Cecil Frederick King
| Cecil Frederick King | |
|---|---|
| Born |
19 February 1899 Sevenoaks, Kent, England |
| Died | 24 January 1919 (aged 19) Sedgeford, Norfolk, England |
| Buried | St Mary the Virgin churchyard, Docking, Norfolk, England |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Service/branch |
Essex Regiment Royal Flying Corps Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1917 - 1919 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | No. 43 Squadron RAF |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
| Awards |
Military Cross Distinguished Flying Cross French Croix de Guerre |
Captain Cecil Frederick King (19 February 1899 – 24 January 1919), Military Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross, French Croix de Guerre was a World War I fighter ace credited with 22 aerial victories.
Cecil Frederick King was born to Frederick Hamilton King and Norah Carter King at Seven Oaks, Kent, England, the third of their four children. He attended Verites, Charterhouse School, and became a member of the Officers Training Corps there in 1912. At the beginning of World War I, he was living in Chelmsford. He joined the Essex Regiment Officers Training Corps as a private. He broke an arm in April 1915, which slowed his training.
King joined the Royal Flying Corps in February, 1917. In the fall of 1917, he was assigned to No. 43 Squadron RFC to fly Sopwith Camels. In conjunction with fellow ace Lieutenant William MacLanachan, he drove down an Albatros D.III out of control on 12 November 1917.
King did not score again until February 1918; in the latter half of the month, he ran off a string of three more enemy craft driven down out of control, then became an ace by destroying an Albatros D.V on the 26th.
By March 1918, he had advanced to B Flight Commander. On 22 March 1918, he was awarded the Military Cross. He also scored three more times in March.
He won the Croix de Guerre in July 1918 for strafing and bombing enemy troops during the Second Battle of the Marne. On 3 August 1918, King added a Distinguished Flying Cross to his medals.
By 8 August, his tally had grown to 19 victories, including eight straight in Camel no. D1864. He then switched to Sopwith Snipe no. E8031 for his final three victories.
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Wikipedia