Leslie Hamilton
| Leslie Hamilton | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Flying Gypsy |
| Born | Unknown |
| Died | c. August 1927 (disappeared) Mid Atlantic Ocean |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | British Army Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1916–1919 1920–1925 |
| Rank | Flying Officer |
| Unit |
Royal Engineers No. 17 Squadron RAF No. 150 Squadron RAF No. 24 Squadron RAF |
| Battles/wars | World War I • Macedonian Front |
| Awards |
Distinguished Flying Cross Order of the British Empire |
| Other work | Disappeared in attempt to fly Atlantic Ocean from east to west. |
Flying Officer Leslie Hamilton DFC, MBE, was a British World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories. He disappeared while attempting the first non-stop east-west flight across the Atlantic Ocean. His Fokker F.VIIa, named St. Raphael, was last seen in mid-Atlantic by SS Josiah Macy, a Standard Oil ship.
Hamilton was commissioned into the Corps of Royal Engineers as a second lieutenant on 12 June 1916. He was promoted to lieutenant on 12 December 1917, and having transferred to the Royal Flying Corps to train as a pilot, was appointed a flying officer on 17 January 1918.
Hamilton was posted to No. 17 Squadron stationed in Salonika, Greece, flying a SE.5a. His first victory was on 21 April and was shared with fellow ace Acheson Goulding. After No. 17 Squadron was merged with No. 47 Squadron to form No. 150 Squadron, Hamilton scored five more wins. The four triumphs he notched between 4 May and 4 September were shared with other aces, such as Gerald Gibbs, Frederick Travers, and Gerald Gordon Bell. Hamilton's sixth and last win, on 18 September 1918, was a solo one.
He was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, which was gazetted in February 1919. His citation read:
Hamilton was granted a short-service commission in the RAF on 24 October 1919, but relinquished both his temporary and short service commissions at his own request on 28 November, and was transferred to unemployed list. However, he soon returned to RAF service, being granted another short service commission on 14 July 1920 with the rank of flying officer.
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