Sergeant Leslie Simpson Court was a World World aerial observer

Aerial observer

Aerial Observer- Air Force Reconnaissance.An Aerial Observer is the functional position of gathering information visually from an airborne platform for use by military or commercial purposes. This history started when the first balloons were flown in Europe...

 who was credited with eight aerial victories while serving as an observer/gunner in the Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2bs of 25 Squadron.

2AM Leslie Court began his victory string while piloted by Lancelot Richardson

Lancelot Richardson

Captain Lancelot Lytton Richardson was an Australian flying ace during World War I. He was credited with seven confirmed aerial victories.-Early life and service:...

; on 26 June 1916, the duo were credited with destruction of a German Fokker Eindekker. On 15 July, Court was credited with the destruction of a second Eindekker. Five days later, Court was again teamed with Richardson, and at 1830 hours, they destroyed an Eindekker and drove a second one down out of control, for two victories apiece. Richardson being wounded and sidelined because of this sortie, Court was then assigned to a newly arrived pilot, Corporal Thomas Mottershead

Thomas Mottershead

Thomas Mottershead VC, DCM was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Background:...

 for Mottershead's familiarization flights and rookie combat missions. On 5 August, Court and Second Lieutenant

Second 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...

 W. H. Rilett, while crewing FE.2b Serial No. 6932, were shot down, crashlanding just behind friendly lines and then having the wrecked plane shelled by German artillery. Just over a month later, on 9 September, Court was teamed with Noel Webb

Noel Webb (aviator)

Captain Noel William Ward Webb was an early World War I flying ace credited with 14 aerial victories. He was the first pilot to use the Sopwith Camel to claim an enemy plane...

, when they drove a German two-seater out of control, making Court an ace. He was subsequently promoted to Sergeant. On 27 September, Court flew with Second Lieutenant V. W. Harrison; in that day's dogfight, they shot down, and were shot down by, a German two-seater crew of Albert Dossenbach

Albert Dossenbach

Leutnant Albert Dossenbach was a World War I flying ace credited with 15 aerial victories.-Early service:Dossenbach was a medical student when the war began. He joined the army's Kaiser Wilhelm Fusilier Regiment No. 90 as a one year volunteer on 1 April 1914. Within his first month of his service,...

 and Hans Schilling

Hans Schilling (aviator)

Oberleutnant Hans Schilling was an early World War I German observer flying ace. He scored his eight confirmed aerial victories teamed with Albert Dossenbach. The pair of them were shot down on 3 November 1916. Dossenbach was wounded; Schilling was burnt. As a result, Schilling was teamed with...

. All hands survived. Court went on to two final wins while flying observer for fellow ace James Leith Leith, one the destruction of a German fighter plane on 22 October, the other a Fokker

Fokker

Fokker was a Dutch aircraft manufacturer named after its founder, Anthony Fokker. The company operated under several different names, starting out in 1912 in Schwerin, Germany, moving to the Netherlands in 1919....

 fighter driven down out of control on 9 November 1916. Sergeant Leslie Simpson Court was awarded the French Medaille Militaire on 1 May 1917.

Reference

• Guttman, Jon; Dempsey, Harry (illustrator) Pusher Aces of World War 1 Osprey Publishing Co, 2009. ISBN 1846034175, 9781846034176.