John Lightfoot Trollope facts for kids

John Lightfoot Trollope (born May 30, 1897 – died October 21, 1958) was a brave British First World War pilot. He was known as a flying ace, which means he shot down many enemy aircraft. John Trollope achieved 18 aerial victories during the war. Amazingly, he was the first British pilot to shoot down seven enemy planes in just one day!

Who was John Trollope?

John Lightfoot Trollope was born in Wallington, England. He was one of nine children in his family. When he was young, his family moved to Banstead. He went to a school called Banstead Hall. Later, he attended Malvern College. This was before the First World War began.

Joining the War Effort

John Trollope joined the army in early 1915. He was not even 18 years old yet. He started as a despatch rider in the Royal Engineers Signal Service. This meant he delivered important messages. He served in France for a few months. However, he had to return to England because he got sick.

In 1916, he joined the Royal Flying Corps. This was the air force at the time. He trained to become a pilot. On August 1, he flew a plane by himself for the first time. He officially became a flying officer in September.

Flying in France

John Trollope went back to France in September 1916. He flew a Sopwith 1½ Strutter plane. This plane was used for looking at enemy positions. He flew with No. 70 Squadron. In 1917, he became a flying instructor in England. He taught new pilots how to fly.

Later, he returned to France with No. 43 Squadron. His squadron soon got new planes called Sopwith Camels. These planes were faster and better for fighting. His squadron changed from looking for enemies to attacking them on the ground.

Becoming a Flying Ace

John Trollope got his first victory on January 19, 1918. He destroyed a German DFW plane. He then had two more victories in February. By March 11, he had five victories. This made him a "flying ace." An ace is a pilot who has shot down five or more enemy aircraft.

He continued to achieve more victories. On March 17, he shot down two Albatros D.V fighters. On March 23, he forced another DFW plane to land. This plane was then captured by British forces.

Seven Victories in One Day

On March 24, 1918, John Trollope had an incredible day. In the morning, he saw four German fighter planes attacking British planes. He quickly attacked them. He shot down one plane, which broke apart in the air. He then saw two more enemy planes below and shot them down too. He kept fighting until he ran out of bullets.

Later that same day, he went out again. He found three more enemy planes. He attacked one, but his gun got stuck. After fixing it, he attacked another plane. He shot it down, and it broke apart. He then chased a third plane and set it on fire. On his way back, he saw a British plane fighting an enemy plane. John Trollope helped the British pilot by shooting down the enemy plane. In total, he shot down seven enemy aircraft that day! This was a record for a British pilot.

Capture and Recovery

Just a few days later, on March 28, John Trollope led a group of nine planes. He attacked and destroyed a German observation balloon. But then, many German Albatros D.V fighters attacked his group. In the big air battle, John Trollope shot down two more enemy planes. However, five British planes were shot down, including his own.

John Trollope was captured by the Germans. He was badly hurt. His left hand and wrist had to be removed because of his injuries. He was sent back to England soon after. Due to more problems, his left arm eventually had to be removed completely.

John Trollope's Aerial Victories

Life After the War

John Trollope left the Royal Air Force in 1920. He had to leave because of his injuries from the war. He was allowed to keep his rank as Captain.

He married Molly Field in 1926. They had two children together. Later, they divorced. In 1934, he married Rosina Victoria Vinter. They had a daughter named Angela in 1938. John Trollope passed away in Hove Hospital in 1958.