Croye Pithey
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Croye Rothes Pithey was a South African World War I flying ace
credited with 10 aerial victories. He was one of the war's handful of bomber pilots to become a balloon buster
; he may have been the only pilot to do it twice. He was also celebrated for his feats of visual and photographic reconnaissance under hazardous circumstances.
, South Africa; his home of record in his military records was Rothesdale, Scheepersnek, Natal, South Africa.
He worked as an accounting clerk in Johannesburg from June 1916 to May 1917; his fluency with Zulu
may have been helpful. He then joined the Royal Flying Corps
.
in the Royal Flying Corps
. After training, he was posted to 152 Squadron, but his stay with them was truncated by his hospitalization. After recovery, he was assigned to 12 Squadron on 17 April 1918 as a Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8 pilot. He was slightly wounded a week after his arrival. His first aerial success with his new unit came when he achieved the unusual feat of destroying an enemy observation balloon
with a bomber on 7 May 1918. He and his observer Hervey Rhodes
repeated the feat on 4 June. A triple victory three days later made them aces. Pithey was reported wounded on 15 August 1918. The crew of Pithey and Rhodes continued their victory streak through 3 September 1918, becoming the most successful aces to operate the clumsy and obsolete RE.8. On 27 September 1918, they were both wounded during a sortie, ending their flying career together. They had both earned a Distinguished Flying Cross, as well as each earning a Bar in lieu of a second award apiece.
On 21 February 1920 at 1406 hours, Pithey launched in favorable weather from Shotwick
, leading a ferry formation of three towards Dublin. All three planes were seen between Denbigh
and Rhyl
in Wales shortly after departure. Pithey crashed fatally shortly thereafter.
Pithey is buried at Hollybrooke Memorial Cemetery, Southampton, England.
Text of citation for the Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross:
.
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 10 aerial victories. He was one of the war's handful of bomber pilots to become a balloon buster
Balloon buster
Balloon busters were military pilots known for destroying enemy observation balloons. These pilots were noted for their fearlessness. Seventy-six fighter pilots in World War I were each credited with destroying five or more balloons, and thus were balloon aces....
; he may have been the only pilot to do it twice. He was also celebrated for his feats of visual and photographic reconnaissance under hazardous circumstances.
Early life
Croye Rothes Pithey was born on 19 August 1895 in NatalColony of Natal
The Colony of Natal was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on May 4, 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia, and on 31 May 1910 combined with three other colonies to form the Union of South Africa, as one of its...
, South Africa; his home of record in his military records was Rothesdale, Scheepersnek, Natal, South Africa.
He worked as an accounting clerk in Johannesburg from June 1916 to May 1917; his fluency with Zulu
Zulu language
Zulu is the language of the Zulu people with about 10 million speakers, the vast majority of whom live in South Africa. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in South Africa as well as being understood by over 50% of the population...
may have been helpful. He then joined the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
.
World War I
On 13 September 1917, he was appointed as a second lieutenantSecond Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
. After training, he was posted to 152 Squadron, but his stay with them was truncated by his hospitalization. After recovery, he was assigned to 12 Squadron on 17 April 1918 as a Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8 pilot. He was slightly wounded a week after his arrival. His first aerial success with his new unit came when he achieved the unusual feat of destroying an enemy observation balloon
Observation balloon
Observation balloons are balloons that are employed as aerial platforms for intelligence gathering and artillery spotting. Their use began during the French Revolutionary Wars, reaching their zenith during World War I, and they continue in limited use today....
with a bomber on 7 May 1918. He and his observer Hervey Rhodes
Hervey Rhodes
Hervey Rhodes, Baron Rhodes, KG, DFC, PC was a British Labour Party politician.Born in Saddleworth in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Rhodes was educated at St Mary's School, Greenfield, then at Huddersfield Technical College...
repeated the feat on 4 June. A triple victory three days later made them aces. Pithey was reported wounded on 15 August 1918. The crew of Pithey and Rhodes continued their victory streak through 3 September 1918, becoming the most successful aces to operate the clumsy and obsolete RE.8. On 27 September 1918, they were both wounded during a sortie, ending their flying career together. They had both earned a Distinguished Flying Cross, as well as each earning a Bar in lieu of a second award apiece.
Post World War I
On 1 August 1919, he was granted a permanent commission in the reorganized Royal Air Force as a lieutenant.On 21 February 1920 at 1406 hours, Pithey launched in favorable weather from Shotwick
Shotwick
Shotwick is a village and civil parish on the Wirral Peninsula in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England...
