Air Commodore Mellersh (left), Air Commander of the Strategic Air Force, in discussion with senior officers in the War Room at Headquarters Strategic Air Force, Eastern Air Command in Calcutta
Mellersh joined the Royal Naval Air Service in 1916. He trained as a fighter pilot and was posted to 9 Naval Squadron in 1917. While flying a Sopwith Triplane on 28 July 1917, he drove down an Aviatik C. He switched to flying a Sopwith Camel and scored victories 15 October 1917 and 12 April 1918; the latter win was shared with squadron-mate Roy Brown. On 21 April 1918, Mellersh was a flight commander involved in the dogfight that brought down the Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen; Mellersh claimed a Fokker Dr.I triplane destroyed on that date. His last victory came two days later.[1]
Death
Mellersh debarked from a helicopter onto a quay on 25 May 1955; he had been invited to cruise on a yacht belonging to the Itchenor Yacht Club. As the helicopter departed, one of its rotors hit the mast of a yacht. As the copter crashed, the main rotor killed Mellersh.[2]
References
Footnotes
^Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. p. 280.
^"Francis John Williamson Mellersh". www.theaerodrome.com. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
Bibliography
Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. Christopher F. Shores, Norman L. R. Franks, Russell Guest. Grub Street, 1990. ISBN0-948817-19-4, ISBN978-0-948817-19-9.
External links
Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Vice Marshal Sir Francis Mellersh
The Aerodrome – Francis Mellersh
King's College London – Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives – MELLERSH, Sir Francis John Williamson
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Francis Mellersh (RAF officer).
francis, mellersh, officer, vice, marshal, francis, john, williamson, mellersh, september, 1898, 1955, royal, naval, service, aviator, flying, credited, with, five, aerial, victories, during, first, world, senior, commander, royal, force, during, 1940s, 1950s,. Air vice marshal Sir Francis John Williamson Mellersh KBE AFC 22 September 1898 25 May 1955 was a Royal Naval Air Service aviator and flying ace credited with five aerial victories during the First World War and a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the 1940s and 1950s He was killed in a helicopter accident in 1955 Sir Francis MellershAir Commodore Mellersh left Air Commander of the Strategic Air Force in discussion with senior officers in the War Room at Headquarters Strategic Air Force Eastern Air Command in CalcuttaNickname s TogBorn 1898 09 22 22 September 1898Esher SurreyDied25 May 1955 1955 05 25 aged 56 Itchenor SussexAllegianceUnited KingdomService wbr branchRoyal Navy 1916 18 Royal Air Force 1918 54 Years of service1916 54RankAir vice marshalCommands heldRAF Regiment 1952 54 AHQ Malaya 1949 51 No 21 Group 1947 48 No 91 Group 1946 47 RAF Staff College Bulstrode Park 1945 46 No 231 Bomber Group 1944 RAF Wattisham 1941 42 Battles warsWorld War IWorld War IIAwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the British EmpireAir Force CrossMentioned in Despatches 2 Contents 1 First World War 2 Death 3 References 3 1 Footnotes 3 2 Bibliography 4 External linksFirst World War EditMellersh joined the Royal Naval Air Service in 1916 He trained as a fighter pilot and was posted to 9 Naval Squadron in 1917 While flying a Sopwith Triplane on 28 July 1917 he drove down an Aviatik C He switched to flying a Sopwith Camel and scored victories 15 October 1917 and 12 April 1918 the latter win was shared with squadron mate Roy Brown On 21 April 1918 Mellersh was a flight commander involved in the dogfight that brought down the Red Baron Manfred von Richthofen Mellersh claimed a Fokker Dr I triplane destroyed on that date His last victory came two days later 1 Death EditMellersh debarked from a helicopter onto a quay on 25 May 1955 he had been invited to cruise on a yacht belonging to the Itchenor Yacht Club As the helicopter departed one of its rotors hit the mast of a yacht As the copter crashed the main rotor killed Mellersh 2 References EditFootnotes Edit Above the Trenches A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915 1920 p 280 Francis John Williamson Mellersh www theaerodrome com Retrieved 7 February 2010 Bibliography Edit Above the Trenches a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915 1920 Christopher F Shores Norman L R Franks Russell Guest Grub Street 1990 ISBN 0 948817 19 4 ISBN 978 0 948817 19 9 External links EditAir of Authority A History of RAF Organisation Air Vice Marshal Sir Francis Mellersh The Aerodrome Francis Mellersh King s College London Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives MELLERSH Sir Francis John Williamson Wikimedia Commons has media related to Francis Mellersh RAF officer Military officesPreceded byOswald Gayford Officer Commanding RAF Wattisham1941 1942 Succeeded byunknownPreceded byHoward C DavidsonUSAAF Air Commander Strategic Air Force Eastern Air Command1944 1945 Formation disbandedPreceded byRonald Graham Commandant RAF Staff College Bulstrode Park1945 1946 Succeeded byDermot BoylePreceded byGordon Vasse Air Officer Commanding No 21 Group1947 1948 Succeeded byCecil BouchierPreceded byStephen Strafford Commandant General of the RAF Regiment1952 1954 Succeeded byBrian Yarde Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Francis Mellersh RAF officer amp oldid 1089024335, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
