstrating a new airplane for the RCAF in 1930. He was 35. Maj. Bill March, an RCAF historian, says Barker is one of his personal heroes. “Not only was he an exemplary pilot but he was an exemplary teacher,” March said.

“He would nurture people under his command and while he was in combat, he never lost a wingman. They would normally fly in pairs or groups and he never lost anyone under his direct supervision.” Some of Canada’s top air aces Canada produced some of the First World War’s top air aces. Here are sketches of some of the most prominent: William (Billy) Bishop Born in Owen Sound, Ont., on Feb. 8, 1894; died on Sept. 11, 1956, in Palm Beach, Fla. Service: Attended Royal Military College before joining the army in 1914; transferred to Royal Flying Corps in 1915 as an observer and obtained pilot’s licence in 1917. Ended the war as a lieutenant-colonel in command of Canadian Air Force Section of the Canadian military forces overseas headquarters. Post-war: Went into unsuccessful aviation venture with William Barker in 1919, brought family to England in 1921 where he built up successful business but suffered in Wall Street crash of 1929. Was offered vice-presidency of McColl Frontenac Oil Co.

afterward and honorary Group Captain in Royal Canadian Air Force in 1931. Appointed air vice-marshal in 1936 and air marshal in 1938, then director of recruiting in 1940. Retired in 1944. Medals: Victoria Cross; Military Cross; Distinguished Service Order and bar; Distinguished Flying Cross; France’s Legion of Honour and Croix de guerre. William Barker Born in Dauphin, Man., on Nov. 3, 1894; died in plane crash near Ottawa on March 12, 1930. Service: Enlisted with Canadian Mounted Rifles in December 1914, transferred to Royal Flying Corps in April 1916 as a mechanic, then became an observer where he claimed the first of his kills. Awarded pilot’s certificate in January 1917 and made squadron commander a month later. Eventually recorded 50 victories. Participated in one of the war’s most famous dogfights when he took on 15 German aircraft alone in 1918 and shot down three despite being seriously wounded.

Joined Royal Canadian Air Force in 1920 after short-lived commercial aviation venture with William Bishop and resigned in August 1926. Post-war: Worked in the tobacco industry in Canada after leaving the RCAF until he sold his interests in 1929. Also served as the first president of the Toronto Maple Leafs and was president of Fairchild Aviation Corp. of Canada when he was killed demonstrating a new plane. Medals: Victoria Cross; Distinguished Service Order and bar; Military Cross and two bars; Italy’s Silver Medal of Valour; France’s Croix de guerre. Raymond Collishaw Born in Nanaimo, B.C., on Nov. 22, 1893; died in West Vancouver in 1975. Service: Joined the Royal Naval Air Service in 1916, commanded the so-called “Black Flight” squadron; flew long-range bombing missions into Germany near the end of the First World War. Shot down 60 aircraft and eight observation balloons during the war. Remained with Royal Air Force after the war and served in Russia, attained rank of air vice-marshal after serving in North Africa during the Second World War.

Medals: Distinguished Service Order and bar; Distinguished Service Cross; and Distinguished Flying Cross. Donald MacLaren Born in Ottawa on May 28, 1893; died in Burnaby, B.C. on July 4, 1988. Service: Joined Royal Flying Corps in 1917, was credited with shooting down 48 aircraft and six balloons in less than eight months. Was briefly director of air services for Canadian Air Force, left in 1919. Post-war: Was executive assistant to president of Trans-Canada Airlines between 1945 and his retirement in 1958. Medals: Military Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross, Distinguished Service Order Alan McLeod Born in Stonewall, Man., on April 20, 1899; died in Winnipeg on Nov. 6, 1918, of Spanish flu. Service: Joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1917 straight out of high school, was commissioned as a second lieutenant and flew as a night fighter pilot against German air raids on London. He then joined squadron in France that concentrated on day and night bombing, photography, and co-operation with artillery.

Medals: Victoria Cross Roy Brown Born in Carleton Place, Ont., on Dec. 23, 1893; died of a heart attack at Stouffville, Ont., on March 9, 1944. Service: Royal Naval Air Service in 1915 and served in various duties before shooting down first aircraft in 1917. He would eventually be credited with downing 11 enemy aircraft, including Germany’s fabled Red Baron. He left the air force in 1919. Post-war: Worked as an accountant, founded a small airline and was editor of “Canadian Aviation.” Tried provincial politics but lost election in 1943. Medals: Distinguished Service Cross and bar. Related stories: UPDATED: Stouffville student works to preserve memory of flying ace credited with shooting down Red Baron UPDATED: Stouffville student works to preserve...

