Christopher McEvoy explained

Christopher McEvoy
Birth Date:1899 1, df=yes
Birth Place:Hendon, Middlesex, England
Death Place:Dorking, England
Allegiance:United Kingdom
Branch:British Army
Royal Flying Corps
Rank:Flight Lieutenant
Unit:No. 66 Squadron RAF
No. 37 (Home Defence) Squadron RAF
Battles:First World War
Second World War
Awards:Distinguished Flying Cross
Relations:Sir Theodore McEvoy (brother)

Christopher McEvoy, (2 February 1899 – 12 October 1953) was a British aviator and flying ace, credited with nine aerial victories during the First World War.

Early life

Christopher McEvoy was born in Cricklewood, North London on 2 February 1899. He was the first-born son of The Reverend Cuthbert McEvoy and his wife Margaret.[1] [2]

First World War

When old enough, McEvoy joined the Royal Flying Corps. In January 1918, he was assigned to No. 66 Squadron in Italy as a pilot. He was slightly wounded the following month, and hospitalized for a short while. On 30 March 1918, he scored his first aerial victory; by 1 August, he had run his tally of victories to nine. Illness then removed him from the cockpit; he was medically evacuated back to England with dysentery. After recovery, he served in No. 37(Home Defence) Squadron.[1] He was awarded Distinguished Flying Cross, gazetted on 23 September 1918:

List of aerial victories

See also: Aerial victory standards of World War I.

No.Date/timeAircraftFoeResultLocationNotes
130 March 1918 @ 1315 hoursSopwith Camel serial number B7389Albatros D.IIIDriven down out of controlMonte Melatta
24 April 1918 @ 0920 hoursSopwith Camel s/n B7389Albatros D.IIISet afire; destroyedCismon del Grappa
317 April 1918 @ 1420 hoursSopwith Camel s/n B7389Albatros D.IIIDestroyedSouth of Giacomo
426 May 1918 @ 0615 hoursSopwith Camel s/n B7353Reconnaissance planeDestroyedSalinaVictory shared with Harold Koch Boysen
521 June 1918 @ 0805 hoursSopwith Camel s/n B5180Albatros D.VDriven down out of controlFeltre
64 July 1918 @ 0815 hoursSopwith Camel s/n D8235Pfalz D.IIISet afire; destroyedNorthwest of Asiago
721 July 1918 @ 1915 hoursSopwith Camel s/n B2433Albatros D.VDestroyedMotta di Livenza
81 August 1918 @ 1155 hoursSopwith Camel s/n B2433Albatros D.VDestroyedSouth of Mareno-C Tron
91 August 1918 @ 1210 hoursSopwith Camel s/n B2433Albatros D.VDestroyedFontaneletto

Second World War and beyond

McEvoy returned to service in the Second World War, being appointed a temporary pilot officer on probation on 1 September 1939. He served in the rank of flight lieutenant as a codes officer for RAF Coastal Command.[1] It seems likely he got in some cockpit time, as he was still serving as a pilot officer when he surrendered his commission because of illness on 7 September 1940.

Christopher McEvoy died at Dorking, England on 12 October 1953 following a prolonged illness.[1] [3]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Shores. Christopher. Franks. Norman. Guest. Russell. Above the Trenches : A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces, 1915–1920. 1990. Grub Street. 978-0919195110. 272–273.
  2. Web site: Christopher McEvoy. The Aerodrome. 19 January 2018.
  3. . Death . The Aeroplane . 1953 . 19 January 2018. 85. 584. Temple Press .