Arthur William Hammond Explained

Arthur William Hammond
Birth Date:1890 8, df=yes
Birth Place:Burton Upon Trent, Staffordshire, England
Death Place:Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Allegiance:United Kingdom
Branch:Royal Horse Guards, Royal Engineers
Royal Flying Corps
Royal Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
Rank:Lieutenant
Unit:No. 2 Squadron RFC
Awards:Military Cross with Bar

Lieutenant Arthur William Hammond was an English World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories as an observer/gunner.[1] [2]

Early life

Hammond was born on 29 August 1890 in Walton on the Hill, Lancashire, England. He was the son of Henry and Alice (née Kincaid) Hammond, his father was a Master Mariner.

Military life

Hammond joined the Royal Horse Guards as a trooper. In October 1915, he was commissioned as a Temporary Second Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) as an observer. Flying with 2 Squadron RFC he was credited with five victories as an observer/gunner flying the Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 biplane. The pilot mentioned in his second Military Cross citation was Alan Arnett McLeod, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for the same action.[2] Hammond lost a leg due to his wounds and left the RFC.[2]

Later life

At the end of the war, he emigrated to Canada at the invitation of the family of Alan McLeod. He landed in Stonewall, Manitoba and worked as a road engineer for a year. He then moved to Winnipeg and began a long career with the Great West Life Company. In the Second World War, he served as an adjutant in the Royal Canadian Air Force.[2]

Arthur Hammond was married twice – first to Nellie Grant of Winnipeg in 1927 and later in life as a widower to longtime friend Dorothy Wardrop (née Williams) in 1956. On retirement in 1946 he moved to Victoria, BC. He died in Victoria, British Columbia, on 22 December 1959, aged 69.[2]

Honours and awards

List of aerial victories

See also Aerial victory standards of World War I

No.Date/timeAircraftFoeResultLocationNotes
118 February 1918 @ 11:55 hoursArmstrong Whitworth F.K.8Pfalz ScoutDestroyedLa BasséeHammond's pilot was Jack Manning Allport
218 February 1918 @ 11:55 hoursArmstrong Whitworth F.K.8Pfalz ScoutDestroyedLa BasséeHammond's pilot was Jack Manning Allport
327 March 1918 @ 14:50 hoursArmstrong Whitworth F.K.8TriplaneDestroyedAlbertHammond's pilot was A. A. McLeod
427 March 1918Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8TriplaneDestroyedAlbertHammond's pilot was A. A. McLeod
527 March 1918Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8TriplaneDestroyedAlbertHammond's pilot was A. A. McLeod[3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Arthur William Hammond . theaerodrome.com.
  2. Web site: RCAF History . Major W. A. March . The Voxair, 17 Wing Winnipeg newspaper . 27 March 2013 . 29 November 2013.
  3. http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/hammond1.php The Aerodrome