Andrew Edward McKeever

Andrew McKeever
Andrew Edward McKeever, 1919
Nickname(s)	Hawkeye
Born	21 August 1894 Listowel, Ontario, Canada
Died	25 December 1919(1919-12-25) (aged 25) Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Allegiance	Canada United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Flying Corps Royal Air Force
Years of service	1914–1919
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Distinguished Service Order Military Cross & Bar Distinguished Flying Cross Croix de Guerre (France)

Andrew Edward McKeever DSO, MC & Bar, DFC (21 August 1894 – 25 December 1919) was a Canadian World War I two-seater flying ace who, in conjunction with his gunners, was credited with 31 victories. He was the highest scoring two seater fighter pilot in the Royal Flying Corps or Royal Air Force.

McKeever was born in Listowel, Ontario, Canada, to Bella Henderson and William McKeever, a grocer and butcher. After attending Toronto’s Central Technical School, McKeever worked as a teller until 1916.

McKeever joined the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, a militia unit, as a private. He remained with them until November, 1916, when he was accepted into the Royal Flying Corps. He sailed for England for training on 25 November 1916. He was commissioned a probationary lieutenant on 5 December.

Following training, he was assigned on 28 May 1917 to No. 11 Squadron, which was flying obsolete F.E.2s. They re-equipped shortly thereafter with Bristol F.2A fighters, sometimes referred to as the Brisfit. Among McKeever's tasks were photographic reconnaissance, with his observer wielding a hand-held camera and taking the photos. Although the Brisfit could do this job well, it was as fast as the Fokkers that opposed it, as well as maneuverable enough to be flown like a single-seater.

McKeever began his career as an ace by destroying a D.V on 26 June 1917 and sending down another out of control. On 7 July, he and Powell knocked down three more, with one destroyed and two falling uncontrollably out of the battle. McKeever would repeat this feat of triple victories on three more occasions, on 5 August, 23 September, and 31 October 1917.

On 3 October, when his score reached 20, Lieutenant McKeever was awarded a Bar to the Military Cross he had gained a month prior.

On 30 November 1917, while flying Brisfit A7288, he ended his career by attacking two German two-seaters protected by a flight of seven Albatros D.Vs. The D.Vs paid dearly for their protective role, as McKeever and Powell destroyed four of them, one of which burned. When Powell's gun failed, McKeever feigned being shot down and dived out the battle. He leveled off at only 25 feet altitude and, hidden from enemy planes by a shield of fog, hightailed for home. The remaining Germans broke off contact. This epic battle earned the Distinguished Service Order for Captain McKeever.