Alfred Michael Koch

Last updated
Alfred Michael Koch
Born25 January 1894
Arosa, Graubünden, Switzerland
DiedPost 1984
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
AllegianceFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Service/branchFlag of the Royal Flying Corps.svg  Royal Flying Corps
RankLieutenant
Unit No. 1 Squadron RFC, No. 6 Squadron RFC, No. 70 Squadron RAF
Awards Military Cross

Lieutenant Alfred Michael Koch MC was a Swiss-born Canadian flying ace credited with ten aerial victories.

Military Cross third-level military decoration of the British Armed Forces, Commonwealth officers

The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries.

Flying ace distinction given to fighter pilots

A flying ace, fighter ace or air 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.

Contents

Early life

Alfred Michael Koch was born on 25 February 1894 in Arosa, Graubünden, Switzerland. [1] He moved to Canada at the age of four years. [2] His father was John Koch. The younger Koch enlisted in the 19th Alberta Dragoons on 23 September 1914 at Valcartier, Canada, and was assigned regimental number 2077. He listed a home address in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, his profession as law student, and claimed prior military experience. His physical examination reported him as 5 feet 3 1/2 inches tall. He reportedly was dark-complected, with dark brown hair, grey eyes, and moles on his right arm. [1] [2]

Arosa Place in Graubünden, Switzerland

Arosa is a statistic town and a municipality in the Plessur Region in the canton of Graubünden in Switzerland. It is both a summer and a winter tourist resort.

19th Alberta Dragoons

The 19th Alberta Dragoons originated in Edmonton, Alberta on 1 February 1908, when the 19th The Alberta Mounted Rifles were authorized to be formed and was redesignated as the 19th Alberta Dragoons on 3 January 1911. On 16 February 1936, it was amalgamated with The Alberta Mounted Rifles. It was redesignated the 19th (Reserve) Alberta Dragoons on 7 November 1940. On 1 April 1946, it was amalgamated with the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, The Edmonton Fusiliers and redesignated as the 19th (Alberta) Armoured Car Regiment, RCAC. It was redesignated the 19th Alberta Armoured Car Regiment on 4 February 1949, the 19th Alberta Dragoons on 1 November 1954 and the 19th Alberta Dragoons on 19 May 1958. It was reduced to nil strength and transferred to the Supplementary Order of Battle on 28 February 1965.

Edmonton Provincial capital city in Alberta, Canada

Edmonton is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city anchors the north end of what Statistics Canada defines as the "Calgary–Edmonton Corridor".

World War I

Koch was originally a trumpeter for the Alberta Dragoons. He transferred to the 1st Cavalry Division CEF and shipped out for the war zone. [3]

He flew as an aerial observer in 6 Squadron, and was wounded in action on 22 October 1916. He made the transition to fighter pilot and was posted to fly 70 Squadron's Sopwith Camels. On 18 October 1917, he began a decade of successes that carried him through to 23 March 1918; he succeeded against nine German fighter planes as well as destroying one of their observation balloons. [3] However, he was not awarded the Military Cross for these victories. When his Military Cross citation was gazetted on 22 June 1918, it read:

Wounded in action (WIA) describes combatants who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during wartime, but have not been killed. Typically it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing to fight.

Fighter pilot Military combat aviator

A fighter pilot is a military aviator trained to engage in air-to-air combat while in the cockpit of a fighter aircraft. Fighter pilots undergo specialized training in aerial warfare and dogfighting. A fighter pilot with at least five air-to-air kills becomes known as an ace.

Sopwith Camel British First World War single-seat biplane fighter

The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter aircraft introduced on the Western Front in 1917. It was developed by the Sopwith Aviation Company as a successor to the earlier Sopwith Pup and became one of the best known fighter aircraft of the war.

"...During ten days' operations he carried out eleven reconnaissances at low altitudes. He continually attacked and disorganised enemy troops and transport, and on one occasion he dispersed a battalion of enemy infantry which was marching along a road. On a later occasion, after he had completed a reconnaissance and bombed an enemy position, he was attacked by an enemy patrol. Though his tanks were pierced, and he was wounded, he succeeded in flying his machine back to the aerodrome. He showed splendid courage and initiative." [4]

The last known information about Koch is that he was wounded once again in 1918. [3]

List of aerial victories

All victories scored while flying a Sopwith Camel fighter plane for No. 70 Squadron RAF.

No.Date/timeAircraftFoeResultLocationNotes
118 October 1917 @ 0900 hours Sopwith Camel serial number B2399 Albatros D.V fighter planeDestroyed Westrozebeke, Belgium
220 October 1917 @ 1130 hoursSopwith Camel s/n B2399Albatros D.V fighterDriven down out of control Abeele
38 November 1917 @ 1145 hoursSopwith Camel s/n B2444Albatros D.V fighterDriven down out of controlWestrozebeke, Belgium
424 January 1918 @ 1130 hoursSopwith Camel s/n B9138 Albatros reconnaissance planeDriven down out of controlWestrozebeke, Belgium
5Sopwith Camel s/n/B1938Two-seater reconnaissance planeDriven down out of control Dadizeele
611 March 1918 @ 1230 hoursSopwith Camel Observation balloon Destroyed by fire Menen, BelgiumVictory shared with aces Frank Granger Quigley, Kenneth Seth-Smith, Walter M. Carlaw
711 March 1918 @ 1700 hoursSopwith Camel Pfalz D.III fighterDestroyed Passendale, BelgiumVictory shared with Frank Quigley
822 March 1918 @ 1525 hoursSopwith Camel s/n C1672Albatros reconnaissance planeDriven down out of controlVicinity of Cagnicourt, France
922 March 1918 @ 1535 hoursSopwith Camel s/n C1672Albatros D.V fighterDestroyedSoutheast of Lagnicourt, France
1023 March 1918 @ 0835 hoursSopwith Camel s/n C1672Albatros D.V fighterDriven down out of controlNorthwest of Cambrai, France [3]

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References

  1. 1 2 Marc Leroux. "Lieutenant Alfred Michael Koch". Canadiangreatwarproject.com. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Alfred M. Koch's Attestation Paper". Theaerodrome.com. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Alfred M. Koch". Theaerodrome.com. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  4. ↑ "SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 22 JUNE, 1918". London-gazette.co.uk. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
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