Captain Reginald Morse Charley 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 six aerial victories. He qualified as an engineer in 1911. He moved to Pittsburgh in the United States to work in February 1914. In 1915, he 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...

in Canada. By the middle of 1916, he was serving back in England in No. 59 Squadron. In December 1916, he was transferred to 54 Squadron, which deployed to France. Charley scored six confirmed victories during 1917, with another one unconfirmed. He became C Flight Commander in September. In November, he was transferred to Home Establishment; he spent the last year of the war at the Armament Experimental Station.

Upon discharge in 1919, he returned to America to work as a Transformer Sales Manager for the English Electric Company. He retired in 1960, and died shortly after his 94th birthday, in 1986.