Noel Webb (RFC officer)
Noel William Ward Webb | |
---|---|
Pas de Calais, France | |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | British Army |
Years of service | 1915–1917 |
Rank | Captain |
Unit | Honourable Artillery Company No. 25 Squadron RFC No. 70 Squadron RFC |
Battles/wars | World War I • Western Front |
Awards | Military Cross & Bar |
Captain Noel William Ward Webb MC & Bar (12 December 1896 – 16 August 1917) was a British World War I flying ace credited with fourteen aerial victories. He also claimed the life of German ace Leutnant Otto Brauneck for his ninth victory.[1][2]
Early life and education
Noel William Webb (the form of name he used) was the youngest son of William Trego Webb and his wife Isabel Mary, of Kensington, London.[3] He was educated at St. Paul's School, where he played for the first Rugby team.[4] His older sister was the physician, costume collector and author Phillis Emily Cunnington.
Military service
Webb first served as a private in the
Webb was then reassigned to No. 70 Squadron as a Sopwith Camel pilot on 21 June 1917 for his return to combat. While test flying a new Camel on 12 July, he became the first pilot to score a victory in the type by wounding the crew of a German two-seater and forcing them down onto a British airfield into captivity. On 17 July, he sent down two Albatros D.Vs out of control in separate actions; in one of these dogfights, he wounded German ace Oberflugmeister Karl Meyer. On 26 July, he killed Leutnant Otto Brauneck while destroying his Albatros D.V. Webb scored twice more on the 28th, and followed this with three more, his last victories, on 13 August 1917. Three days later, near Polygon Wood, he was last seen diving away from his patrol after two German aircraft. He fell under the guns of Werner Voss.[2]
As a Commonwealth flier of the Western Front with no known grave he is commemorated at the Arras Flying Services Memorial,[9] and also, alongside his brother Lieutenant Paul Frederic Hobson Webb, who was killed in action on 7 July 1918 while serving in No. 27 Squadron RAF,[10][11] on the War Memorial at Dunwich, Suffolk.[3]
List of aerial victories
No. | Date/Time | Aircraft/ Serial No. |
Opponent | Result | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. 25 Squadron RFC | ||||||
1 | 19 July 1916 @ 0645 |
F.E.2b (5245) |
Fokker E | Destroyed | East of Provin | Observer: Second Lieutenant I. A. Mann. |
2 | 9 August 1916 @ 1215 |
F.E.2b (4839) |
Albatros C | Forced to land | Beaumont | Observer: Lieutenant C. S. Workman. |
3 | 7 September 1916 @ 1750 |
F.E.2b (7003) |
Fokker E | Out of control | Pont-à-Vendin | Observer: Corporal H. Brown. Shared with Captains Alwyne Loyd & C. H. Dixon, Second Lieutenant C. S. Workman, and Air Mechanic M. J. H. Booth. |
4 | 9 September 1916 @ 1600 |
F.E.2b (6993) |
C | Destroyed | Pont-à-Vendin | Observer: Sergeant Leslie Court. |
5 | 15 September 1916 @ 1720 |
F.E.2b (4841) |
Fokker E | Destroyed | Fresnoy | Observer: Lieutenant C. S. Workman. |
No. 70 Squadron RFC | ||||||
6 | 12 July 1917 @ 1215 |
Sopwith Camel (B3756) |
Albatros C.X | Captured | Bellevue | From Flieger-Abteilung 18. Pilot: Leutnant Johannes Böhm (DOW). Observer: Leutnant Johannes Wollenhaupt (POW).[12] |
7 | 17 July 1917 @ 2000–2055 |
Sopwith Camel (B3756) |
Albatros D.V | Out of control | South of Gheluvelt |
|
8 | Albatros D.V | Out of control | ||||
9 | 26 July 1917 @ 1930 |
Sopwith Camel (B3756) |
Albatros D.V | Destroyed | East of Zonnebeke | Leutnant Otto Brauneck (KIA). |
10 | 28 July 1917 @ 1940–1950 |
Sopwith Camel (B3756) |
Albatros D.III | Destroyed | Roulers |
|
11 | Albatros D.III | Out of control | East of Polygon Wood | |||
12 | 13 August 1917 @ 1930–1945 |
Sopwith Camel (B3756) |
DFW C | Out of control | North-east of Diksmuide | |
13 | DFW C | Destroyed | East of Diksmuide | |||
14 | DFW C | Out of control | North-east of Diksmuide | Shared with Captain A. R. Hudson. |
Honours and awards
- Military Cross
Gazetted on 1 January 1917, without citation.[8]
- Bar to Military Cross
- Temporary Captain Noel William Webb, MC, General List and Royal Flying Corps.
- "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in aerial combats. He has destroyed three hostile machines and driven down four others completely out of control. By his spirit and gallantry he has set a fine example which has inspired the pilots of his flight to successfully attack enemy formations many times more numerous than their own."[13]
References
- Notes
- ^ a b c "Noel William Ward Webb". The Aerodrome. 2016.
- ^ a b c Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 378.
- ^ a b Green, Stuart (2014). "Dunwich War Memorial". Roll of Honour.
- ^ a b c "Casualties". Flight. IX (465): 1230. 22 November 1917.
- ^ "No. 29525". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 March 1916. p. 3391.
- ^ "No. 29672". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 July 1916. p. 7172.
- ^ "No. 29792". The London Gazette. 20 October 1916. p. 10081.
- ^ a b "No. 29886". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1917. p. 43.
- ^ "Casualty Details: Webb, Noel William Ward". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 2016.
- ^ "Casualties". Flight. X (500): 838. 25 July 1918.
- ^ "Casualty Details: Webb, Paul Frederic Hobson". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 2016.
- ISBN 9781902304335.
- ^ "No. 30466". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 January 1918. pp. 579–580.
- Bibliography
- Shores, Christopher F.; ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.