Charles George Gass facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles George Gass
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| Born | 18 April 1898 Chelsea, London, England |
| Died | March 1977 (aged 78) Fulham, London, England |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army Royal Flying Corps |
| Years of service | c. 1916–1919 1925–1928 1940–1954 |
| Rank | Squadron Leader |
| Unit | London Regiment No. 22 Squadron RFC |
| Battles/wars | First World War Second World War |
| Awards | Military Cross |
Charles George Gass (born April 18, 1898 – died March 1977) was a brave British soldier and airman. He became a famous "flying ace" during the First World War. This means he helped shoot down many enemy aircraft. He was an "observer" or gunner, working with different pilots. He achieved an amazing 39 victories! Later, he also served in the Second World War.
Contents
Early Life and First World War Adventures
Charles George Gass was born in Chelsea, London, England. This was on April 18, 1898. When he was young, he joined the army. He became a sergeant in the London Regiment. In 1916, he went to war.
Later, in 1917, he joined the Royal Flying Corps. This was the air force before it became the Royal Air Force. He became an "observer" in a Bristol F.2b plane. These planes were fast and easy to fly. They had a machine gun for the pilot. The observer also had one or two machine guns. These could be moved around to shoot in many directions.
Becoming a Flying Ace
Charles Gass quickly showed he was very good with his machine guns. He started by forcing an enemy plane down. This happened on April 22, 1918. Then, he had an incredible month of victories.
On May 7, he flew with a pilot named Alfred Atkey. They were in one of two British planes. They faced 20 German planes! Gass and Atkey destroyed five of them. Two of these enemy planes even caught fire and crashed.
Gass kept scoring victories. On May 8, he worked with pilot John Everard Gurdon. On May 9, he and Atkey flew together again. They shot down two more German planes in flames. They also destroyed another and forced two others away.
They continued to have many successful days:
- Two victories on May 15
- Three on May 19
- Three more on May 20
- Two on May 22
- Three on May 27
- Two each on May 30 and 31
In just one month, Gass helped score 28 victories! This was a record for the First World War. Most of these were with pilot Atkey. On May 22, 1918, he officially joined the new Royal Air Force.
Gass and Atkey had two more victories on June 2. After that, Gass flew with Lieutenant Edwin Bromley. They scored two wins on June 5. On July 26, he shot down another German plane. This time he was with Lieutenant Samuel Thompson.
In August, Gass flew with Lieutenant John Everard Gurdon again. They achieved five more victories together. Their last win was on August 13. Soon after, Gass started training to become a pilot himself. But the war ended before he finished his training.
His Amazing Record
Charles Gass had a total of 39 victories. This included:
- 5 enemy planes destroyed in flames (one shared)
- 12 other planes destroyed
- 22 planes forced "out of control"
For his bravery, he received the Military Cross. This special award was announced on September 16, 1918. The award said he showed "great ability and an entire disregard for personal danger." King George V gave him the medal on November 16, 1918, at Buckingham Palace.
Between the Wars
After the First World War, Charles Gass left the Royal Air Force in 1919. He also left the army in 1921. He lived in South London. He started working as a clerk for the Post Office in 1922.
He joined the Royal Air Force Reserve in 1925. This meant he could be called back to serve if needed. He was promoted to flying officer. He left the reserve in 1928.
Second World War and Later Life
When the Second World War began, Charles Gass was called back to the Royal Air Force. This was in January 1940. He joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve. He continued to be promoted. By January 1944, he was a temporary Squadron Leader.
He retired from the Royal Air Force in August 1954. He kept the rank of Squadron Leader. Charles George Gass passed away in March 1977, at the age of 78.
