Mulock, Redford Henry 'Red' (Air Commodore)

09 Mar 1915. Redford Henry Mulock of Winnipeg became the first Canadian to qualify as a pilot in the British air services. He later became well known as Air Commodore R.H. Mulock, CBE, DSO & Bar (11 August 1886 - 23 January 1961).

He was the first Canadian flying ace of the First World War and the first in the Royal Naval Air Service, achieving five aerial victories by May 1916.

R.H. Mulock joined 13 Battery, Canadian Field Artillery in 1911. He enrolled in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1914 and served as a corporal with the 1st Battery, 1st Brigade, and 12th Battery, 3rd Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery in Canada and England until December 1914.

After transferring to the Royal Naval Air Service and undergoing pilot training, he was posted to 1 Naval Wing. Although he first saw combat in July 1915, he did not score his first victory until 30 December. He then scored on 24 and 26 January 1916, and twice on 21 May 1916. Four of the victories were of the "out of control" variety; the other was "forced to land". Mulock was awarded a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) on 22 June 1916. In 1917, he was promoted to command of No. 3 Squadron RNAS; in September, he was awarded the French Legion of Honour. A Bar to his DSO followed in April 1918, along with a promotion to wing commander. He was Mentioned in Despatches three times.

After the war, Mulock served with the Royal Canadian Air Force Reserve, rising to the rank of air commodore by 1935. He then left the military and joined Canadian Airways. In 2010, Mulock was posthumously inducted into the Canada's Aviation Hall of Fame. (Wikipedia)