, leading a ferry formation of three towards Dublin. All three planes were seen between Denbigh
Denbigh
Denbigh is a market town and community in Denbighshire, Wales. Before 1888, it was the county town of Denbighshire. Denbigh lies 8 miles to the north west of Ruthin and to the south of St Asaph. It is about 13 miles from the seaside resort of Rhyl. The town grew around the glove-making industry...
and Rhyl
Rhyl
Rhyl is a seaside resort town and community situated on the north east coast of Wales, in the county of Denbighshire , at the mouth of the River Clwyd . To the west is the suburb of Kinmel Bay, with the resort of Towyn further west, Prestatyn to the east and Rhuddlan to the south...
in Wales shortly after departure. Pithey crashed fatally shortly thereafter.
Pithey is buried at Hollybrooke Memorial Cemetery, Southampton, England.
Honours and awards
Text of citation for the Distinguished Flying Cross:Text of citation for the Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross:
List of aerial victories
Croye Pithey's observer/gunner for all victories was Hervey RhodesHervey Rhodes
Hervey Rhodes, Baron Rhodes, KG, DFC, PC was a British Labour Party politician.Born in Saddleworth in the West Riding of Yorkshire, Rhodes was educated at St Mary's School, Greenfield, then at Huddersfield Technical College...
.
| No. | Date/time | Aircraft | Foe | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 May 1918 | Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8 two-seater reconnaissance plane | Observation balloon Observation balloon Observation balloons are balloons that are employed as aerial platforms for intelligence gathering and artillery spotting. Their use began during the French Revolutionary Wars, reaching their zenith during World War I, and they continue in limited use today.... |
Destroyed by fire | ||
| 2 | 4 June 1918 @ 0845 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8 | Observation balloon | Destroyed by fire | ||
| 3 | 7 June 1918 @ 0920 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8 serial number B7715 | Pfalz D.III Pfalz D.III |-See also:-Bibliography:* Gray, Peter and Owen Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam, 1962. ISBN 0-93385-271-1.* Grosz, Peter M. Pfalz D.IIIa . Berkhamsted, Herts, UK: Albatros Publications, 1995. ISBN 0-94841-425-1.* Guttman, Jon. Balloon-Busting Aces of World War 1 ... fighter |
Destroyed | Map grid 57C B8 | |
| 4 | 7 June 1918 @ 0920 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8 s/n B7715 | Pfalz D.III fighter | Driven down out of control | Map grid 57C B8 | |
| 5 | 7 June 1918 @ 0920 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8 s/n B7715 | Pfalz D.III fighter | Driven down out of control | Map grid 57C B8 | |
| 6 | 21 August 1918 @ 1130 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8 s/n E47 | Fokker D.VII Fokker D.VII The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself to be a formidable aircraft... fighter |
Driven down out of control | Béhagnies Béhagnies Béhagnies is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A small farming village located 13 miles south of Arras on the N17 road, at the junction with the D31.-Population:-References:*... , France |
|
| 7 | 23 August 1918 @ 1740 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8 | LVG LVG Luftverkehrsgesellschaft m.b.H. was a German aircraft manufacturer based in Berlin-Johannisthal, which began constructing aircraft in 1912, building Farman-type aircraft. The company constructed many reconnaissance and light bomber biplanes during World War I.The raid on London in 1916 was... two-seater reconnaissance plane |
Destroyed by fire | Boyelles Boyelles Boyelles is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming village located 6 miles south of Arras on the N17 road.... , France |
|
| 8 | 28 August 1918 @ 0945 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8 s/n F6097 | DFW DFW DFW may refer to:*Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport*Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, a metropolitan area in north Texas*Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources*Division of Fisheries and Wildlife... two-seater reconnaissance plane |
Destroyed | East of Saint-Léger Saint-Léger Saint-Léger as a person is Saint Léger, or Leodegar, 7th century Bishop of Autun.In geoography it is the name or part of the name of several communes, often named after the saint:-In Belgium:*Saint-Léger, Belgium, in Luxembourg province... , France |
|
| 9 | 30 August 1918 @ 1650 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8 s/n F6097 | Fokker D.VII fighter | Destroyed by fire | Bullecourt Bullecourt Bullecourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in France.-Geography:Bullecourt lies on the Upper Cretaceous plain of Artois between Arras and Bapaume and east of the A1 motorway. This shows Bullecourt just north of centre. Quéant is the larger of the two... , France |
|
| 10 | 3 September 1918 @ 1715 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory RE.8 s/n F6097 | LVG two-seater reconnaissance plane | Destroyed | Lagnicourt | |