268:
203:, but was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps. Gaining his wings on 17 March 1916, Gilmour was assigned to pilot the Martinsyde Elephant on the Western Front. He was one of the few successful scorers with the clumsy craft, downing three German opponents. He went on to establish a reputation as a crack bomber formation leader. In late 1917, he advanced to flying a
323:, on 18 December 1917. His two triumphs that day made him an ace. He shot a triple on 4 January 1918, including one down in flames, and followed it up with number eight on 9 January. He then began to run up his score by single and double victories—two in February, one in March, seven in April, eight in May, four in June. By 29 June, his total was 31.
441:. While leading an offensive patrol he shot down one enemy biplane in flames and drove down a second. A short time afterwards he, with four others, attacked about forty enemy scouts. He himself destroyed one in the air, drove another out of control and a third in flames, successfully accounting for five enemy machines in one day.
345:
Gilmour destroyed a Pfalz the next day, and two the day after, for his final successes. In the end, his victory record showed that he had 1 balloon destroyed, 1 enemy aircraft captured, 24 aircraft destroyed (and 3 shared destroyed) and 10 claimed 'out of control'. Eight of the destroyed craft had
423:
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when engaging hostile aircraft. Within a week he crashed to the ground four enemy machines, and at all times, when on patrol, he never hesitated to attack any enemy in sight. His consistent dash and great fearlessness have been worthy of the highest
288:, commonly called the Elephant. This aircraft was nicknamed for being large and ungainly. A single seater, it was too big, slow, and manoeuvrable to be a successful fighter, and without a rear gunner, too defenceless to survive well in a ground attack or bombing role. It was equipped with a
211:
for No. 65 Squadron. Beginning on 18 December 1916, he reeled off a further 36 victories by 3 July 1918. That included five separate victories on 1 July 1918. He was then promoted to major and sent to command No. 28 Squadron in Italy.
454:
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in his leadership of offensive patrols. This officer has lately successfully engaged seven enemy machines, destroying five and shooting down two out of control. He has done splendid
295:
Nevertheless, before the
Elephants were withdrawn from service, Gilmour scored three victories flying one, though his primary duty was bombing. On 15 September 1916, in conjunction with several other pilots, he destroyed an
409:
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in carrying out long-distance bomb raids. On one occasion, although his engine began to fail, he continued to lead his formation, and succeeded in bringing back most valuable
279:
in
December 1915, and was awarded the Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate No. 2888 after soloing in a Maurice Farman biplane at the military flying school at Farnborough on 17 March 1916. He was assigned to
342:
out of the air. The times on his combat reports make it clear these were five separate engagements; many times, aces reporting multiple victories scored in a single engagement.
807:
842:
311:(MC) for his prowess as a bombing formation leader. At this point, he was almost certainly still flying the Martinsyde. Late in 1917, Gilmour was assigned to
812:
822:
517:
837:
832:
636:
847:
773:
750:
817:
256:
200:
852:
802:
437:
He is a most inspiriting patrol leader who has destroyed twenty-three enemy aircraft, and shot down eight others
292:
mounted on the upper wing firing over the propeller, and a second one on the fuselage pointed toward the rear.
766:
Above the
Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920
827:
353:, but added no further victories to his record. His victory list made him the leading ace of the 13 aces in
235:, Scotland, the son of John James Gilmour, a tobacco merchant, and Isabella Inglis. He was educated at the
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252:
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543:
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Second
Lieutenant (Temporary Lieutenant) John Gilmour, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and RFC.
451:
Lieutenant (Temporary
Captain) John Gilmour, DSO, MC, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and RAF.
156:
360:
On 3 August 1918, Gilmour was awarded the DSO; on 16 September, he was gazetted for his second
438:
434:
Lieutenant (Temporary
Captain) John Gilmour, MC (formerly Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders).
420:
Lieutenant (Temporary
Captain) John Gilmour, MC, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and RAF.
797:
792:
595:
391:, in February 1928. A verdict of suicide while of unsound mind was returned at an inquest.
384:
377:
255:, with the rank of sergeant. In December 1914, aged 18, Gilmour left school and joined the
215:
Post war, Gilmour was the air attache in Rome, then was posted to No. 216 Squadron in the
8:
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On 1 July 1918, Gilmour capped his career with a performance that earned him a
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Gilmour's medals were auctioned on 13 September 2012, and sold for ÂŁ40,000.
319:. After a fourteen-month gap in his aerial victory list, he scored flying a
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in Rome in July 1919. He then transferred to the Middle East to join
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He was promoted to major and transferred to Italy to command
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praise. In all he has ten hostile machines to his credit.
330:(DSO). On that evening, within 45 minutes, he burned two
304:; on the 26th, he drove another down out of control.
