Robert Gregory (RFC officer) facts for kids

William Robert Gregory MC (born May 20, 1881 – died January 23, 1918) was a talented Irish man. He was a brave flying ace (a pilot with many victories) in World War I. He flew for the Royal Flying Corps. Besides being a pilot, he was also a skilled artist and a good cricket player. After he died, the famous poet W. B. Yeats wrote poems about him.

Early Life and Education

Robert Gregory was born in May 1881 in County Galway, Ireland. He was the only child of William Henry Gregory and Lady Gregory. His mother, Lady Gregory, was a friend of the famous poet W. B. Yeats.

Robert grew up in his parents' homes. They had houses in both Ireland and England. He went to school at Harrow. He also studied at Oxford University and the Slade School of Art.

Sports and Cricket

Robert was very good at many sports. He was skilled at bowls, boxing, and horse riding. He was also a talented cricket player.

He played one important cricket match for the Ireland cricket team in 1912. In this match against Scotland, he took 8 wickets for only 80 runs. This was with his leg spin bowling. He did not score any runs himself in that game.

His bowling performance in that match is still one of the best for Ireland. It is the tenth best in all matches for Ireland. It is also the fourth best in first-class cricket for Ireland. His average bowling score of 10.22 is the second best for Ireland in first-class cricket.

Art and Creativity

Robert Gregory was a very accomplished artist. He studied art in London at the Slade School of Fine Art. There, he met and married another art student, Margaret Parry. His best man at the wedding was Augustus John, who helped him develop his art style.

He also worked in Paris at the design studio of Jacques Émile Blanche. In 1914, he had his own art show in Chelsea. Besides painting, he also drew pictures for books and plays.

World War I Service

In 1915, Robert joined the war effort. He was 34 years old and had three children. He first joined the 4th Connaught Rangers. But in 1916, he quickly moved to the Royal Flying Corps.

He became a fighter pilot. He was credited with eight victories in the air. This means he shot down eight enemy aircraft. Other pilots like Mick Mannock and George McElroy became more famous. But Robert was the first Irish pilot to become an "ace" in 40 Squadron RFC.

In 1917, France honored him. They made him a Chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur. He also received a Military Cross for his "conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty." This means he was very brave and dedicated to his work.

He flew several types of planes during the war. These included the Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 and the French Nieuport. At the time of his death, he was flying the Sopwith Camel.

Death and Lasting Impact

Robert Gregory died in Italy when he was 36 years old. It is often said that he was shot down by "friendly fire". This means an Italian pilot mistakenly shot him down. However, other sources say it was a flying accident.

In 2017, Geoffrey O'Byrne White, who is related to Lady Gregory, shared his thoughts. He believed that Major Gregory might have become unwell at a high altitude. He thought this might have been due to a shot he received for influenza.

Robert's death deeply affected the poet W. B. Yeats. Robert became the subject of four poems by Yeats. These poems are: In Memory of Major Robert Gregory, An Irish Airman Foresees His Death, Shepherd and Goatherd, and Reprisals. Lady Gregory, however, did not agree with everything in these poems.