july world war fighter pilot generally regarded successful australian flying ace official tally seven victories born victoria travelled england learned fly expense joining posted western june flew squadron achieving thirty victories year earning bar french rested july volunteered return march scored victories squadron later squadron raf killed action night aged early life little born july suburb melbourne canadian seller medical surgical books victorian born wife susan family heritage scottish educated melbourne swimming entered father business travelling salesman living family windsor world war broke august world war long interested aviation little decided apply pilot training australian_army point cook rejected hundreds decided sail england july qualified pilot expense gaining flying certificate october joined flight sub lieutenant january suffered badly air sickness early likely brought oil employed engine aircraft flew england little arrived france june service naval wing initially flew bombing raids married dover september month posted squadron naval flying western fellow australian little scored aerial victory november destroying enemy north east following february victories credit awarded conspicuous bravery successfully attacking bringing hostile machines action december little fought like mad large formation german fighters claiming little return base thought lost landed near allied lines clear jammed gun taking continue fight april little engaged forcing land followed german aircraft claim captured personally crew prisoner gunpoint australian flipped plane ditch touching prompting surrendering enemy pilot suggest looks brought doesn naval conversion april saw little begin score heavily eventually registering victories type bring total july including twin victories day occasions squadron scorer particular airframe christened nickname baby son unit began flying scored kills july fourteen month subsequently rotated england rest ranked flight lieutenant credited total thirty victories including destroyed captured bar june exceptional daring skill aerial fighting occasions received french july fellow australian ace stan dallas british_empire pilots decorated august awarded order exceptional skill daring followed bar decoration september remarkable courage attacking enemy machines mentioned despatches december promoted flight commander following month despite little prowess combat aviator ordinary best enduring number crash landings gave edge fighter pilot keen eye excellent willingness single entire enemy formations close prey yards occasion opening fire fellow squadron member recalled polished pilot aggressive outstanding shot revolver rifle ace described little leader brilliant lone hand small stature face set squadron nicknamed story knew saw sensitive noting addition skill guns little collector wild flowers wife appearance photographs sense humour squadron commander finish war scoring ace summed little outstanding character bold aggressive courageous gentle brave man following period rest england little turned desk assignment volunteered return action western joining lieutenant colonel squadron march unit evolved squadron new royal_air_force april formed merger ranked captain flying little gained successes beginning april concluding kills day stretch victories april brought unharmed little received reports german bombers vicinity took evening intercept raiders closed bombers plane caught beam struck bullet passed crash landed field near death discovered following morning passing little skull ankle fractured impact body identified friend fellow ace launched investigation established single bullet hit little come gunner ground legacy little buried village cemetery body moved british cemetery aged left widow son accordance husband wishes travelled australia raise boy little seven confirmed victories credited destroyed captured control believed responsible driven forced land counted official total eighth successful commonwealth ace world war ranking ace score prolific australian ace time ahead official score thirty modern research credits dallas tally numbering fifties propeller blade fitted clock hub fellow officers presented widow transported australia pieces later went display australian war memorial awards wooden cross original burial place flew squadron rebuilt flying standard october led commemorate squadron going permanent display buildings canberra opened named little honour
Robert A. Little