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Reginald Makepeace

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British World War I flying ace

Reginald Milburn Makepeace
Born(1890-12-27)27 December 1890
Darlington, County Durham, England
Died28 May 1918(1918-05-28) (aged 27)
Turnberry, Ayrshire, Scotland
BuriedAnfield Cemetery, Liverpool 53°26′20″N 2°57′30″W / 53.43889°N 2.95833°W / 53.43889; -2.95833
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Army
Royal Air Force
Years of service1916–1918
RankLieutenant
UnitNo. 22 Squadron RFC
No. 11 Squadron RFC
Battles / wars
AwardsMilitary Cross

Lieutenant Reginald Milburn Makepeace MC (27 December 1890 – 28 May 1918) was a British World War I flying ace credited with 17 aerial victories.

Early life and background

Makepeace was born in Darlington, County Durham, the son of John P. Makepeace, a printer and compositor, and Mary A. Makepeace (née Milburn). The family emigrated to Canada in 1905, eventually settling in Montreal where Makepeace worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway.

World War I flying service

Makepeace was commissioned as a second lieutenant (on probation) in the Royal Flying Corps on 17 November 1916, and was assigned to No. 20 Squadron as a pilot flying a Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2d on 8 June 1917.

He scored his first victory on 29 June 1917, with Lieutenant Melville Waddington as his observer gunner, and gained his second on 6 July, before his period of probation was over, as he was not confirmed in his rank until 12 July. Makepeace triumphed six more times in the FE.2d, including a triple victory on the evening of 27 July, with his eighth win coming on 17 August 1917. His squadron was then re-equipped with the Bristol F.2 Fighter, and he and Waddington were the first to score with the new aircraft when they shot down an Albatros D.V in flames on 3 September. He would score seven more times flying the Bristol, gaining his sixteenth win on 4 January 1918. For his seventeenth and final victory on 28 January 1918 he flew as observer/gunner for pilot Second Lieutenant John Stanley Chick of No. 11 Squadron.

Makepeace was awarded the Military Cross on 26 September 1917, which was gazetted on 9 January 1918. His citation read:

Second Lieutenant Reginald Milburn Makepeace, Royal Flying Corps, Special Reserve.
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty whilst on an offensive patrol. He and his gunner shot down three enemy aircraft in quick succession, having attacked a large hostile formation, about twenty in number, with great dash and determination."

Makepeace was serving as an instructor at the No. 1 School of Aerial Fighting and Gunnery, based at Turnberry Aerodrome, on 28 May 1918 when the wings of his Bristol F2b fighter folded up in flight, and Makepeace and his crewman Second Lieutenant Thomas Albert McClure were both killed. He is buried at Anfield Cemetery, Liverpool.

Combat record

List of aerial victories
No. Date
Time 		Aircraft
Serial No. 		Opponent Result Location Notes
1 29 June 1917
@ 1330		 F.E.2d
(A6498)		 Albatros D.III Driven down 'out of control' Houthem Observer: Lieutenant Melville Waddington
2 6 July 1917
@ 1830		 F.E.2d
(A6457)		 Albatros D.III Driven down 'out of control' Comines Observer: Second Lieutenant W. D. Kennard
3 27 July 1917
@ 1945-2040		 F.E.2d
(A6458)		 Albatros D.III Destroyed (in flames) Menen Observer: Private S. Pilbrow
4 Albatros D.III Driven down 'out of control' Polygon Wood
5 Albatros D.III Driven down 'out of control' South of Polygon Wood
6 28 July 1917
@ 0920		 F.E.2d
(A1956)		 Albatros D.III Driven down 'out of control' Kezelberg Observer: Private S. Pilbrow
7 16 August 1917
@ 0905		 F.E.2d
(A3)		 Albatros D.V Driven down 'out of control' Zonnebeke Observer: Lieutenant Melville Waddington.
Shared with Second Lieutenants William Durrand Jr. & J. P. Flynn.
8 17 August 1917
@ 2000		 F.E.2d
(B1897)		 Albatros D.V Driven down 'out of control' East of Polygon Wood Observer: Gunner J. McMechan
9 3 September 1917
@ 1010		 Bristol F.2b
(B7214)		 Albatros D.V Destroyed (in flames) Menen-Wervik Observer: Lieutenant Melville Waddington
10 5 September 1917
@ 1117		 Bristol F.2b
(B7203)		 Albatros D.V Driven down 'out of control' West of Lille Observer: Lieutenant Melville Waddington
11 11 September 1917
@ 1400		 Bristol F.2b
(B7214)		 Albatros D.V Driven down 'out of control' East of Menen Observer: Lieutenant Melville Waddington
12 17 October 1917
@ 0840-0905		 Bristol F.2b
(B7255)		 Albatros D.V Driven down 'out of control' Zonnebeke Observer: Lieutenant Melville Waddington
13 Albatros D.V Driven down 'out of control' North-East of Zonnebeke
14 15 November 1917
@ 1500		 Bristol F.2b
(B7193)		 Albatros D.V Driven down 'out of control' Moorslede Observer: Second Lieutenant W. T. V. Harmer
15 22 December 1917
@ 1415		 Bristol F.2b
(B7255)		 Albatros D.V Destroyed Moorslede Observer: Lieutenant George Brooke
16 4 January 1918
@ 1200		 Bristol F.2b
(B7255)		 Albatros D.V Driven down 'out of control' Menen Observer: Captain John H. Hedley
17 28 January 1918
@ 1715		 Bristol F.2b DFW C Driven down 'out of control' North of Bourlon Wood Pilot: Second Lieutenant John S. Chick

References

  1. ^ "Reginald Milburn Makepeace". The Aerodrome. 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  2. "Reginald Milburn Makepeace". Liverpool & South West Lancs Genealogy. 2015. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  3. "Makepeace and Hedley, RFC, 1918". The Great War Forum. 2015. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  4. "No. 29848". The London Gazette. 5 December 1916. p. 11848.
  5. ^ Guttman & Dempsey (2009), p. 89.
  6. "No. 30179". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 July 1917. p. 6975.
  7. "No. 30308". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 September 1917. p. 9977.
  8. "No. 30466". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 January 1918. p. 626.
  9. Barrass, M. B. (2015). "Casualties May 1918". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  10. "Casualty Details: Makepeace, Reginald Milburn". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  11. "Makepeace, Reginald Milburn". The War Graves Photographic Project. 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.

Bibliography

  • Guttman, Jon & Dempsey, Harry (2009). Pusher Aces of World War I. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-417-6.
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