Richard M. Trevethan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Michael Trevethan
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| Born | 24 January 1895 Park City, Utah, USA |
| Died | 30 December 1971 (aged 76) Truro, Cornwall, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
British Army Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1914–1935 |
| Rank | Squadron leader |
| Unit |
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| Commands held | No. 440 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight Flying and Parachute Test Squadron |
| Battles/wars | First World War • Gallipoli campaign • Western Front Northern Russian Expedition Chanak Crisis Second World War |
| Awards | Military Cross Order of St. Anna, 2nd class (Russia) |
Richard Michael Trevethan (born January 24, 1895 – died December 30, 1971) was a brave British pilot. He was known as a "flying ace" during the First World War. This means he shot down at least five enemy aircraft. Trevethan was officially credited with twelve aerial victories. He served in both the British Army and the Royal Air Force.
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Richard Trevethan's Early Life
Richard Trevethan was born in Park City, Utah, USA, in 1895. His family, the Trevethans, came from Cornwall, England. This area was famous for mining. Park City was also a mining town. By 1901, his family moved back to Cornwall. They lived in a place called St Kew.
Richard went to several schools. He studied at Falmouth Grammar School and Portsmouth Grammar School. Later, he attended the Imperial College of Science in London.
Serving in the First World War
Richard Trevethan joined the army on September 22, 1914. He became a temporary second lieutenant. He served with the 6th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment. He fought in France and in the Gallipoli campaign in 1915.
On May 14, 1917, Trevethan joined the Royal Flying Corps. This was the air force before it became the Royal Air Force. He was sent to No. 20 Squadron RFC. There, he flew a two-seater plane called the F.E.2.d fighter.
His first air victory happened on June 2, 1917. His gunner was Air Mechanic 2nd Class John Cowell. A week later, on June 9, he got his second victory. He was promoted to lieutenant on July 1, 1917. After that, he quickly achieved ten more victories. Most of these were with Lieutenant Campbell Hoy as his gunner.
In total, Trevethan was credited with destroying six Albatros enemy planes. He also forced six more to crash out of control.
Military Cross Award
On August 17, 1917, Trevethan received the Military Cross. This is a special award for bravery. General Sir Herbert Plumer gave him the medal. The award was given for his outstanding courage.
The official statement said he showed great bravery. He attacked enemy planes even when they had more aircraft. He shot down at least four planes and forced others down.
Later, his squadron got new planes called Bristol F.2 fighters. But on September 18, 1917, Trevethan was badly hurt. He went back to England to get better. He did not fly in combat again during the war.
Richard Trevethan's Air Victories
Here is a list of the air victories Richard Trevethan achieved:
| No. | Date | Aircraft | Opponent | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 June 1917 | F.E.2d | Albatros D.III | Destroyed | Gheluvelt | Observer: Air Mechanic 2nd Class John Cowell |
| 2 | 9 June 1917 | F.E.2d | Albatros D.III | Destroyed in flames | East of Ploegsteert | Observer: Second Lieutenant M. Dudbridge |
| 3 | 2 July 1917 | F.E.2d | Albatros D.III | Out of control | Comines-Houthem | Observer: Lieutenant Campbell Hoy |
| 4 | 7 July 1917 | F.E.2d | Albatros D.III | Destroyed in flames | Wervicq | Observer: Lieutenant Campbell Hoy |
| 5 | 12 July 1917 | F.E.2d | Albatros D.V | Destroyed in flames | East of Ploegsteert Wood | Observer: Private Arkley |
| 6 | 17 July 1917 | F.E.2d | Albatros D.V | Destroyed | Ploegsteert Wood | Observer: Lieutenant Campbell Hoy |
| 7 | 22 July 1917 | F.E.2d | Albatros D.V | Destroyed in flames | Menin–North of Wervicq | Observer: Lieutenant Campbell Hoy |
| 8 | 27 July 1917 | F.E.2d | Albatros D.V | Out of control | Lille–Menin | Observer: Lieutenant Campbell Hoy |
| 9 | 28 July 1917 | F.E.2d | Albatros D.V | Out of control | Kezelbars | Observer: Lieutenant Campbell Hoy |
| 10 | 8 August 1917 | F.E.2d | Albatros D.V | Out of control | East of Messines | Observer: Lieutenant Campbell Hoy |
| 11 | Albatros D.V | Out of control | ||||
| 12 | 9 August 1917 | F.E.2d | Albatros D.V | Out of control | Becelaere–Roulers | Observer: Lieutenant Campbell Hoy |
After the First World War
After the war, on August 1, 1919, Trevethan became a permanent flying officer in the Royal Air Force. On December 22, 1919, he was mentioned for his good work. This was while he was serving in northern Russia during the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War. He also received a Russian award, the Order of St. Anna, 2nd class.
He then served in No. 207 Squadron RAF. He was promoted to flight lieutenant in 1922. In September 1922, his squadron was sent to Turkey. This was because of a tense situation called the Chanak Crisis. Trevethan led the first group there. They traveled from England to Liverpool. The squadron and their planes were loaded onto ships. They sailed to Constantinople (now Istanbul), arriving on October 11.
The squadron faced many challenges. It was hard to unload and put together their Airco DH.9A planes. The airfield was not in good condition. Luckily, the crisis was solved through talks. The squadron returned to England in August 1923.
Richard Trevethan continued his career in the RAF. He served in different squadrons and locations. He was posted to No. 39 Squadron in October 1923. Later, he worked at the RAF Depot. In 1926, he served in Iraq as a Senior Meteorological Officer. This means he was in charge of weather information.
In 1929, he joined No. 100 Squadron. From 1931 to 1933, he commanded No. 440 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight. They flew Fairey IIIF biplanes. He flew between RAF Kai Tak, Hong Kong, and the aircraft carrier HMS Hermes. He was promoted to squadron leader on December 1, 1932.
He then commanded the Flying and Parachute Test Squadron. This was at RAF Henlow from November 1934. He retired from the RAF on June 1, 1935.
In 1937, he became an Air Advisor in China. During the Second World War, he worked for the British Admiralty. He served on small ships in the Royal Navy. After the war, he became a Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. For many years, he was the Superintendent of the Falmouth Meteorological Observatory.
Richard Trevethan passed away on December 30, 1971. He died at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.
Family Life
In 1920, Richard Trevethan married Muriel Doris Moon. They had a son named Gerald Michael Trevethan.
