Reginald H. Rusby
Encyclopedia
Captain Reginald Howard Rusby (4 September 1896 – December 1946) was a World War I 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 ten aerial victories.

Rusby was appointed Second Lieutenant from Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...

 Observer on 16 September 1916. However, his seniority dated from 29 September 1916. Although it would seem he was already serving as an observer/gunner in two-seater reonnaissance aircraft, Rusby was officially seconded for duty with 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...

 on 21 January 1917. He was promoted to Lieutenant (Temporary Captain), dating from 30 April 1917, to remain seconded to RFC. He was then confirmed as Lieutenant 1 June 1917, but ordered to surrender his Temporary Captaincy. Then he was promoted Captain as of 4 July 1917.

He gained his first victory in a Nieuport
Nieuport
Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars.-Beginnings:...

 single seat fighter on 16 December 1917, driving down 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 in the vicinity of Roulers. He would score twice more with a Nieuport, on 18 February and 23 March; on the latter occasion, he set a German reconnaissance plane on fire.

He was appointed Flight Commander from Flying Officer on 26 March 1918. He also upgraded to a Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a, which he used for six single victories in May 1918; one of these was a triumph shared with fellow aces Francis James Davies
Francis James Davies
Captain Francis James Davies was a World War I flying ace credited with twelve aerial victories during this war. He would return to his country's service during World War II.-World War I service:...

 and Charles G. Ross
Charles G. Ross (aviator)
Brigadier Charles Gordon Ross was a career soldier who served in both the Royal Air Force and the South African Air Force. He was a quadruple ace, being credited with 20 victories during World War I....

. Rusby's final tally was five enemy planes destroyed (three of which he set afire), two driven down out of control, and one captured.

Rusby was honored with a Distinguished Flying Cross on 3 August 1918.

Honors and awards

Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)

"Capt. Reginald Howard Rusby.

A patrol leader of great enterprise and courage. During the last six weeks he has destroyed five enemy machines, and previously he has destroyed an enemy kite balloon and a two-seater aeroplane." (Supplement to the London Gazette, 3 August 1918)

Reference

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