Guy William Price
Encyclopedia
Flight Commander Guy William Price was a Royal Naval Air Service
flying ace
during World War I. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and Bar within a 22 day period.
was awarded Royal Aero Club
certificate number 987, earned on a Grahame-White
biplane at their school in Hendon
. However, he would not achieve aerial success until late 1917, when he was posted to 8 Naval as a Sopwith Camel
pilot. At 1350 hours 5 December 1917, he destroyed a German Albatros D.V
fighter plane. Five minutes later, he helped squadronmate Flight Sub-Lieutenant Wilfred Harry Sneath drive down another Albatros D.V out of control for his second victory. The next day, Price teamed with Flight Sub-Lieutenant Harold Day
to drive a DFW
two-seater reconnaissance plane down out of control. Day and Price replicated this success on both 27 and 28 December, and Price was an ace.
On 2 January 1918, Price scored the first of the six singleton victories he would score that month; this particular sortie was mentioned when he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. After burning an enemy reconnaissance plane on the 6th, he drove down Albatros D.Vs on the 19th and 22nd; the latter win was noted in his second recommendation for the DSC. Price then destroyed another Albatros D.V on the 24th over La Bassée
. On 28 January, he incinerated another recon two-seater in the same locale. Finally, on 16 February 1918, he joined with Canadian ace Herbert Fowler in flaming another German reconnaissance two-seater. Two days later, Price went on a trench strafing
mission. Theodor Rumpel
of Jasta 23 dove on him and shot him down.
Guy William Price was gazetted his Distinguished Service Cross on 22 February 1918. The Bar in lieu of a second award followed with unusual rapidity, being gazetted on 16 March 1918.
“In recognition of the gallantry and determination displayed by him in leading offensive patrols, which have constantly engaged and driven away enemy aircraft. On the 2nd January 1918, he observed seven Albatross scouts, and, crossing the lines in the clouds, he attacked one, which fell vertically, bursting into flames, and crashed to the ground. He has on several other occasions driven enemy aircraft down out of control.
Text of citation accompanying award of a Bar to the Distinguished Service Cross
Fit. Cdr. Guy William Price, D.S.C., R.N.A.S.
For consistency and determination in
attacking enemy aircraft, often in superior
numbers. On the 22nd January, 1918, when on
offensive patrol, he observed seven Albatross
scouts. He dived and fired into one of the
enemy aircraft, which stalled, side-slipped,
and eventually fell over on its back, disappearing
through a thick bank of clouds,
and was observed by others of our machines
to fall completely out of control.
On several other occasions he has destroyed
enemy machines or brought them down completely
out of control.
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
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...
during World War I. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and Bar within a 22 day period.
World War I
On 9 December 1914, Flight Sub-Lieutenant Guy William Price RNASRoyal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
was awarded 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...
certificate number 987, earned on a Grahame-White
Grahame-White
Grahame-White was an early British aircraft manufacturer, flying school and later manufacturer of cyclecars.The company was established as Grahame-White Aviation Company by Claude Grahame-White at Hendon in 1911...
biplane at their school in Hendon
Hendon
Hendon is a London suburb situated northwest of Charing Cross.-History:Hendon was historically a civil parish in the county of Middlesex. The manor is described in Domesday , but the name, 'Hendun' meaning 'at the highest hill', is earlier...
. However, he would not achieve aerial success until late 1917, when he was posted to 8 Naval as 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...
pilot. At 1350 hours 5 December 1917, he destroyed a German 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....
fighter plane. Five minutes later, he helped squadronmate Flight Sub-Lieutenant Wilfred Harry Sneath drive down another Albatros D.V out of control for his second victory. The next day, Price teamed with Flight Sub-Lieutenant Harold Day
Harold Day (aviator)
Flight Sub-Lieutenant Harold Day , DSC was a Welsh-born World War I flying ace credited with 11 confirmed aerial victories.-World War I:...
to drive a DFW
Deutsche Flugzeug-Werke
Deutsche Flugzeug-Werke, usually known as DFW was a German aircraft manufacturer of the early twentieth century. It was established by Bernhard Meyer and Erich Thiele at Lindenthal in 1910, and initially produced Farman designs under licence, later moving on to the Etrich Taube and eventually to...
two-seater reconnaissance plane down out of control. Day and Price replicated this success on both 27 and 28 December, and Price was an ace.
On 2 January 1918, Price scored the first of the six singleton victories he would score that month; this particular sortie was mentioned when he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. After burning an enemy reconnaissance plane on the 6th, he drove down Albatros D.Vs on the 19th and 22nd; the latter win was noted in his second recommendation for the DSC. Price then destroyed another Albatros D.V on the 24th over La Bassée
La Bassée
La Bassée is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-History:La Bassée was the birthplace of the painter and draftsman Louis-Léopold Boilly .-References:*...
. On 28 January, he incinerated another recon two-seater in the same locale. Finally, on 16 February 1918, he joined with Canadian ace Herbert Fowler in flaming another German reconnaissance two-seater. Two days later, Price went on a trench strafing
Close air support
In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
mission. Theodor Rumpel
Theodor Rumpel (aviator)
Leutnant Theodor Rumpel was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.-References:...
of Jasta 23 dove on him and shot him down.
Guy William Price was gazetted his Distinguished Service Cross on 22 February 1918. The Bar in lieu of a second award followed with unusual rapidity, being gazetted on 16 March 1918.
Post World War I
On 24 July 1919, Guy William Price's next of kin, Mrs. Francesca d'Orange Price, posted notice that the deadline for claims against his estate was 8 September 1919.Honors and awards
Text of citation accompanying award of the Distinguished Service Cross“In recognition of the gallantry and determination displayed by him in leading offensive patrols, which have constantly engaged and driven away enemy aircraft. On the 2nd January 1918, he observed seven Albatross scouts, and, crossing the lines in the clouds, he attacked one, which fell vertically, bursting into flames, and crashed to the ground. He has on several other occasions driven enemy aircraft down out of control.
Text of citation accompanying award of a Bar to the Distinguished Service Cross
Fit. Cdr. Guy William Price, D.S.C., R.N.A.S.
For consistency and determination in
attacking enemy aircraft, often in superior
numbers. On the 22nd January, 1918, when on
offensive patrol, he observed seven Albatross
scouts. He dived and fired into one of the
enemy aircraft, which stalled, side-slipped,
and eventually fell over on its back, disappearing
through a thick bank of clouds,
and was observed by others of our machines
to fall completely out of control.
On several other occasions he has destroyed
enemy machines or brought them down completely
out of control.
Reference
- Franks, Norman. Sopwith Camel Aces of World War 1: Volume 52 of Aircraft of the Aces. Osprey Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1841765341, 9781841765341.