Lieutenant Cecil Robert Thompson was a South African World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories. Thompson served two and a half years in the ground forces in both the East and West African campaigns against the Germans. He then transferred into the

Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...

in August 1917. In April 1918, he joined 84 Squadron on the

Western Front Western Front or West Front may refer to: Military frontiers *Western Front (World War I), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (World War II), a military frontier to the west of Germany *Western Front (Russian Empire), a majo ...

as a

Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5 The Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 is a British biplane fighter aircraft of the First World War. It was developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory by a team consisting of Henry Folland, John Kenworthy and Major Frank Goodden. It was one of the fast ...

a pilot. He spent June and July in hospital. Then, on 4 August 1918, he destroyed an

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 ...

; on the 7th, drove down a

Pfalz D.III The Pfalz D.III was a fighter aircraft used by the '' Luftstreitkräfte'' (Imperial German Air Service) during the First World War. The D.III was the first major original design from Pfalz Flugzeugwerke. Though generally considered inferior to c ...

out of control; on the 11th, destroyed a

Fokker D.VII The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the second half of 1918. In service with the ''Luftstreitkräfte'', the D.VII qu ...

. Then, for his last three victories, he turned

balloon buster Balloon busters were military pilots known for destroying enemy observation balloons. These pilots were noted for their fearlessness, as balloons were stationary targets able to receive heavy defenses, from the ground and the air. Seventy-seven fl ...

. On 4 September, he teamed with

Sidney Highwood Captain Sidney William Highwood (30 December 1896 – 1975) was a British World War I flying ace and balloon buster credited with sixteen aerial victories. Biography Highwood was born in Marden, Kent, to William and Sarah Highwood, of Hertsfi ...

to destroy a German observation balloon. The next day, Thompson destroyed another. On the 15th, he burned another for his final win, despite being tailed by four Fokker D.VIIs; then he was jumped by several more Fokker D.VIIs and wounded seriously in the face and shoulder. He managed to struggle back to base despite his wounds.

Honors and awards

Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) Lieut. Cecil Robert Thompson. (FRANCE)

World War II

Thompson rejoined in 1939, transferring to the South African Air Force, later serving with 24 Bomber Squadron.

Sources of information

References

*''Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920.'' Christopher F. Shores, Norman L. R. Franks, Russell Guest. Grub Street, 1990. , . {{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Cecil 1894 births 1973 deaths South African people of British descent South African World War I flying aces People from Kimberley, Northern Cape South African recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Royal Air Force personnel of World War I British Army personnel of World War I Royal Flying Corps officers Royal Air Force officers Military personnel from the Northern Cape