Leonard Arthur Christian

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Leonard Arthur Christian
Nickname(s)"Leo"[ citation needed ]
Born9 May 1889
Near Armstrong, British Columbia, Canada
Died24 January 1955
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Buried
Mountain View Cemetery and Crematorium, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
AllegianceCanada
Service/branch Royal Flying Corps
RankLieutenant
Unit No. 206 Squadron RAF
Awards Distinguished Flying Cross
Other workServed in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II

Lieutenant Leonard Arthur Christian was a Canadian World War I flying ace credited with nine aerial victories scored while he flew as an observer/gunner on Airco DH.9 bombers.

Contents

Early life

Christian was born on a farm near Armstrong, British Columbia, Canada [1] on 9 May 1889. [2] HIs parents were Josephine E. and Joseph W. Christian. [3] He was a bachelor [4] horse breeder until he joined the military for World War I. [5]

World War I

Christian underwent pilot's training and graduated as a probationary Flying Officer in Bloody April 1917. However, because he was phobic about heights, he volunteered to serve as an aerial observer instead. He was posted to 6 Naval Squadron as an observer/gunner in Airco DH.9s and remained in the unit as it transformed into 206 Squadron of the Royal Air Force. Four months later, he began the victory tally that would run through 1 August 1918. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his defensive valor during the 47 bombing raids that he flew. [6]

His Distinguished Flying Cross was gazetted on 21 September 1918:

Lieutenant Leonard Arthur Christian (late R.N.A.S.)

"Since joining his squadron this officer has taken part in forty-seven bomb raids, displaying at all times keenness and determination, and rendering his pilot most valuable support. He has accounted for four enemy aeroplanes, destroying two, and driving down two out of control." [7]

List of aerial victories

Although trained as a pilot, Christian scored all his victories as an observer/gunner on a bomber.

No.Date/timeAircraftFoeResultLocationNotes
119 May 1918 @ 1940 hours Airco DH.9 serial number C6240 Albatros D.V Driven down out of control Geluwe Christian's pilot: Captain G L E Stevens
27 June 1918 @ 1200 hoursAirco DH.9 s/n C1181 Fokker Triplane Set on fire; destroyed Bac-St.-Maur Christian's pilot: Captain G L E Stevens
312 June 1918 @ 1232 hoursAirco DH.9 s/n C6240 Pfalz D.III Destroyed Zonnebeke Christian's pilot: Captain G L E Stevens
41 July 1918 @ 2015 hoursAirco DH.9 s/n B7596Pfalz D.IIISet afire; destroyed Houthem Christian's pilot: Captain G L E Stevens. Shared victory.
529 July 1918 @ 1920 hoursAirco DH.9 s/n B7596 Fokker D.VII Set afire; destroyedNorth of Menen Christian's pilot: Leslie Reginald Warren
629 July 1918 @ 1922 hoursAirco DH.9 s/n B7596Fokker D.VIISet afire; destroyedNorth of MenenChristian's pilot: Leslie Reginald Warren
729 July 1918 @ 1930 hoursAirco DH.9 s/n B7596Fokker D.VIIDestroyedWest of Courtrai Christian's pilot: Leslie Reginald Warren
81 August 1918 @ 0830 hoursAirco DH.9 s/n B7598Fokker D.VIIDriven down out of controlBetween Menen and Wervicq Christian's pilot: Leslie Reginald Warren
91 August 1918 @ 0830 hoursAirco DH.9 s/n B7598Fokker D.VIIDestroyedBetween Menin and WervicqChristian's pilot: Leslie Reginald Warren [8]

See also Aerial victory standards of World War I

Post World War I

On 23 August 1919, Christian was placed on the Royal Air Force's unemployed list. [9] He returned to his horse farm to breed race horses. He returned to service in the Royal Canadian Air Force for World War II. [10]

Leonard Arthur Christian died on 23 January 1955 and is interred in Mountain View Cemetery and Crematorium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. [11]

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References

Endnotes

  1. Franks, et al, p. 82.
  2. "Lieutenant Leonard Arthur Christian". canadiangreatwarproject.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2011.[ title missing ]
  3. "Leonard Arthur Christian". www.theaerodrome.com. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
  4. "Lieutenant Leonard Arthur Christian". canadiangreatwarproject.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2011.[ title missing ]
  5. Franks, et al, p. 82.
  6. Franks, et al, p. 82.
  7. (Supplement to the London Gazette," 21 September 1918, p. 11250.) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/30913/supplements/11250 Retrieved 3 July 2011.
  8. List compiled from http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/canada/christian.php Retrieved 25 June 2011; Franks, et al, p. 82.
  9. (The London Gazette, 12 September 1919, p. 11472) http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/31548/pages/11472 Retrieved 3 July 2011.
  10. Franks, et al, p. 82.
  11. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=christian&GSfn=L&GSbyrel=all&GSdy=1955&GSdyrel=in&GScntry=10&GSob=n&GRid=26275082&df=all& Retrieved 3 July 2011. [ user-generated source ]