Richard Burnard Munday
| Richard Burnard Munday | |
|---|---|
| Born |
31 January 1896 Plymouth, England |
| Died | 11 July 1932 (aged 36) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Navy Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1915–1931 |
| Rank | Squadron Leader |
| Unit | No. 8 Naval Squadron RNAS |
| Battles/wars | World War I • Western Front |
| Awards |
Distinguished Service Cross Air Force Cross Croix de guerre (Belgium) |
Major Richard Burnard Munday was an English flying ace credited with scoring nine aerial victories during World War I. He was notable for scoring Britain's first night victory; he also excelled as a balloon buster at the rare feat of shooting down enemy observation balloons at night.
Richard Burnard Munday was born in Plymouth, England on 31 January 1896. He was the eldest son of Major General and Mrs. R. C. Munday of Port Royal, Plymouth.
Details of Munday's entry into military service are unknown. However, on 16 February 1915 he lost his probationary status as his rank of flight sub-lieutenant in the Royal Naval Air Service was confirmed, and on the same day he was awarded Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate No. 1085. He had trained in a Maurice Farman biplane at the military flight school at Brooklands.
Having completed his pilot's training, he began his aviation duties. He was slightly wounded on 28 December 1915, though details are unknown.
Munday served as an instructor at Cranwell during 1916; one of his pupils was Leonard Henry Rochford. Munday was promoted to flight lieutenant on 1 April 1916.
He was appointed an acting-flight commander on 3 December 1916. On 26 April 1917, Flight magazine reported that Munday had been accidentally injured in the line of duty.
His first aerial success came on 18 August 1917. His second through sixth victories were over observation balloons; most unusually, Munday downed enemy balloons at night, scoring Britain's first night victory in the process. By 21 February 1918, his victory tally had reached nine. His valour earned Munday the Distinguished Service Cross, gazetted on 16 March 1918:
"For courage and initiative. Offensive patrols under his able and determined leadership have consistently engaged enemy aircraft, and he has displayed the utmost courage in carrying out special missions alone, both by day and by night. On the 21st February, 1918, he attacked a new type enemy two-seater machine. The enemy machine dived steeply east, and Flt. Cdr. Munday followed and closed in, firing a long burst at close range, after which the enemy went down vertically out of control. On other occasions he has brought down enemy machines completely out of control, and has set fire to and destroyed enemy kite balloons both by day and night. On one occasion he attacked an enemy kite balloon at night, and destroyed both the balloon and its shed by fire."
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