| Jul 03, 2016 | Vote 0 0 UPDATED: Stouffville student works to preserve memory of flying ace credited with shooting down Red Baron Big Crowd at the Stouffville Strawberry Festival Steve Somerville A German World War I Fokker Dr.I triplane flies over the crowd at the Strawberry Festival Saturday. On Friday, a plaque honouring Capt. Arthur Roy Brown — the flying ace credited with shooting down the Red Baron — was unveiled at Memorial Park. At the tender age of 12, Nadine Carter has done more for the historical recognition of Whitchurch-Stouffville's fallen soldiers than most citizens will do in a lifetime. Related Stories uReport: Remembering Captain Arthur... It was during a fifth-grade school project about the town's coat of arms that the young Stouffvillian would come across a Wikipedia page listing the town's most famous sons. A figure skater in her spare time, Nadine knew the four hockey players listed, but had no idea about the fifth name: Capt. Arthur Roy Brown. She went and asked her uncle Michael Bennett, whose Richmond Hill home she visits whenever she needs to use the internet.

"I told her yes I know who Roy Brown is, but I don't think he's from Stouffville," Bennett said, explaining how he'd soon realize that he, like so many Canadians, had plenty to learn about the nation's history. After doing some further research, Nadine proved that Brown — the famous Canadian fighter pilot credited with shooting down World War I's 'ace of aces', the Red Baron – not only died in Stouffville, but there was no monument dedicated to him in the town. Nadine wasn't about to let a century of obscurity, at least in terms of Stouffville's war memorials, get in her way. "He was forgotten," she said. "If he's forgotten, what happens to our ordinary soldiers that go to war?" The young girl began writing letters to politicians, historical organizations and government departments, even producing a video. Nadine then met with Stouffville's own local historian, Ray Cook, a farmer from nearby Lemonville, who helped her find a deed to Brown's former home.

The intrepid young student didn’t stop there, even managing to locate Brown's unmarked grave, something that hadn't been achieved by Brown's family or the Roy Brown Historical Society, Bennett said. The recognition of all her work came soon after, when those walking through the halls of power began to take notice of her efforts, mentioning her name in Parliament and booking her a chance to speak in front of some 200 people at the local council. It would not be the last time she stood before so many people to speak about the man who would come to consume her life for two years. Funding was secured for a plaque from Whitchurch-Stouffville's Bethesda Grange golf course, part of ClubLink's Rolling Hills complex, which now incorporates Brown's home on its grounds. On Canada Day, the town unveiled another plaque to Capt. Brown in Memorial Park, another 300 people showing up, many of whom were attending the coinciding Strawberry Festival. The plaque, which was on display all weekend, will be installed at the entrance to the downtown park. The plaques could be in place as early as this week, said Councillor Hugo Kroon who emceed the Canada Day ceremony.

In attendance was Brown's granddaughter, Dianne Sample, who now lives in Maine and his niece, Carol Nicholson, from Oakville. His grandson Capt. Don Brodeur, a retired Snowbird, still lives out in British Columbia. Nadine was also in attendance when Brown was inducted into Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame and even managed to get some books on Brown into the Stouffville library alongside the books on Red Baron. For Bennett though, the best came last. Funding for a proper gravestone — dedicated to Brown and his wife Edythe — would eventually be delivered, winding its way through countless channels, eventually coming via the Last Post Fund based out of Montreal. The organization also paid for a plot in Toronto Necropolis, the city's oldest cemetery and the final resting place of many great Canadians including William Lyon Mackenzie, NDP Leader Jack Layton and journalist George Brown. Nadine would recite a poem during a ceremony at the cemetery. "I think I have learned that memories are not forever, and they are different for us all," she said. "They live as long as each person's heart.

I also think that memories are where we find our thoughts of worth." Meanwhile, Bennett just remains stunned that a 10-year-old, the age Nadine was when she began the work, could engage in such a meaningful, worthwhile and tireless effort. "I sort of look at it from the standpoint of when I was 10, wondering would I have done this at that age," he questioned. "I wouldn't have." He added that he also found it regretful, but also "very Canadian", that great monuments were erected to remember Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron himself, in Germany, but Brown still lived in relative obscurity in Canada. The plaque at Bethesda Grange is expected to be mounted in the coming year. Today Nadine is raising money at Nineteen on The Park in downtown Stouffville for the organization Wounded Warriors, a national organization dedicated to helping Canadian veterans and their families and remembering fallen soldiers. When asked why she chose to support Wounded Warriors, Nadine made sure to explain Brown's service to veterans despite coming home with "27 fractures”, being labeled a "nervous wreck" and having no pension.

"Although in poor health, Roy Brown wanted to make sure injured soldiers returning to Canada were taken care of," she said, referring to his 1944 passing. "There are still wounded soldiers returning back to Canada today that need help." Jeremy Grimaldi is the Crime and Justice Reporter with York Region.com. He can be reached at jgrimaldi@yrmg.com . Follow him on Twitter and York Region Media Group on Facebook |

Question: The Canadian Captain Arthur Roy Brown is credited with bringing which man down in WW1
Answer: The Red Baron