Walbanke Ashby Pritt
| Walbanke Ashby Pritt | |
|---|---|
| Born |
31 January 1897 Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England |
| Died | 27 January 1928 (aged 30) Bagby, Yorkshire, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | British Army Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1916–1920 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit |
No. 66 Squadron RFC No. 44 Squadron RFC |
| Battles/wars | World War I • Western Front |
| Awards | Military Cross |
Lieutenant Walbanke Ashby Pritt, MC (31 January 1897 – 27 January 1928) was a British First World War flying ace credited with five aerial victories.
Pritt was born and grew up in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, the son of Walter Charles Ashby Pritt, a cotton factor (commission merchant), and his wife Marguerite Bianca Selina Pritt. His army records indicate that he attended St Peter's School in York from September 1909 to February 1916. He passed the entrance exams for Sandhurst in February 1916, but was rejected for officer training as being too small.
After being rejected by Sandhurst he opted to try flying. On 16 September 1916 Pritt passed his Royal Aero Club flying test and was awarded Aviators' Certificate No. 3564, after soloing a Caudron at the Wallisdown School in Bournemouth, and was then accepted by the Royal Flying Corps for flying training as a cadet. He underwent training at the Cadet School at Denham and No. 2 School of Military Aeronautics at Oxford.
Commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant (on probation) on the General List for service on the RFC on 4 March 1917. he was then posted to No. 41 Reserve Squadron and No. 15 Reserve Squadron where he gained his RFC wings, and was appointed a flying officer on 2 June 1917. He was then posted to No. 40 Reserve Squadron, and on 4 July 1917 was sent to France where he joined No. 66 Squadron.
During the five-month period, 4 July to 14 November 1917, while flying Sopwith Pups with No. 66 Squadron Pritt became an ace, officially credited with five aircraft destroyed; there is evidence of a possible sixth victory. He was also awarded the Military Cross on 26 September 1917. His citation read:
On 15 February 1918 Pritt was injured while flying Sopwith Camel (B7332) of No. 44 Squadron; he had an engine failure at 500 feet over Hainault Farm, flying downwind he stalled and spun in.
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