Captain Frank Godfrey (16 August 1889 – 11 August 1944) was an English World War I flying ace credited with 12 victories. All his victories were achieved against German fighter aircraft.Franks, et al, p. 20.

Early life and service

Frank Godfrey was born in 1889 in

Godalming Godalming is a market town and civil parish in southwest Surrey, England, around southwest of central London. It is in the Borough of Waverley, at the confluence of the Rivers Wey and Ock. The civil parish covers and includes the settleme ...

, Surrey. After schooling, he became an accountant and assistant secretary to his local alderman.Guttman, p. 50. He held these positions from 1902—1914. Godfrey was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 18th Battalion (1st Public Works Pioneers) of the

Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment) The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1966. The regiment was formed, as the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), in 1881 as part of the Childers Ref ...

on 13 April 1915, His ground service would be with the 19th Battalion of that Regiment. He gained promotion to captain on 17 March 1916. He transferred to the

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

, receiving a commission as an observer officer, with the rank of second lieutenant (honorary captain), on 27 April 1918.

World War I aerial service

Godfrey was assigned to 20 Squadron on 3 March 1918 as an observer/gunner on Bristol F.2 Fighters. He manned the guns in the rear cockpit for Captain

Thomas Percy Middleton Captain Thomas Percy Middleton (born 10 May 1893, date of death unknown), Distinguished Flying Cross was an English World War I fighter ace credited with 27 victories while flying a two seated fighter. Early life Middleton was born in Earlsfiel ...

when they scored double victories on 17 April, 3 May, and 8 May 1918. Godfrey scored five more wins in June, and a final victory over a German Fokker D.VII on 29 July 1918. His final tally was ten German fighters destroyed, and two driven down out of control. He was returned to Home Establishment in Britain on 22 September 1918. Godfrey was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in August 1918. His citation read: :Temporary Captain Frank Godfrey (late Middlesex Regiment). ::This officer has taken part in many offensive patrols. During recent operations he has accounted for eight enemy aeroplanes, proving himself at all times a skilful and bold airman.

Postwar

Captain Frank Godfrey was discharged from military service on 25 April 1919.

References

Bibliography

* Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell; Alegi, Gregory. ''Above the War Fronts: the British Two-seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, the British Two-seater Fighter Observer Aces, and the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter Aces, 1914-1918: Volume 4 of Fighting Airmen of WWI Series: Volume 4 of Air Aces of WWI.'' Grub Street, 1997. , 978189869756. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Godfrey, Frank 1889 births 1944 deaths People from Godalming Middlesex Regiment officers Royal Flying Corps officers Royal Air Force personnel of World War I British World War I flying aces Royal Air Force officers Military personnel from Surrey British Army personnel of World War I