Captain Edward Gribben was a World War I

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.

Gribben was commissioned in the Royal Irish Rifles on 4 August 1914. On 1 December, he was promoted to captain. He transferred to 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...

 and was posted to 70 Squadron in early 1917. He flew a Sopwith Camel

Sopwith Camel

The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...

 to score five victories between 17 July and 13 August 1917. His final tally was two enemy planes destroyed, three driven down out of control. On 9 September, he was returned to England to serve with 44 Squadron as a night fighter pilot flying a Camel. From there he move to test pilot duty at RAE Farnborough during 1918. On 2 October 1918, he returned to combat as a flight commander in 41 Squadron. Two days later, he and his Camel were badly shot up by a 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...

; although wounded in the arm, Gribben crash-landed safely.