Group Captain Elwyn Roy King DSO DFC 1894-1941 Could have posted this in four or five threads but settled on Biographies. I was unable to confirm his number and thought by the entry in the CWGC that he may have been an office worker or similar and did not notice that he was a Group Captain. When taking a photo of his headstone or plaque as it turned out I was amazed at what I saw. View attachment 1066 I am amazed at the obscurity afforded this WW1 Ace. I truly wonder what the reason was for this lack of recognition? Elwyn King From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Elwyn Roy King DSO DFC (1894–1941) was an Australian fighter pilot and ace in World War I. He scored 26 aerial victories in combat during the war, making him the fourth best Australian pilot in terms of kills. King was also the highest scoring Sopwith Snipe pilot of the war, making seven kills whilst piloting just that aeroplane. He initially joined the war effort in July 1915 as a member of the 12th Light Horse In the AIF, serving in the Middle East. He transferred to the RFC in 1916 as a mechanic before attending flight school and joining the AFC in October 1917, where he rapidly distinguished himself. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in September 1918 and the Distinguished Service Order in 1919. He left the AFC in August 1919, and began to work as a mechanic in the early 1920s. At the beginning of World War II in 1939, he joined up with the AFC again, but died of cerebral oedema whilst training in Australia on 28 November 1941. A few more links: AWM Collection Record: E02495 - Group portrait of officers of No. 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps (AFC), at their aerodrome. Back row, left to right: Lieutenant (Lt) C. R. Burton; Lt R. F. McRae; Lt C. S. Scobie; Lt J. S. ... British and Empire Aces of World War I - Google Book Search No.4 Squadron Australian Flying Corps Dolphin and Snipe Aces of World War 1 - Google Book Search Elwyn Roy King - The Aerodrome - Aces and Aircraft of World War I
I was trying to remember why I'd heard of him (not being too knowledgeable about WW1 airmen). It's because his birthday is the same as mine!
We missed your birthday on the 28/11.............disgusting. I wonder why his plaque was so brief as to his RAAF record. May be something for me to chase up. It took me a half an hour to find the plaque as I was looking for an RAAF insignia.
28/11 was the date of his death. May 13th 1894 was B'day. I just had a look on the Australian archives and his service file hasn't been digitised. Would have made interesting reading.
Sorry Kyt. Trying to send you to an early one. Need to go and heat up some of last night's Pizza and renew a few brain cells.
