april august raf fighter pilot flying ace second world war born lock experience flying teenager late 1930s war possibility likely event called arms lock decided prefer fight joined raf completed training posted squadron raf time lock raf successful allied pilot battle shooting german aircraft sharing destruction lock served channel flying offensive sweeps france lock went bring overall total aerial victories shared destroyed probable weeks operational sorties year period time hospitalised months included victory total german fighter aircraft lock promoted rank flight lieutenant lock earned nickname extremely short stature months famous raf pilots country crash landed english channel damaged ground fire lock posted missing action seen early life career born farming family home rural privately educated london road 14th birthday father treated minute flight sir unlike teenagers lock unimpressed flying soon lost interest left school joined father business decision going war wanted fighter pilot immediately joined months lock called began flight training outbreak war september trained pilot lock joined raf training commissioned posted squadron flying lock completed training late officially qualified fighter pilot posted squadron acting pilot officer lock spent weeks squadron taking weeks leave pass july marry girlfriend miss lock returned unit soon began combat patrols defending british based norway lock bored patrols involved chasing lone enemy raiders success second world war began july luftwaffe making attacks british shipping english channel britain east_coast august bases came attack germans attempted establish air superiority southern england battles grew larger scale squadron based north clear main combat zone saw little action weeks german air offensive lock frustration ended august date luftwaffe attempted stretch launching wave aircraft targets northern england german intelligence believed little opposition battle lock gained victory climbing feet north spotted formation squadron ordered line astern formation attack attack lock followed section leader second opportunity fire heavy fighter short bursts starboard engine caught fire following enemy fighter feet lock fired fuselage set port engine fire machine gunner ceased firing lock left feet lock going claim probable pilot saw crash confirmed victory lock soon attacked downing number light need units south country squadron raf essex september september lock flew red positioned protecting squadron leader shot thames estuary victims crashed river caught fire fell lock followed quickly realised mistake reducing height pursue damaged enemy pilot risk enemy fighters late attacked sustained damage wound leg lock immediately climbed attempted follow pilot stalled fell away lock reversed direction waiting german fighter come dive fired short bursts exploded looking saw second land english channel miles lock noticing boat alerted boat presence flying led vessel crash site left scene saw crew surrendering occupants boat way home saw victim river nearby claimed destroyed date following day despite pain leg medical advice lock claimed seventh victory dover september claimed destroyed kent followed success victories september victory brought tally enemy aircraft destroyed seven days awarded award october citation reading lock continued shoot enemy aircraft regularly september recorded victories following day shared destruction destroying september sea rest days followed september claimed probably destroyed patrol destroyed plus probably destroyed afternoon september filed curious report saw attack shooting forcing flee france sortie sighted pursued english channel finally downing german gun batteries landing told commanding officer awarded medal bar victories days published october citation read squadron pilots placed weeks rotation rest following intense period operational sorties returning early october lock immediately commenced left october credited kent october claimed miles dover probable followed seconds later dispatched october october shot directly victory brought total making lock quadruple ace october lock destroyed bring tally aerial victories ended october lock enemy aircraft destroyed successful allied ace campaign channel november badly damaged skirmish badly damaged lock crash landed field able walk away november squadron attacked formation cover bomber raid london shooting setting fire hit volley cannon shells severely injured lock right arm legs rounds knocked throttle permanently open control open throttle enabled accelerate swiftly mph leaving wake lock having attempt operate injured right arm feet began descend little control means slowing fighter execute safe landing badly injured parachute safety lock situation losing height feet lock switched engine found suitable crash site near suffolk stricken fighter wheels landing lying aircraft hours found patrolling british_army soldiers carried miles improvised rifles army issue winter coats instruction lock point lock lost blood unconscious unable feel additional pain dropped times water transferred princess mary hospital awarded december citation read lock underwent separate operations following months remove metal fragments wounds following months remained injuries leaving occasion travel uniform buckingham palace king presented bar mentioned despatches march battles death lock spent months hospital stayed battle britain ace operated famous surgeon wrote memoirs enemy death flying accident january remembered lock having treatment nurses wore anti infection masks gloves curse dawn till dusk june received promoted requested report immediate flying duty squadron weeks later promoted flight lieutenant posted squadron command flight july gained victories flying offensive sweeps france july july july near august lock returning fighter spotted column german troops vehicles road near signalling attack lock seen formation prepare ground attack time seen believed shot ground fire body found despite thorough search area years following war raf commonwealth war graves commission lock successful raf aces shot period shot error taken prisoner august hit enemy ground based near sur january forced crash land taken prisoner july lost similar circumstances lock suggested writer lock shot german ace near german pilot claim lock posted missing early morning sortie war diary shows claim evening location claim listed combat report memorial lock carved panel british commonwealth airmen posted missing action war new road named family home lies members bar club based wartime airfield list victories lock credited air victories probable victories total included probably destroyed
Eric Lock