759:
784:
334:and knocked another down out of control, set an
284:. They were the sole squadron equipped with the
184:(28 June 1896 – 24 February 1928) was a British
723:(Supplement). 13 September 1918. p. 10878.
808:People educated at Loretto School, Musselburgh
486:
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843:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
259:regiment with the rank of second lieutenant.
192:. He was the highest scoring Scotsman in the
473:
243:, Edinburgh, and represented the school in
813:Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders officers
705:(Supplement). 2 August 1918. p. 9197.
687:(Supplement). 23 July 1918. p. 8758.
346:gone down in flames, as had the balloon.
271:Martinsyde Elephant, as flown by Gilmour.
199:Gilmour began his military career in the
823:Royal Air Force personnel of World War I
715:
697:
679:
669:(Supplement). 25 May 1917. p. 5181.
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372:After the war, he had a brief tenure as
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307:On 26 May 1917, Gilmour received the
262:
13:
585:Shores, et al., pp. 168–169.
574:
14:
864:
745:. London, UK: Osprey Publishing.
743:Sopwith Camel Aces of World War I
367:
257:Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
201:Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
838:Recipients of the Military Cross
764:& Guest, Russell F. (1990).
833:British World War I flying aces
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300:. On the 24th, he destroyed a
16:British flying ace (1896–1928)
1:
848:Suicides by cyanide poisoning
461:
222:
637:"Lot 455, 13 September 2012"
7:
818:Royal Flying Corps officers
768:. London, UK: Grub Street.
621:"Retired Officer's Death".
518:"Major John Gilmour DSO MC"
431:Distinguished Service Order
328:Distinguished Service Order
145:Distinguished Service Order
10:
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251:. He was also a member of
522:Helensburgh Heroes Centre
448:2nd Bar to Military Cross
417:1st Bar to Military Cross
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760:Shores, Christopher F.;
275:Gilmour transferred the
253:Officers' Training Corps
853:Suicides in Westminster
803:People from Helensburgh
157:Mentioned in dispatches
272:
492:"John Inglis Gilmour"
383:John Gilmour died in
270:
196:, with 39 victories.
89:Years of service
828:Scottish flying aces
378:No. 216 Squadron RAF
227:Gilmour was born in
625:. 29 February 1928.
338:afire, and drove a
313:No. 65 Squadron RAF
165:John Inglis Gilmour
125:No. 28 Squadron RAF
115:No. 65 Squadron RAF
111:No. 27 Squadron RFC
25:John Inglis Gilmour
721:The London Gazette
703:The London Gazette
685:The London Gazette
667:The London Gazette
544:"Martinsyde G.100"
398:Awards and honours
277:Royal Flying Corps
273:
194:Royal Flying Corps
775:978-0-948817-19-9
752:978-1-84176-534-1
385:St James's Street
290:Lewis machine gun
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286:Martinsyde G.100
263:Military service
209:Flight Commander
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51:24 February 1928
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233:Dumbartonshire
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645:. Retrieved
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623:The Scotsman
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604:. Retrieved
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552:. Retrieved
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526:. Retrieved
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500:. Retrieved
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410:information.
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336:Albatros D.V
325:
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298:Albatros D.I
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131:Battles/wars
79:British Army
53:(1928-02-24)
41:28 June 1896
18:
798:1928 deaths
793:1896 births
717:"No. 30901"
699:"No. 30827"
681:"No. 30813"
663:"No. 30095"
389:Westminster
374:air attaché
364:to his MC.
355:65 Squadron
340:Pfalz D.III
241:Musselburgh
229:Helensburgh
217:Middle East
787:Categories
647:22 January
606:22 January
554:22 January
528:22 January
502:22 January
462:References
223:Early life
186:flying ace
65:Allegiance
37:1896-06-28
92:1914–1919
60:, England
741:(2003).
455:service.
181:Two Bars
153:Two Bars
121:Commands
73:Service/
43:Scotland
188:of the
772:
749:
643:. 2015
602:. 2015
550:. 2015
524:. 2015
498:. 2015
179:&
151:&
141:Awards
75:branch
58:London
467:Notes
315:as a
249:fives
245:rugby
175:
173:,
101:Major
770:ISBN
747:ISBN
649:2015
608:2015
556:2015
530:2015
504:2015
247:and
107:Unit
97:Rank
48:Died
31:Born
362:Bar
239:in
170:DSO
789::
719:.
701:.
683:.
665:.
639:.
598:.
576:^
564:^
546:.
520:.
494:.
475:^
387:,
380:.
357:.
231:,
219:.
177:MC
167:,
778:.
755:.
651:.
610:.
558:.
532:.
506:.
39:)
35:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.