Lionel Ashfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lionel Arthur Ashfield
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| Born | 1 August 1898 |
| Died | 16 July 1918 (aged 19) Zevekote, West Flanders, Belgium
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| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
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Branch
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 Royal Navy Royal Air Force |
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Rank
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Lieutenant |
| Unit | No. 2 Squadron RNAS No. 202 Squadron RAF |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross |
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Lieutenant Lionel Arthur Ashfield DFC (born August 1, 1898 – died July 16, 1918) was a brave British pilot during World War I. He was known as a "flying ace" because he shot down seven enemy aircraft. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his courage.
Contents
Early Life and School
Lionel Arthur Ashfield was born on August 1, 1898, in Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, England. He was the second son of Charles Edmund Ashfield and Ida Lucy Hunt. His father was a headmaster at a school in Frant, East Sussex.
Lionel went to Marlborough College in Marlborough, Wiltshire. He enjoyed playing cricket there. He attended the school from September 1912 until spring 1917.
Joining the Air Force
Lionel Ashfield joined the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) on April 29, 1917. This was a part of the British Navy that used aircraft. He trained at different places like Eastchurch and Cranwell.
On August 29, 1917, Ashfield became a flight sub-lieutenant. Later that year, he was sent to Dunkirk in France. On April 1, 1918, the RNAS joined with the Royal Flying Corps. Together, they formed the new Royal Air Force (RAF). Ashfield then served as a lieutenant in the No. 202 Squadron of the RAF.
A Flying Ace in Combat
Lionel Ashfield became a "flying ace" by shooting down seven enemy aircraft. A flying ace is a military pilot who has shot down five or more enemy aircraft in air combat.
Some of his victories included:
- February 27, 1918: He shot down two enemy planes.
- March 18, 1918: He achieved another victory.
- May 18, 1918: He shot down an enemy plane over Bruges, Belgium. He was flying a de Havilland DH.4 plane.
- May 21, 1918: He shot down two more planes.
- May 31, 1918: He had another victory over Ostend, Belgium.
On June 27, 1918, Lionel Ashfield and his observer, Lieutenant N H Jenkins, fought enemy planes. Lieutenant Jenkins was wounded during this fight.
Awarded for Bravery
On August 3, 1918, Lionel Ashfield was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). This is a medal given for "an act or acts of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy in the air."
The official announcement said he was a "very capable officer of exceptional judgment and courage." It also mentioned that he had flown 62 missions behind enemy lines. He had fought 17 enemy planes and helped destroy five of them. On one occasion, he bravely attacked five enemy planes by himself, bringing one down in flames.
His Final Flight
On July 16, 1918, Lieutenant Ashfield was flying his de Havilland DH.4 plane back from Bruges. His plane was shot down by a German pilot named Vizeflugmeister Hans Goerth. This happened over the village of Zevekote in West Flanders, Belgium.
Lionel Ashfield was reported missing that day. By August 29, it was confirmed that he had been killed in action. His observer, Lieutenant Maurice Graham English, also died in the plane crash. Hans Goerth, the German pilot, was also a flying ace. Shooting down Ashfield's plane was his third victory.
Lionel Ashfield was buried at the Ramscappelle Road Military Cemetery near Nieuwpoort in West Flanders. There is also a special memorial tablet for him in the Saint Alban Church in Frant, East Sussex. The memorial says: "To the Glory of God and in the dear memory of Lionel Arthur Ashfield, D.F.C., R.A.F., Killed in action 16 July 1918, Second son of Charles and Ida Ashfield of Hazelhurst, Frant, aged 19 years. Faithful unto death."
