Sydney Vincent Sippe
Encyclopedia
Major Sydney Vincent Sippe DSO
, OBE, FRAeS (24 April 1889 – 17 November 1968) was a British pioneer aviator, who designed, built and tested early aeroplanes, and was a distinguished pilot in World War I
.
The youngest of nine children, Sydney Sippe was born in London in 1889, and educated at Dulwich College
from 1903 to 1905.
After World War I Sippe continued to use the title Major – and was known as 'the Major' – even though the RAF rank was renamed Squadron Leader
in 1919. He also went by the nickname Pi , and, to his family, Pipi.
or British Westinghouse
), subsequently working with aircraft manufacturer A.V. Roe
and the British Aviation Co. At A.V. Roe, Sippe learned to fly, and became a test and demonstration pilot.
He designed and built an aeroplane between late 1909 and 1910, along with his brother Arthur and their friend James Jensen (or Jenson), which may have been the first plane constructed from steel tubing. He later supervised the construction of aeroplanes for the Italian War Office.
As a test pilot, in 1912 Sippe was the first person to fly a seaplane
in Britain, and the first to fly over the sea. He also tested and demonstrated aeroplanes in several other European countries.
, Sippe immediately joined up and was made a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Navy Air Service. He took part in the Entente's very first bombing raids on Düsseldorf
and Cologne
, then most notably on the Zeppelin
sheds and factories at Friedrichshafen
. The latter raid, on 21 November 1914, required long-distance and dangerous flying by three aircraft, including crossing Lake Constance
at a height of just two metres. According to Sippe, it was decided to bomb the buildings at lunchtime, when few workers would be inside, in order to minimize casualties.
in the 1915 New Year's Honours, and the OBE in the 1919 New Year's Honours. He also received the French Legion of Honour (rarely given to foreigners), the Croix de Guerre
, and made a Chevalier of the Belgian Order of Leopold.
Sippe was mentioned in despatches six times during the war.
(now a large aerospace business), then with Crossley Motors
, followed by Fairey Aviation Company. He then founded his own business, Field and Forest Supplies, selling products of his own invention.
He died in 1968 in Leatherhead
Hospital following a short illness, and was cremated. Despite Sippe's distinguished war record, it seems no obituary appeared in any major newspapers as they were not aware of his death.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, OBE, FRAeS (24 April 1889 – 17 November 1968) was a British pioneer aviator, who designed, built and tested early aeroplanes, and was a distinguished pilot in 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...
.
Early life
Sippe's parents were Charles Henry Sippe (1842–1924), a shipping export agent, and Elizabeth Jane Thornton (born 1846). They had moved to Britain from Australia, both families having originally emigrated from Liverpool.The youngest of nine children, Sydney Sippe was born in London in 1889, and educated at Dulwich College
Dulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
from 1903 to 1905.
Name and title
Sippe was named after Sydney, Australia, where both his parents had lived. His name is sometimes misspelled 'Sidney', even on official documents.After World War I Sippe continued to use the title Major – and was known as 'the Major' – even though the RAF rank was renamed Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
in 1919. He also went by the nickname Pi , and, to his family, Pipi.
Aviation pioneer
After leaving school, Sippe trained as an engineer with Westinghouse (either the Westinghouse Air Brake CompanyWestinghouse Air Brake Company
The railway air brake was invented by George Westinghouse of New York state in 1869. Soon after, he moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he established the Westinghouse Air Brake Company on September 28, 1869...
or British Westinghouse
British Westinghouse
British Westinghouse Electrical and Manufacturing Company was a subsidiary of the American Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company. British Westinghouse would become a subsidiary of Metropolitan-Vickers in 1919; and after Metropolitan Vickers merged with British Thomson-Houston in 1929, it...
), subsequently working with aircraft manufacturer A.V. Roe
Avro
Avro was a British aircraft manufacturer, with numerous landmark designs such as the Avro 504 trainer in the First World War, the Avro Lancaster, one of the pre-eminent bombers of the Second World War, and the delta wing Avro Vulcan, a stalwart of the Cold War.-Early history:One of the world's...
and the British Aviation Co. At A.V. Roe, Sippe learned to fly, and became a test and demonstration pilot.
He designed and built an aeroplane between late 1909 and 1910, along with his brother Arthur and their friend James Jensen (or Jenson), which may have been the first plane constructed from steel tubing. He later supervised the construction of aeroplanes for the Italian War Office.
As a test pilot, in 1912 Sippe was the first person to fly a seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
in Britain, and the first to fly over the sea. He also tested and demonstrated aeroplanes in several other European countries.
War service
In 1914, at the outbreak of World War IWorld 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...
, Sippe immediately joined up and was made a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Navy Air Service. He took part in the Entente's very first bombing raids on Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
and Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, then most notably on the Zeppelin
Zeppelin
A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship pioneered by the German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin in the early 20th century. It was based on designs he had outlined in 1874 and detailed in 1893. His plans were reviewed by committee in 1894 and patented in the United States on 14 March 1899...
sheds and factories at Friedrichshafen
Friedrichshafen
This article is about a German town. For the Danish town, see Frederikshavn, and for the Finnish town, see Fredrikshamn .Friedrichshafen is a university city on the northern side of Lake Constance in Southern Germany, near the borders with Switzerland and Austria.It is the district capital of the...
. The latter raid, on 21 November 1914, required long-distance and dangerous flying by three aircraft, including crossing Lake Constance
Lake Constance
Lake Constance is a lake on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps, and consists of three bodies of water: the Obersee , the Untersee , and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, called the Seerhein.The lake is situated in Germany, Switzerland and Austria near the Alps...
at a height of just two metres. According to Sippe, it was decided to bomb the buildings at lunchtime, when few workers would be inside, in order to minimize casualties.
Honours
Because of his distinguished war service, particularly the Friedrichshafen raid, Sippe was awarded the Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
in the 1915 New Year's Honours, and the OBE in the 1919 New Year's Honours. He also received the French Legion of Honour (rarely given to foreigners), the Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
, and made a Chevalier of the Belgian Order of Leopold.
Sippe was mentioned in despatches six times during the war.
Post-war life
After World War I, Sippe resumed work in the engineering and aircraft industries: he was a sales manager for ten years with Short BrothersShort Brothers
Short Brothers plc is a British aerospace company, usually referred to simply as Shorts, that is now based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Founded in 1908, Shorts was the first company in the world to make production aircraft and was a manufacturer of flying boats during the 1920s, 1930s, and 1940s...
(now a large aerospace business), then with Crossley Motors
Crossley Motors
Crossley Motors was a British motor vehicle manufacturer based in Manchester, England. They produced approximately 19,000 high quality cars from 1904 until 1938, 5,500 buses from 1926 until 1958 and 21,000 goods and military vehicles from 1914 to 1945.Crossley Brothers, originally...
, followed by Fairey Aviation Company. He then founded his own business, Field and Forest Supplies, selling products of his own invention.
He died in 1968 in Leatherhead
Leatherhead
Leatherhead is a town in the County of Surrey, England, on the River Mole, part of Mole Valley district. It is thought to be of Saxon origin...
Hospital following a short illness, and was cremated. Despite Sippe's distinguished war record, it seems no obituary appeared in any major newspapers as they were not aware of his death.