Anthony Arnold
Encyclopedia
Major Anthony Rex Arnold (26 August 1896 - 1954) was a World War I
flying ace
credited with five aerial victories.
).
on 31 December 1914. Arnold was elected to the Royal Aero Club
on 5 October 1915.
for all five wins. He then was posted to instructor duty and promoted Major in the newly formed RAF. His majority brought him command of No. 79 Squadron.
to Wing Commander
. He was a Group Captain
by 9 January 1936, probably as a New Years promotion.
By the 1950s, he was working for a bank. He died in Mozambique
in 1954.
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 five aerial victories.
Early life
Arnold was born at Tattenhall, near Chester, the youngest of three children of Charles Lowther Arnold and Mary Delamere (born Tylor). His two older brothers were both killed in action during the war. (All were 3-great grandsons of Major General Benedict ArnoldBenedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
).
Early service
Arnold was confirmed in rank as a Flight Sub-Lieutenant, date of rank effective 1 August 1914, when he was assigned to the Pembroke on 5 October 1914. He was granted aviators certificate No. 876 by 28 August 1914. He was promoted to Flight LieutenantFlight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
on 31 December 1914. Arnold was elected to the Royal Aero Club
Royal Aero Club
The Royal Aero Club is the national co-ordinating body for Air Sport in the United Kingdom.The Aero Club was founded in 1901 by Frank Hedges Butler, his daughter Vera and the Hon Charles Rolls , partly inspired by the Aero Club of France...
on 5 October 1915.
Aerial victories
He began his victory string on 8 April 1917 and finished with his fifth win on 13 June 1917. He flew a Sopwith TriplaneSopwith Triplane
The Sopwith Triplane was a British single seat fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War. Pilots nicknamed it the Tripehound or simply the Tripe. The Triplane became operational with the Royal Naval Air Service in early 1917 and was...
for all five wins. He then was posted to instructor duty and promoted Major in the newly formed RAF. His majority brought him command of No. 79 Squadron.
Post World War I
He remained in the postwar RAF. As of the first day of 1930, he was promoted from Squadron LeaderSquadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
to Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
. He was a Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
by 9 January 1936, probably as a New Years promotion.
By the 1950s, he was working for a bank. He died in Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
in 1954.