Peter MacDougall facts for kids

Peter Aitken MacDougall was a brave Scottish pilot during World War I. He was known as a "flying ace," which means he shot down at least five enemy aircraft. He achieved seven aerial victories in total!

Early Life and Joining the Air Force

Peter Aitken MacDougall was born in Lerwick, Scotland, on August 11, 1898. His father was a school teacher. Before he joined the military, Peter worked at a bank.

In 1917, when he was about 19 years old, Peter joined the Royal Flying Corps. This was the United Kingdom's air force during World War I. He trained to become a pilot and was soon made an officer.

Flying in World War I

Peter was sent to No. 24 Squadron RFC. This squadron flew single-seat fighter planes. In November 1917, he got his first aerial victory. He was flying an Airco DH.5 plane and managed to force an enemy Albatros D.III aircraft down near Diksmuide.

Later, his squadron received new S.E.5 fighter planes. These were faster and more powerful. Peter continued to show great skill in the air.

More Victories in the Sky

In February 1918, Peter and three other pilots worked together to take down two more enemy planes. These were a Rumpler C and a DFW C. Just two days later, he forced another enemy plane, an Albatros D.V, to go down.

On February 26, he destroyed a Fokker Dr.I plane. This was a famous German fighter aircraft. Peter's bravery and skill helped his squadron greatly. He achieved two more victories in March 1918, destroying a D.V and a reconnaissance aircraft.

Awarded the Military Cross

For his amazing courage and skill, Peter MacDougall was given the Military Cross. This is a very important award for bravery in battle. The award was announced in May 1918.

His award citation said he always showed "great initiative and skill" when fighting enemy aircraft. It mentioned one time when his plane's engine was having trouble, but he still attacked three enemy planes by himself. He managed to force one of them down. Another time, after taking down an enemy plane, he attacked and silenced six enemy guns that were firing at his squadron's planes. His determination was a great example to everyone in his squadron.

After the War

After World War I ended, Peter left the Royal Air Force in 1919. He went back to working in banking. He worked for the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank in many different places around the world, including London, China, Thailand, the Malay States, and Ceylon.

Peter retired from banking in 1951. He moved to Cape Town, South Africa, where he passed away in 1955.