Noel Webb (RFC officer)

Captain Noel William Ward Webb MC* (12 December 1896 – 16 August 1917) was a British World War I flying ace credited with fourteen aerial victories. He was the first pilot to use the Sopwith Camel to claim an enemy aircraft. He also claimed the life of German ace Leutnant Otto Brauneck for his ninth victory.^[1][2]

Early life and education

Noel William Webb (the form of name he used) was the youngest son of William Trego Webb and his wife Isabel Mary, of Kensington, London.^[3] He was educated at St. Paul's School, where he played for the first Rugby team.^[4]

Military service

Webb first served as a private in the Honourable Artillery Company before being commissioned into the Royal Flying Corps as a second lieutenant on 10 March 1916.^[5] After completing pilot's training he was appointed a flying officer on 3 July 1916,^[6] and was assigned to No. 25 Squadron in France on 4 July.^[1] Piloting a Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b, he shot down one of the first fighters with a synchronized gun when he destroyed a Fokker Eindekker on 19 July. During the next two months, he became one of the few F.E.2 aces, winning four more times, with his fifth win on 15 September being another destruction of an Eindekker. Leslie Court was one of his observer gunners during these missions.^[2] Webb was invalided home in September,^[4] where he was appointed a flight commander with the temporary rank of captain on 4 October,^[7] and then posted to a squadron in England, where he acted as instructor, and for a time as a squadron commander.^[4] He was also awarded the Military Cross on 1 January 1917.^[8]

Webb was one of the few aces who flew the FE.2.

Webb was then reassigned to No. 70 Squadron as a Sopwith Camel pilot on 21 June 1917 for his return to combat. While test flying a new Camel on 12 July, he became the first pilot to score a victory in type by wounding the crew of a German two-seater and forcing it down onto a British airfield into captivity. On 17 July, he sent down two Albatros D.Vs out of control in separate actions; in one of these dogfights, he wounded German ace Oberflugmeister Karl Meyer. On 26 July, he killed Leutnant Otto Brauneck while destroying his Albatros D.V. Webb scored twice more on the 28th, and wrapped up his victory list with a triple win on 13 August 1917. Three days later, near Polygon Wood, he was last seen diving away from his patrol after two German aircraft. He fell under the guns of Werner Voss.^[2]

As a Commonwealth flier of the Western Front with no known grave he is commemorated at the Arras Flying Services Memorial,^[9] and also, alongside his brother Lieutenant Paul Frederic Hobson Webb, who was killed in action on 7 July 1918 while serving in No. 27 Squadron RAF,^[10][11] on the War Memorial at Dunwich, Suffolk.^[3]

War memorial inside St James's Church in Dunwich including Noel Webb

List of aerial victories

Honours and awards

Military Cross

Gazetted on 1 January 1917, without citation.^[8]

Bar to Military Cross

Temporary Captain Noel William Webb, MC, General List and Royal Flying Corps.

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in aerial combats. He has destroyed three hostile machines and driven down four others completely out of control. By his spirit and gallantry he has set a fine example which has inspired the pilots of his flight to successfully attack enemy formations many times more numerous than their own."^[13]

References

Notes

Bibliography

• 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.