Roy Manzer facts for kids

Roy Manzer was a brave Canadian pilot during World War I. He was known as a flying ace because he shot down 12 enemy planes. After the war, he came back to Canada. He then had a long and successful career as a lawyer and helped his community.

Roy Manzer's Early Life

There is some discussion about where Roy Manzer was born. One record says he was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada. This was on August 31, 1896. Another record says he was born in Maple Creek, Saskatchewan. It also gives the same birth date.

Flying High in World War I

On October 24, 1917, Roy Manzer joined the Royal Flying Corps. He became a second lieutenant, which is a junior officer rank.

First Victories as a Pilot

Manzer got his first air victory flying a Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a plane. This was with No. 84 Squadron RAF. On April 25, 1918, he destroyed a German Albatros D.V plane. This happened near Abancourt.

His next victory was a Fokker triplane on May 16, 1918. On May 28, he had two victories in one day. He forced one Albatros D.V down near Warfusée. He also destroyed another Albatros D.V. This second plane was hit in an unusual mid-air collision. Manzer's plane's landing gear hit the enemy plane's top wing.

On June 18, he flew a different SE.5a plane. He destroyed another Fokker triplane. This made him a "flying ace." A flying ace is a pilot who has shot down five or more enemy aircraft.

More Air Battles and Captivity

Manzer then switched to another SE.5a plane for his remaining victories. On June 29, 1918, he forced down a new Fokker D.VII plane.

On July 19, he became a "balloon buster." He burned a German observation balloon near Le Quesnel. These balloons were used by the enemy to watch troop movements.

On July 28 and 29, he shared victories with another pilot, George Vaughn. They destroyed two Rumpler planes together. Manzer set another Fokker D.VII on fire on August 3, 1918. The next day, he destroyed another Albatros D.V. He also got his last victory that day, destroying a Pfalz D.III.

The very next day, Manzer's plane was hit by enemy fire from the ground. This happened while he was flying low to attack trenches. He was captured by the enemy. He spent the rest of the war as a prisoner.

On August 7, 1918, Lieutenant Manzer was promoted. He became a temporary captain.

Life After World War I

After the war, on March 12, 1919, Manzer left the Royal Air Force. He later served in the Royal Canadian Artillery.

A Career in Law and Public Service

Roy Manzer studied at the University of Toronto. He then trained to be a lawyer with a firm in Medicine Hat, Canada. By 1923, he was a main lawyer in the firm. It was then called Blackstock, Clow, and Manzer. He became a full lawyer in 1924. He then became a partner in the law firm of Manzer and Wooton in Victoria, British Columbia.

By 1940, he was also involved in mining. He was a director for a company called Slade Placers Ltd. In 1944, he worked as a Registrar for the Diocese of British Columbia. From 1947 to 1949, he was the unpaid Reeve for the District of Oak Bay, British Columbia. A Reeve is like a mayor for a rural area.

Before he passed away, Roy Manzer received a special honor. He was appointed as a Queen's Counsel. This is a title given to experienced lawyers.

Honors and Awards

Distinguished Flying Cross

Roy Manzer received the Distinguished Flying Cross. This award is for bravery in air combat. The award citation said: "Lieutenant Roy Manzer, while flying alone, saw an enemy two-seater plane. He dove down and fired at it. He chased it down to 1,000 feet, forcing it to land outside its airfield. On his way back, he saw an enemy observation balloon. He attacked it as it was being pulled down. He got very close, only 300 feet away. When it reached the ground, the balloon burst into flames. Besides these actions, this officer has also shot down seven enemy planes. Four of these were destroyed, and three were forced down out of control."