Second Lieutenant Leslie Simpson Court (1897 – 10 December 1918) 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 ...

. He was credited with eight aerial victories, gained while serving as an observer/gunner in No. 25 Squadron,

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

.Guttman & Dempsey (2009), p. 71.

Biography

Early life

Leslie Simpson Court was born in 1897 at Eyhorne Green Farm,

Hollingbourne Hollingbourne is a village and civil parish in the borough of Maidstone in Kent, England. The parish is located on the southward slope of the North Downs to the east of the county town, Maidstone. The parish population is around 900 and has th ...

. His parents were George Robert and Sarah Ann Head Court.Findagrave website https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/103262925/leslie-simpson-court Retrieved 12 November 2017.

Military service

In 1916 Air Mechanic 2nd Class (2AM) Court was flying in 25 Squadron's

FE.2B Between 1911 and 1914, the Royal Aircraft Factory used the F.E.2 (Farman Experimental 2) designation for three quite different aircraft that shared only a common "Farman" pusher biplane layout. The third "F.E.2" type was operated as a day and n ...

's. He began his victory string while piloted by Lancelot Richardson; on 26 June, the duo were credited with destruction of a German

Fokker Eindekker The Fokker ''Eindecker'' fighters were a series of German World War I monoplane single-seat fighter aircraft designed by Netherlands, Dutch engineer Anthony Fokker.Boyne 1988 Developed in April 1915, the first ''Eindecker'' ("Monoplane") was the f ...

. On 15 July, Court was credited with the destruction of a second Eindekker. Five days later, Court was again teamed with Richardson, and at 1830 hours, they destroyed an Eindekker and drove a second one down out of control, for two victories apiece. Richardson having been wounded during this sortie, Court was assigned to a newly arrived pilot, Corporal

Thomas Mottershead Thomas Mottershead Victoria Cross, VC, Distinguished Conduct Medal, DCM (17 January 1892 – 12 January 1917) was an England, English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the ene ...

for familiarization flights and initial combat missions. On 5 August, Court and

Second Lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

W. H. Rilett, while crewing FE.2b Serial No. 6932, were shot down, crash landing just behind the British lines and then having the wrecked plane shelled by German artillery. Just over a month later, on 9 September, Court was teamed with Noel Webb, when they drove a German two-seater out of control, making Court an ace. He was subsequently promoted to Sergeant. On 27 September, Court flew with Second Lieutenant Victor William Harrison; in that day's dogfight, they shot down, and were shot down by, a German two-seater crew of

Albert Dossenbach ''Leutnant'' Albert Dossenbach (5 June 1891 – 3 July 1917) was a World War I flying ace credited with 15 aerial victories.The Aerodrome website's page on Dossenbach http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/germany/dossenbach.php Retrieved 15 January 2010 ...

and Hans Schilling. All survived. Court went on to two final wins while flying as observer for fellow ace James Leith Leith; one the destruction of a German fighter plane on 22 October, the other a

Fokker Fokker was a Dutch aircraft manufacturer named after its founder, Anthony Fokker. The company operated under several different names. It was founded in 1912 in Berlin, Germany, and became famous for its fighter aircraft in World War I. In 1919 ...

fighter driven down out of control on 9 November. On 1 May 1917 Court received permission to wear the ''Médaille Militaire'', awarded to him by the French government. On 25 October 1917 Court was commissioned as a probationary second lieutenant, being confirmed in his rank on 30 April 1918. He was serving at the 26th Training Depot Station, when he died at the 1st Scottish General Hospital, Aberdeen, on 10 December 1918. He is buried at

All Saints Church All Saints Church, or All Saints' Church or variations on the name may refer to: Albania *All Saints' Church, Himarë Australia * All Saints Church, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory * All Saints Anglican Church, Henley Brook, Western Aust ...

, Kent, in the northwest angle of the church.

References

;Notes ;Bibliography * * Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell; Alegi, Gregory (1997). ''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. , 978189869756. {{DEFAULTSORT:Court, Leslie 1897 births 1918 deaths People from Kent Royal Flying Corps officers British World War I flying aces