Flying Officer Giles Noble Blennerhassett (16 April 1895 – 4 December 1978) was an Irish

World War I 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 ...

credited with eight aerial victories while serving as an observer/gunner in No. 18 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps.

Early life and background

Blennerhassett was born in Leoville,

County Sligo County Sligo ( , gle, Contae Shligigh) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the Border Region and is part of the province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the an ...

, the eldest, and only son, of the four children born to James Blennerhassett of Gortatlea, County Kerry, and his first wife Selina Harriet (née Noble) of

Collooney Collooney or Coloony () is a town in County Sligo, Ireland. Toponymy Collooney is thought to derive from . Reverend Terrence O'Rorke has previously also suggested ''Culmaine'', as Collooney is designated this way in such works as ''the annals ...

, County Sligo. His father was the bookkeeper/accountant at the Henry Lyons & Co. department store in Sligo, later becoming the managing director. The young Blennerhassett was educated at

Sligo Grammar School Sligo Grammar School is a private fee-paying co-educational boarding school located on The Mall in Sligo. The school has approximately 450 students of which approximately 100 are boarders. It offers the traditional Junior Certificate and Leavin ...

World War I

Blennerhassett trained in the Inns of Court Officers Training Corps, before being commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 4th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers on 2 June 1916. He was eventually seconded to the Royal Flying Corps, being appointed a flying officer (observer) on 24 March 1917, with seniority from 31 December 1916. Posted to No. 18 Squadron RFC to fly in F.E.2b two-seaters, he gained his first aerial victory on 4 February 1917, driving down out of control an

Albatros D.II The Albatros D.II was a German fighter aircraft used during World War I. After a successful combat career in the early '' Jagdstaffeln'', it was gradually superseded by the Albatros D.III. Design and development Albatros designers Robert Thelen ...

fighter. He drove down two more on 5 April, and destroyed another the following day. He gained his fifth to become an ace on 16 April, and then accounted for three Albatros D.IIIs, one on 3 May and two more on 23 May, to bring his total to eight. Blennerhasset was posted to the Home Establishment on 19 July, and was awarded the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC ...

five days later. His citation read: :Second Lieutenant Giles Noble Blennerhassett, Royal Irish Fusiliers, Special Reserve, and Royal Flying Corps. ::"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has shown great skill and courage when, acting as escort in attacking hostile formations. On one occasion he attacked two hostile machines, driving down both out of control. Later, he forced three other machines down." He subsequently qualified as a pilot, being promoted to lieutenant on 2 December 1917, and appointed a flying officer the next day. and then serving in No.'s 78, 112, 153 and 39 Home Defence squadrons. On 1 April 1918, the Army's Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) were merged to form the Royal Air Force, and Blennerhassett relinquished his commission in the Royal Irish Fusiliers that day. On 11 November 1918 he was appointed an acting captain.

List of aerial victories

Postwar career

On 24 October 1919 Blennerhassett was granted short service commission in the RAF with the rank of flying officer. He served in No. 48 Squadron RAF in India, before resigning his commission on 19 January 1922.

Personal life

As a lay representative of the

Church of Ireland The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the secon ...

he donated the Bishop's Throne to

St John the Baptist Cathedral, Sligo St John the Baptist Cathedral, Sligo or more properly the Cathedral of St Mary the Virgin and St John the Baptist, Sligo but also known as Sligo Cathedral is one of two cathedral churches in the diocese of Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh (the other ...

, in memory of his father. He married twice; first to Kathleen Maud Curry of Newbridge, County Kildare at

Aldershot Aldershot () is a town in Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme northeast corner of the county, southwest of London. The area is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Alder ...

, Hampshire on 8 January 1918, and secondly to Dorothy Margaret Pinnock in 1932. Blennerhassett died on 4 December 1978, and is commemorated on the Great War Roll of Honour in Sligo Cathedral.

References

;Notes ;References * {{DEFAULTSORT:Blennerhassett, Giles 1895 births 1978 deaths British Army personnel of World War I Military personnel from County Sligo People educated at Sligo Grammar School Royal Irish Fusiliers officers Royal Flying Corps officers Irish World War I flying aces Royal Air Force personnel of World War I Recipients of the Military Cross