Christopher McEvoy

Christopher McEvoy
Born(1899-01-02)2 January 1899
Hendon, Middlesex, England
Died12 October 1953(1953-10-12) (aged 54)
Dorking, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Army
Royal Flying Corps
RankFlight Lieutenant
UnitNo. 66 Squadron RAF
No. 37 (Home Defence) Squadron RAF
Battles / warsFirst World War
Second World War
AwardsDistinguished Flying Cross
RelationsSir Theodore McEvoy (brother)

Christopher McEvoy, DFC (2 February 1899 – 12 October 1953) was a British aviator and flying ace, credited with nine aerial victories during the First World War.

Early life

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Christopher McEvoy was born in Cricklewood, North London on 2 February 1899. He was the first-born son of The Reverend Cuthbert McEvoy and his wife Margaret.[1][2]

First World War

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When old enough, McEvoy joined the Royal Flying Corps. In January 1918, he was assigned to No. 66 Squadron in Italy as a pilot. He was slightly wounded the following month, and hospitalized for a short while. On 30 March 1918, he scored his first aerial victory; by 1 August, he had run his tally of victories to nine. Illness then removed him from the cockpit; he was medically evacuated back to England with dysentery. After recovery, he served in No. 37(Home Defence) Squadron.[1] He was awarded Distinguished Flying Cross, gazetted on 23 September 1918:

A gallant pilot who has destroyed six enemy machines in a few months. He displays great determination in his attacks in high or low flying, and in bombing attacks over the enemy's lines.[3]

List of aerial victories

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No. Date/time Aircraft Foe Result Location Notes
1 30 March 1918 @ 1315 hours Sopwith Camel serial number B7389 Albatros D.III Driven down out of control Monte Melatta
2 4 April 1918 @ 0920 hours Sopwith Camel s/n B7389 Albatros D.III Set afire; destroyed Cismon del Grappa
3 17 April 1918 @ 1420 hours Sopwith Camel s/n B7389 Albatros D.III Destroyed South of Giacomo
4 26 May 1918 @ 0615 hours Sopwith Camel s/n B7353 Reconnaissance plane Destroyed Salina Victory shared with Harold Koch Boysen
5 21 June 1918 @ 0805 hours Sopwith Camel s/n B5180 Albatros D.V Driven down out of control Feltre
6 4 July 1918 @ 0815 hours Sopwith Camel s/n D8235 Pfalz D.III Set afire; destroyed Northwest of Asiago
7 21 July 1918 @ 1915 hours Sopwith Camel s/n B2433 Albatros D.V Destroyed Motta di Livenza
8 1 August 1918 @ 1155 hours Sopwith Camel s/n B2433 Albatros D.V Destroyed South of Mareno-C Tron
9 1 August 1918 @ 1210 hours Sopwith Camel s/n B2433 Albatros D.V Destroyed Fontaneletto[2][1]

Second World War and beyond

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McEvoy returned to service in the Second World War, being appointed a temporary pilot officer on probation on 1 September 1939.[4] He served in the rank of flight lieutenant as a codes officer for RAF Coastal Command.[1] It seems likely he got in some cockpit time, as he was still serving as a pilot officer when he surrendered his commission because of illness on 7 September 1940.[5]

Christopher McEvoy died at Dorking, England on 12 October 1953 following a prolonged illness.[1][6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Shores, Christopher; Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell (1990). Above the Trenches : A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces, 1915–1920. Grub Street. pp. 272–273. ISBN 978-0919195110.
  2. ^ a b "Christopher McEvoy". The Aerodrome. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  3. ^ "No. 13325". The Edinburgh Gazette. 23 September 1918. p. 3535.
  4. ^ "No. 34694". The London Gazette. 26 September 1939. pp. 6507–6508.
  5. ^ "No. 34945". The London Gazette. 13 September 1940. p. 5495.
  6. ^ "Death". The Aeroplane. Vol. 85. Temple Press. 1953. p. 584. Retrieved 19 January 2018.