Warneford, Reginald Alexander John ()

Warneford was born in Comeytrowe, Taunton, Somerset. He served as a Flight Sub Lieutenant in the 1st Squadron, RNAS. In actions over Ghent, Belgium, on 1915-06-07, FsL Warneford was flying a Morane monoplane on a mission to destroy a German Zeppelin. He spotted one and chased it from the coast near Ostend. When he caught up to the Zeppelin, he dropped his bombs on it which destroyed and brought down the Zeppelin, but the explosion overturned his plane and stopped its engine. Having no alternative, he had to land in hostile country, but after 35 minutes spent on repairs, he managed to restart the engine and returned to base. Ten days later he was flying from Paris in a Farman F.27, with an American reporter, when the plane crashed near Versailles. Both men were killed. For most prestigious gallantry, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.