Richard Applin

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Richard Applin (born June 3, 1894 in Clevedon (Somerset) , † April 29, 1917 near Lecluse / France) was a fighter pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War .

Life

Richard Applin was born on June 3, 1894 in Clevedon, the son of teacher Charles Ernest Applin. He attended Taunton School in Southampton and began training as a teacher.

War effort

Richard Applin volunteered for the war. On October 14, 1915, he was accepted into the Inns of Court Training Corps. In October 1916 he was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, where he completed his first solo flight on December 6, 1916. On March 14, 1917, he was transferred to the 19th Squadron in France. On April 29, 1917, he started with two other fighter pilots on a mission towards Douai . The formation was intercepted by eight aircraft, the 11th Jagdstaffel 11 led by Manfred von Richthofen . There was an aerial battle in which an additional six Sopwith Triplane of the Royal Naval Air Service took part. In the course of the aerial battle, Applins SPAD S.VII was shot down by Manfred von Richthofen. The plane crashed almost vertically into a swamp near Lecluse. The aircraft sank so deep that only part of the tail unit could be seen. The pilot's body could not be recovered. A plaque is located in the Arras Flying Service Memorial.

literature

  • John Guttman: SPAD VII Aces of World War I. Osprey Publishing, Oxford 2001, ISBN 1-84176-222-9 .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Applin, Richard
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English fighter pilot
DATE OF BIRTH June 3, 1894
PLACE OF BIRTH Clevedon (Somerset)
DATE OF DEATH April 29, 1917
Place of death near Lecluse , France