Lieutenant Robert MacIntyre Gordon (30 September 1899 – 19 April 1983) was a Glasgow-born seventeen-year-old

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 ...

. He was credited with nine aerial victories as 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 ...

pilot for the

Royal Naval Air Service The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps t ...

in 1918. Postwar, he became a

medical doctor A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...

Early life

Robert MacIntyre Gordon was born in Queen's Park, Glasgow, Scotland on 30 September 1899.Shores et al, p. 172.

World War I

During World War I, Gordon became a

fighter pilot for 4 Squadron of the

. He remained with this unit when it was incorporated into the Royal Air Force as 204 Squadron. Between 30 June and 27 October 1918, he scored nine aerial victories and won a Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery. His DFC was gazetted on 2 November 1918: On 29 September 1918, he was wounded and hospitalized. Freed from bed rest in early October, he was sent on leave. Upon return to duty, he scored his last victory on 27 October but was wounded again in the process. He sat out the rest of the war.

Combat record

Post World War I

Gordon qualified as a doctor in 1924. He was awarded a DSO and GM for his service during World War II. He died on 19 April 1983.

Endnotes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gordon, Robert MacIntyre British World War I flying aces Scottish flying aces Military personnel from Glasgow 1899 births 1983 deaths Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Royal Naval Air Service aviators Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)