Arthur Treloar Whealy

DSC DSC may refer to: Academia * Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) * District Selection Committee, an entrance exam in India * Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Educational institutions * Dalton State Col ...

& Bar DFC (2 November 1895 – 23 December 1945) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down five or more enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ace is varied, but is usually co ...

, officially credited with 27 victories.

Background

Whealy was a medical student at the University of Toronto before World War I. He learned to fly at his own expense at the Curtiss Flying School, the first flying school in the United States, founded by

Glenn Curtiss Glenn Hammond Curtiss (May 21, 1878 – July 23, 1930) was an American aviation and motorcycling pioneer, and a founder of the U.S. aircraft industry. He began his career as a bicycle racer and builder before moving on to motorcycles. As early ...

Involvement with World War I

Whealy was commissioned on 29 February 1916. On 24 August 1916 that he was posted to 3 Wing. He served with both 3 Naval Squadron and 9 Naval Squadron within that wing. He did not achieve his first victory until 12 April 1917. He flew his

Sopwith Pup The Sopwith Pup is a British single-seater biplane fighter aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It entered service with the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps in the autumn of 1916. With pleasant flying characteristi ...

to three victories as a pilot of 3 Squadron. Then, on 9 May, he scored for the first time with 9 Squadron; he was still flying a Pup. He became an ace on 7 July. 9 Naval re-equipped with

Sopwith Triplane The Sopwith Triplane was a British single seat fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War. It has the distinction of being the first military triplane to see operational service. The ...

s. Whealy first scored with his new aircraft on 29 July 1917, knocking one

Albatros D.V The Albatros D.V is a fighter aircraft built by the Albatros Flugzeugwerke and used by the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' (Imperial German Air Service) during World War I. The D.V was the final development of the Albatros D.I family and the last Albatro ...

down out of control and destroying another one in flames within the hour. He then switched to the

Sopwith Camel The Sopwith Camel is a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter aircraft that was introduced on the Western Front in 1917. It was developed by the Sopwith Aviation Company as a successor to the Sopwith Pup and became one of the b ...

back in 3 Naval. He scored once more in 1917, on 5 September, sending another D.V down without certifying its destruction. After a five month lapse, Whealy achieved his ninth credited victory on 17 February 1918. He followed that up with five claims in March, including the capture of an Albatross D.V. He added three further victories in April, six in May, and a single tally in June, on the 7th, running his total to 24. After a six-week lull, he scored his final three victories within two weeks, on 22 and 27 August, and on 4 September. On 24 September, he was posted to Home Establishment. His final record comprised 9 enemy airplanes destroyed by himself, three destroyed in conjunction with other pilots, ten down out of control by himself, two shared out of control victories, and one enemy plane captured.

Text of citations

Distinguished Service Cross

"Flt. Lieut. Arthur Treloar Whealy, R.N.A.S. For the most consistent determination, bravery and skill with which he has carried out numerous low flying harassing attacks on the enemy's troops, transports, etc., inflicting heavy casualties and damage. By his splendid example and gallantry a great many hostile .operations were hampered and frustrated. He has further brought down many enemy machines."

Distinguished Service Cross - Bar

"Lieut. (Hon. Capt.) Arthur Treloar Whealy, D.S.C., R.A.F. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has proved himself to be a brilliant fighting pilot. Under his able and determined leadership his flight has engaged and accounted for many enemy machines, he himself being personally responsible for many of these."

Distinguished Flying Cross

"Lieut. (A./Capt.) Arthur Treloar Whealey, D.S.C. (FRANCE) This officer has shown a very high standard of efficiency. Untiring, and full of initiative, he sets a fine example to the younger pilots. During the recent advance he has carried out daring reconnaissances at very low altitudes, invariably bringing back valuable information. He is a bold fighter in the air, having accounted for five enemy machines."

Websites

A full record of the actions of Arthur T. Whealy in the Great War

References

External links

theaerodrome.com
Accessed 5 September 2008. {{DEFAULTSORT:Whealy, Arthur Treloar 1895 births 1945 deaths Canadian aviators Canadian World War I flying aces Canadian recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom) Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)