Victor Maslin Yeates facts for kids
Victor Maslin Yeates (born September 30, 1897 – died December 15, 1934) was a brave British fighter pilot during World War I. He is often called V. M. Yeates. He wrote a famous book called Winged Victory. This book is like a true story about his time flying in battles. Many people think it's one of the best books about air combat and how tough war can be.
Contents
Early Life and Military Service
Victor Yeates was born in Dulwich, England. He went to Colfe's School. His friend, Henry Williamson, said that Victor loved nature. He would explore woods and ponds. He even had a pet tawny owl.
In 1916, Victor joined the Inns of Court Officers' Training Corps. Then, in May 1917, he moved to the Royal Flying Corps. This group later became the Royal Air Force. Victor got married in July 1917 when he was only 19 years old. His parents did not approve because he was still training.
Flying in World War I
Victor Yeates joined No. 46 Squadron in February 1918. By then, he had spent many hours learning to fly. He had flown the Sopwith Camel plane for 13 hours by himself.
The German Spring Offensive began a month later. Victor flew many dangerous missions. These often involved flying low to shoot at soldiers on the ground or drop bombs. He moved to 80 Squadron on August 9. He left that squadron on August 31.
Victor became very tired from constant flying. He was sent back to England because of "Flying Sickness D." This was a type of extreme tiredness. He was given sick leave and later became a flying instructor. He left the military in May 1919.
Victor flew 110 missions in Sopwith Camels. He flew for 248 hours. He had to land his plane four times because of problems. He was shot down once by ground fire. Victor achieved "ace" status by winning five air battles. He destroyed two enemy planes and helped destroy three others. He also helped shoot down a balloon with Captain D. R. MacLaren.
Victor Yeates died in December 1934 from tuberculosis. He was 37 years old. He left behind his wife, Norah, and their four children: Mary, Joy, Guy, and Rosalind.
Winged Victory Book
Victor Yeates is most famous for his book, Winged Victory. It is a "semi-autobiographical" book. This means it is partly about his real life and partly made up. Many people still see it as a very real picture of air combat in World War I.
Victor's school friend, Henry Williamson, helped him with the book. Henry helped him edit it and find a publisher. Henry later wrote an introduction for a new edition of Winged Victory. He agreed with a review that called it "one of the great books of our time."
Victor wrote a note in Henry's copy of the book. He said he started writing it in April 1933. He wrote every day until the end of that year. He found it hard to balance telling the exact truth with making it a good story. He wanted the book to show what the time was like and how pilots felt.
What the Book Describes
Winged Victory is well-known for how it shows air battles in World War I. The book also describes daily life on the Western Front. It talks about meeting French people and what officers ate. It shows what it was like to go home on leave or recover in military hospitals.
The book also explores how different squadron leaders tried to make the narrator a more aggressive pilot. The narrator struggles because he cannot be as brave as the "aces" or top fighters. He is very honest about how stressed and tired he becomes. His friends die one by one, and he just wants his time flying to end.
Thoughts on War in the Book
The book sometimes has long or detailed parts. But it gives a very real picture of life in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force. It shows their operations on the Western Front. This starts with the huge German Spring Offensive on March 21, 1918.
The narrator and his squadron are worn down by attacking German soldiers on the ground. They fly Sopwith Camel planes. These planes are not armored. They fly low, just a few hundred feet up, at about 100 100|mph|kph. They are always in danger from machine-gun fire from the ground. This job was not glamorous but was very dangerous.
