Leonard Herbert Emsden
Encyclopedia
Sergeant Leonard Herbert Emsden DCM
was an observer and gunner aboard Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2b two-seater airplanes. He began scoring aerial victories during March 1917, continued winning through Bloody April
, and capped his career as a flying ace
with three victories on 1 May 1917. He was credited with a total of eight confirmed aerial triumphs.
, Suffolk
, England. His parents were Laura Gant and John Arthur Emsden, who were married in Elmsett
, Suffolk, England in 1888. Leonard was the middle child of five in this family, having two elder sisters and two younger brothers. They were orphaned when their father died on 7 February 1898. Laura Emsden would remarry within a year, and supply another daughter to the brood.
as an aircraft mechanic in No. 25 Squadron. He became a gunner on the unit's Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2b pusher
aircraft. As the gunner's duties were described:
From March through May 1917, Emsden was an Air Mechanic 2nd Class assigned to observer/gunner's duty. He was already an ace
on 1 May, when he scored two victories on a morning sortie
and a third one in the afternoon. He was wounded in action
in the hand. His valourous feats would earn him the Distinguished Conduct Medal
, which was gazetted on 18 June 1917:
Emsden would subsequently be promoted to corporal
, then to sergeant before he disappeared into the mists of history.
----
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...
was an observer and gunner aboard Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2b two-seater airplanes. He began scoring aerial victories during March 1917, continued winning through Bloody April
Bloody April
During the First World War, the month of April 1917 was known as Bloody April by the Royal Flying Corps . The RFC suffered particularly severe losses — about three times as many as the Imperial German Army Air Service over the same period — but continued its primary role in support of the ground...
, and capped his career as a 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...
with three victories on 1 May 1917. He was credited with a total of eight confirmed aerial triumphs.
Early life
Leonard Herbert Emsden's birthdate is uncertain, being 1893 or 1894; his birthplace is known to be BosmereBosmere-and-Claydon (hundred)
Bosmere and Claydon was a hundred of Suffolk, consisting of .The hundred is a fertile and picturesque district varying from 8 to about in length and breadth. It is bounded on the south by the Borough of Ipswich and Samford Hundred, on the west by Cosford and Stow Hundreds on the north by...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, England. His parents were Laura Gant and John Arthur Emsden, who were married in Elmsett
Elmsett
Elmsett is a village and civil parish in Suffolk, England. Located around three miles north-east of Hadleigh, it is in Babergh district. In 2005 it had a population of 826.-History:...
, Suffolk, England in 1888. Leonard was the middle child of five in this family, having two elder sisters and two younger brothers. They were orphaned when their father died on 7 February 1898. Laura Emsden would remarry within a year, and supply another daughter to the brood.
World War I
Emsden joined the military during World War I to serve his country. He ended up in the Royal Flying CorpsRoyal 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...
as an aircraft mechanic in No. 25 Squadron. He became a gunner on the unit's Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2b pusher
Pusher configuration
In a craft with a pusher configuration the propeller are mounted behind their respective engine. According to Bill Gunston, a "pusher propeller" is one mounted behind engine so that drive shaft is in compression...
aircraft. As the gunner's duties were described:
- "When you stood up to shoot, all of you from the knees up was exposed to the elements. There was no (safety) belt to hold you. Only your grip on the gun and the sides of the nacelle stood between you and eternity. Toward the front of the nacelle was a hollow steel rod with a swivel mount to which the gun was anchored. This gun covered a huge field of fire forward.... You had nothing to worry about except being blown out of the aircraft by the blast of air or tossed out bodily if the pilot made a wrong move. There were no parachutes..."
From March through May 1917, Emsden was an Air Mechanic 2nd Class assigned to observer/gunner's duty. He was already an 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...
on 1 May, when he scored two victories on a morning sortie
Sortie
Sortie is a term for deployment or dispatch of one military unit, be it an aircraft, ship, or troops from a strongpoint. The sortie, whether by one or more aircraft or vessels, usually has a specific mission....
and a third one in the afternoon. He was wounded in action
Wounded in action
Wounded in action describes soldiers who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during war time, but have not been killed. Typically it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing to fight....
in the hand. His valourous feats would earn him the Distinguished Conduct Medal
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...
, which was gazetted on 18 June 1917:
- "65935 2nd Class Air Mech. L. H. Emsden, R.F.C.
