Ellis, Sidney Emerson

Killed in Flying Accident 1917-07-04

Birth Date: unkown date

Born: Kingston, Ontario

the Reverend & Mrs. John D. Ellis

Home: Smith's Falls, Ontario

Enlistment: RNAS enlistment

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RNAS

Unit

4 (F) Sqn- Squadron (RNAS)

Base

France

Rank

Flight Sub Lieutenant

Position

Flt sub-Lieutenant.

Service Numbers

Ellis joined the RNAS in August 1916. Posted to 4(N) Squadron, he scored his first two victories in the spring of 1917 flying the Sopwith Pup. In July 1917, Ellis scored three more victories flying the Sopwith Camel. He was one of the first two pilots to score a victory with this aircraft, shooting down a Gotha bomber northwest of Ostende on the morning of 1917-07-04. Five days later, he was killed in Belgium when his Camel went into a spin and crashed.

Sopwith Camel

By unknown RAF photographer - gallery link image link, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8473883
RAF_Sopwith_Camel.jpg image not found

The Sopwith Camel became the most successful British fighter of the First World War. The Sopwith F.1 and 2F.1 Camel first went into operations on the Western Front in 1917 and then served in virtually every theatre of Royal Flying Corps (RFC), Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and Royal Air Force (RAF) service. Several Canadian aces used the Camel as their mount. The Camel was very manoeuvrable, and it could be tricky to fly in the hands of a novice pilot. For experienced pilots, however, the aircraft proved to be a superb fighter.

The Camel's machine-guns were mounted on the forward fuselage with their breeches enclosed in a faired metal cowling "hump" that gave the Camel its name. Several Camels were also shipped to Canada in the post-war period as part of an Imperial gift. Three registered Sopwith F.1 Camels entered service with the RCAF at Camp Borden in 1924. The following year, the RCAF purchased seven additional aircraft to provide further spares for the active aircraft. These latter aircraft were in fact 2F.1 models that had been "navalized" variants. Used primarily by wartime experienced fighter pilots for refresher training, the Camels lasted another five years before finally being scrapped.Wikipedia

YouTube Sopwith Camel

Wikipedia Wikipedia Sopwith Camel

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Kestrel Publications Sopwith Camel - Kestrel Publications