Albert Tonkin
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Albert Victor Tonkin was a World War I
flying ace
credited with six aerial victories. He worked as a grocer prewar. He originally joined No. 10 Machine Gun Company in the Australian Imperial Force
. On 19 September 1917, he joined 1 Squadron AFC and was posted to Egypt for training. He rejoined the squadron as a pilot on 10 January 1918; he flew Royal Aircraft Factory BE 2Bs against the Turks and Germans. He scored six confirmed victories, and had three unconfirmed victories on 22 July 1918, when he strafed three Albatros D.V
s he had forced to land. On 10 August, he persisted in chasing a Rumpler
50 miles in an attempt to bring it to battle. On 13 August, engine trouble forced Tonkin and his observer to land. They were captured by local Arabs, who ransomed them back to the British for a hundred sovereigns. On 19 September, they were brought down by anti-aircraft fire and taken prisoner, only to be repatriated by rescuing cavalry.
Tonkin returned to Australia in March, 1919. He lived another half century, dying on 17 February 1969.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
flying ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
credited with six aerial victories. He worked as a grocer prewar. He originally joined No. 10 Machine Gun Company in the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
. On 19 September 1917, he joined 1 Squadron AFC and was posted to Egypt for training. He rejoined the squadron as a pilot on 10 January 1918; he flew Royal Aircraft Factory BE 2Bs against the Turks and Germans. He scored six confirmed victories, and had three unconfirmed victories on 22 July 1918, when he strafed three Albatros D.V
Albatros D.V
|-See also:-Bibliography:*Bennett, Leon. Gunning for the Red Baron. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 2006. ISBN 1-58544-507-X....
s he had forced to land. On 10 August, he persisted in chasing a Rumpler
Rumpler
The Rumpler Tropfenwagen was a car developed by Austrian engineer Edmund Rumpler.Rumpler, born in Vienna, was a designer of aircraft when on the 1921's Berlin car show he introduced the Tropfenwagen. It was to be the first streamlined car . The Rumpler had a Cw-value of only 0.28...
50 miles in an attempt to bring it to battle. On 13 August, engine trouble forced Tonkin and his observer to land. They were captured by local Arabs, who ransomed them back to the British for a hundred sovereigns. On 19 September, they were brought down by anti-aircraft fire and taken prisoner, only to be repatriated by rescuing cavalry.
Tonkin returned to Australia in March, 1919. He lived another half century, dying on 17 February 1969.