- "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has displayed the utmost gallantry and skill as an observer in aerial combats, continually bringing down his opponents with great skill and daring."
Emsden would subsequently be promoted to corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
, then to sergeant before he disappeared into the mists of history.
List of aerial victories
See also Aerial victory standards of World War IAerial victory standards of World War I
During World War I, the national air services involved developed their own methods of assessing and assigning credit for aerial victories.The victory scores of the pilots represented at List of World War I flying aces often cannot be definitive, but are based on itemized lists that are the best...
| No. | Date/time | Aircraft | Foe | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 March 1917 @ 1115 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 The Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 was a two-seat pusher biplane that was operated as a day and night bomber and as a fighter aircraft by the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War... b serial number 7693 |
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 |
Destroyed | Courrières Courrières Courrières is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:An ex-coalmining commune, now a light industrial and farming town, situated some northeast of Lens, at the junction of the D46 and D919 roads and next to the A1 autoroute... , France |
Pilot: Reginald Malcolm. Victory shared with William Drummond Matheson William Drummond Matheson Captain William Drummond Matheson was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.-References:... and observer, two other air crews |
| 2 | 17 March 1917 @ 115 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b s/n 6940 | Albatros D.III Albatros D.III The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service and the Austro-Hungarian Air Service during World War I. The D.III was flown by many top German aces, including Manfred von Richthofen, Ernst Udet, Erich Löwenhardt, Kurt Wolff, and Karl Emil Schäfer... fighter |
Set afire in midair | Between Oppy, Pas-de-Calais Oppy, Pas-de-Calais Oppy is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Oppy is situated northeast of Arras, at the junction of the D33, D48 and D50 roads.-Population:-Places of interest:... and Beaumont, France |
Pilot: H. E. Davis |
| 3 | 17 March 1917 @ 1725 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b s/n 7683 | Albatros D.III fighter | Driven down out of control | Arras Arras Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect... , France |
Pilot: James Leith Leith |
| 4 | 6 April 1917 2 1045 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b s/n 4847 | Halberstadt Halberstädter Flugzeugwerke Halberstädter Flugzeugwerke or Halberstadt was a German aircraft manufacturer. It was formed in April 1912 as a British-German joint venture under the name German Bristol works Flugzeuggesellschaft mbH in Halberstadt. Initially the plant produced Bristol Boxkites and Bristol Prier monoplanes, but... fighter |
Destroyed | East of Vimy Vimy Vimy is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography and history:Vimy is a farming town, situated some north of Arras, at the junction of the D51 and the N17 roads.... , France |
Pilot: B. King |
| 5 | 13 April 1917 @ 1930 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b s/n A6383 | Albatros D.III fighter | Destroyed | Hénin-Liétard, France | Pilot: Reginald Malcolm |
| 6 | 1 May 1917 @ 0620 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b s/n 7672 | Albatros D.III fighter | Destroyed | Izel-lès-Hameau, France | Pilot: Reginald Malcolm |
| 7 | 1 May 1917 @ 0645 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b s/n 7672 | Albatros D.III fighter | Captured | West of Lens, France | Pilot: Reginald Malcolm |
| 8 | 1 May 1918 @ 1800 hours | Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b s/n 7672 | Albatros D.III fighter | Set afire in midair | Bois-Bernard Bois-Bernard Bois-Bernard is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming village located 10 miles northeast of Arras on the D919 and D46 roads.-History:... , France |
Pilot: Reginald Malcolm |
Reference
- Above the War Fronts: The British Two-seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, The British Two-seater Fighter Observer Aces, And the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter Aces, 1914-1918: Volume 4 of Fighting Airmen of WWI Series: Volume 4 of Air Aces of WWI. Norman FranksNorman FranksNorman Leslie Robert Franks is an English writer who specialises in aviation books on the pilots and squadrons of World Wars I and II.-Biography:...
, Russell Guest, Gregory Alegi. Grub Street, 1997. ISBN 1898697566, 9781898697565. - Horses Don't Fly. Frederick Libby. Arcade Publishing, 2000. ISBN 1559705264, 9781559705264.
- Pusher Aces of World War 1: Volume 88 of Osprey Aircraft of the Aces: Volume 88 of Aircraft of the Aces. Jon Guttman, Harry Dempsey. Osprey Publishing, 2009. ISBN 1846034175, 9781846034176.
Endnotes
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