Henry Coyle Rath

Henry Coyle Rath
Born 12 November 1898
Hastings, Ontario, Canada
Died 26 October 1918
Tournai, Belgium
Grave V.C.8, Tournai Communal Cemetery Allied Extension Tournai, Belgium
Allegiance George V of the British Empire
Service/branch Royal Air Force
Rank Lieutenant
Unit No. 29 Squadron RAF
Awards Distinguished Flying Cross

Lieutenant Henry Coyle Rath DFC was a Canadian World War I flying ace credited with twelve aerial victories.

Early life

Henry Coyle Rath was born on 12 November 1898 to Maggie and Thomas Rath. Henry Rath was born in Hastings, Ontario, Canada. He was working as a hardware clerk in Tweed, Ontario prior to his enlistment in the military.[1]

Flying service

Rath joined the Royal Flying Corps in September 1917.[2] He was assigned to 29 Squadron on 5 June 1918 as a Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a pilot.[1]

He scored his first victory on 28 July, helping fellow ace Robert Holme drive down a German two-seater reconnaissance plane out of control. Three days later, they again cooperated, destroying a similar plane; Rath also drove down a third recon plane in the same dogfight. After driving down a fourth recce craft on 1 August, Rath became an ace on 8 August. In conjunction with fellow aces Claude Melnot Wilson, Arthur Reed, and a couple of other pilots, Rath destroyed a Hannover reconnaissance craft.[1]

During the remainder of August, he destroyed three more enemy airplanes and drove two down out of control. On 14 October 1918, apparently in the same combat that resulted in Wilson's death, Rath destroyed two Fokker D.VIIs, bringing his tally to seven enemy planes destroyed and five driven down out of battle. On 26 October, Rath collided with Roderic MacLean while they were flying at 12,000 feet over Tournai.[1] Both pilots died, though MacLean lingered for a day before succumbing to injuries. Rath was buried in Grave VC.8 in the Tournai cemetery.[3][4]

Honours and awards

Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)

Lieut. Henry Coyle Rath. (FRANCE)

A bold and resolute fighter in the air who has six enemy aeroplanes to his credit. On 14 October he, with three other machines, engaged a large number of enemy scouts; five were shot down, Lieut. Rath destroying two.[5]

Sources of information

  1. 1 2 3 4 The Aerodrome website Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  2. ↑ SE 5/5a Aces of World War I. p. 73.
  3. ↑ Canadian Virtual Memorial Retrieved 23 February 2010.
  4. ↑ Commonwealth War Graves Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  5. ↑ The London Gazette, 7 February 1919, p. 2045. Retrieved 23 February 2010.

References

  • Franks, Norman SE 5/5a Aces of World War I. Norman Franks. Osprey Publishing, 2007. ISBN 1-84603-180-X, 9781846031809.
  • Shores, Christopher F.; Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell F. (1990). Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.
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