Captain Frank Clifton Gorringe was a British World War I

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 ...

credited with 14 aerial victories.The Aerodrome http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/gorringe.php Retrieved on 8 June 2010.

Early life and enlistment

Frank Clifton Gorringe was born in

Eastbourne Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. Eastbourne is immediately east of Beachy Head, the highest chalk sea cliff in Great Britain and part of the la ...

, England on 30 September 1889. Gorringe was working as an express clerk when he enlisted in the

Canadian Expeditionary Force The Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) was the expeditionary field force of Canada during the First World War. It was formed following Britain’s declaration of war on Germany on 15 August 1914, with an initial strength of one infantry division ...

on 23 September 1914, a week shy of his 25th birthday. Frank J. Gorringe was listed as his next of kin, and obviously is his father. The enlistee was five feet six inches tall, had a fair complexion, light brown hair, hazel eyes, and professed to belong to the Church of England. He enlisted in the 5th Battalion,

Aerial service

Gorringe first trained as an observer and flew manning the observer's gun in a

Sopwith 1½ Strutter The Sopwith Strutter was a British single- or two-seat multi-role biplane aircraft of the First World War.Lake 2002, p. 40. It was the first British two-seat tractor fighter and the first British aircraft to enter service with a synchronised ...

with 43 Squadron in 1917. From there, he progressed to pilot's training at Hendon, receiving Aero Club certificate # 5035 on 29 July 1917. Once qualified to fly a

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 ...

, he was posted to Nol 70 Squadron RAF, No. 70 Squadron RFC. On 7 November 1917, he scored his first win; at the end of the year, on 28 December, he became an ace. He had driven down an enemy reconnaissance plane out of control, captured another, teamed with

Frank Granger Quigley Francis Granger Quigley, (10 July 1894 – 20 October 1918) was a Canadian aviator and flying ace of the First World War, who was credited with 33 aerial victories. He was notable for scoring the majority of his victories against German fighter ...

to set 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 ...

, and destroyed two other recce planes. He began the new year by helping to flame another recce plane; by 18 February 1918, on which date he burned one Albatros D.V and destroyed another, he had run his total to 14. His final tally was six planes set afire, five otherwise destroyed, two driven down out of control, and one captured. His Military Cross was gazetted on 16 August 1918. He was then returned to

Home Establishment A home, or domicile, is a space used as a permanent or semi-permanent residence for one or many humans, and sometimes various companion animals. It is a fully or semi sheltered space and can have both interior and exterior aspects to it. H ...

for a bit, not returning to action until 25 October 1918. In the waning days of the war, Gorringe flew ground attack sorties as a Flight Commander in 210 Squadron. On 9 November 1918, he actually landed just behind advancing friendly troops to brief them on the defenses they now faced. He won a Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions.

Postwar career

After the war, Gorringe farmed in Kenya until he returned to England in 1935. He was found drowned on the shore near Newhaven in January 1936. An inquest into his death could not determine how he ended up in the water.

Honours and awards

Text of citation for Military Cross (MC)

T./2nd Lt. Frank Clifton Gorringe, Gen. List and R.F.C. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has destroyed several enemy machines, and has shot down others out of control. On several occasions also he has forced enemy aeroplanes to land, and has shown fine qualities of leadership and a keen offensive spirit.

Text for citation for Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)

Lieut. (A./Capt.) Frank Clifton Gorringe, M.C. (FRANCE) During recent operations this officer was conspicuous for his gallantry and initiative in attacking enemy troops, transport, etc., notably on 9 November, when, locating certain enemy troops dug in, he attacked them from 50 feet altitude, causing numerous casualties. He then landed close behind our infantry and informed them of the enemy's position.(''Supplement to the London Gazette'', 16 August 1918) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/31170/pages/2039 Retrieved on 8 June 2010.

Sources of information

Reference

* ''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. , . Military personnel from Sussex Royal Flying Corps officers People from Eastbourne Recipients of the Military Cross 1889 births Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Canadian military personnel of World War I English emigrants to Canada Year of death missing {{wwi-air