Robert Alexander Little

Robert A. Little

Robert Alexander Little (born July 19, 1895 in Hawthorn, Victoria Province, Australia ; † May 27, 1918 near Nœux-les-Mines , France) was the most successful Australian fighter pilot of the First World War . He is credited with 47 victorious dogfights.

Life

Robert Little was born in the suburbs of Melbourne, the son of a medical device sales representative. His family was of Scottish descent. After successfully completing school, Robert Little took up his father's profession.

When the First World War broke out, Robert Little volunteered to train as a pilot with the Australian Air Force, but was not accepted.

In July 1915 he traveled to England and trained as a pilot at the Royal Aero Club at his own expense . After successfully completing this training, he volunteered for the Royal Naval Air Service , which he was allowed to join in January 1916 in the rank of sub-lieutenant.

War mission in France

In June 1916 Robert Little arrived in Dunkirk , where he was first used as a bomber pilot on a Sopwith 1½ Strutter .

In July 1916 he was relocated as a fighter pilot in the immediate vicinity of the Western Front in France. He was now flying a Sopwith Pup . On November 23, 1916 he had his first successful aerial combat and in February 1917 he was awarded the British Distinguished Service Cross on the occasion of his 4th aerial victory .

When Robert Little could fly a Sopwith Triplane , his successes multiplied. On July 10, 1917, he recorded his 28th aerial victory. When a Sopwith Camel was made available to him, he recorded 10 more enemy aircraft kills in the remaining 21 days of July 1917.

On June 29, 1917 Robert Little received his second Distinguished Service Cross , on July 11, 1917 he was awarded the highest French military award, the Croix de guerre , and in August 1917 the British Distinguished Service Order .

After a long vacation from the front that Robert Little spent in England, he returned to the Western Front for further successful missions in March 1918: by May 1918 he had already achieved 9 more aerial victories.

On the evening of May 27, 1918, approaching enemy bombers were reported and Robert Little started his fighter in the dark to intercept the expected machines. In the air battle that followed, he was seriously injured in both legs. Nevertheless, he managed a crash landing behind his own lines, in which he sustained further serious injuries. Robert Little bled to death on his machine that night before he was found the next morning.

Appreciation

Robert Little was by no means considered a good pilot. Rather, he was known for an unusual number of crash landings that he made. He owed his success in aerial combat solely to his daring and his will to win.

Private

Robert Little had married in Dover on September 16, 1916, leaving behind his wife and young son.

literature

• Norman Franks: Sopwith Pup Aces of World War 1 . Osprey , Oxford 2005, ISBN 1-84176-886-3 .
• Norman Franks: Sopwith Triplane Aces of World War 1 . Osprey, Oxford 2004, ISBN 184176728X .
• AD Garrisson: Australian Fighter Aces 1914-1953 . Air Power Studies Center, Fairbairn, Australian Capital Territory 1999, ISBN 0-642-26540-2 .
• Dennis Newton: Australian Air Aces . Aerospace Publications, Fyshwyck, Australian Capital Territory 1996, ISBN 1-875671-25-0 .
• Mike Rosel: Unknown Warrior: The search for Australia's greatest ace . Australian Scholarly Publications, North Melbourne, Victoria 2012, ISBN 9-781921-875748.
• Christopher Shores: British and Empire Aces of World War 1 . Osprey, Oxford 2001, ISBN 1-84176-377-2 .
• Christopher Shores, Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell: Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces, 1915-1920 . Grub Street, London 1990, ISBN 0-948817-19-4 .
• Greg VanWyngarden: Pfalz Scout Aces of World War 1 . Osprey, Oxford 2006, ISBN 1-84176-998-3 .
• David Wilson: The Brotherhood of Airmen . Allen & Unwin , Crows Nest, New South Wales 2005, ISBN 1-74114-333-0 .
• Phillip Adams: Alec Little - Australia's greatest ace . ABC Radio National - Late Night Live. Retrieved April 25, 2013.