Austin Lloyd Fleming

Austin Lloyd Fleming, MC (7 August 1894 – 26 January 1969) was a Canadian flying ace of the First World War. He was credited with eight aerial victories.

Austin Lloyd Fleming
Born(1894-08-07)7 August 1894
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died26 January 1969(1969-01-26) (aged 74)
Málaga, Spain
Buried
Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army
Royal Air Force
Years of service1916–1919
1939–1942
RankFlight Lieutenant
UnitNo. 46 Squadron RFC
No. 111 Squadron RAF
Battles/warsFirst World War
Second World War
AwardsMilitary Cross

Early life

Austin Lloyd Fleming was born on 7 August 1894 in Toronto, Ontario. His parents were Lydia Jane Orford and Robert John Fleming.[1] He was a stockbroker before the First World War.[2]

First World War

After joining military service on 10 November 1916,[3] Fleming transferred from the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry to the General List of the Royal Flying Corps on 13 May 1917.[4] He was appointed as a flying officer, with the rank of second lieutenant on probation on 16 May 1917, signifying that he had completed pilot's training.[5] On 8 June 1917, he was assigned to No. 46 Squadron RFC. He was reassigned to No. 111 Squadron RFC in Palestine later that year,[2] following a "friendly fire" incident in which an aircraft from No. 1 Squadron RFC was shot down and the pilot, Second Lieutenant Tom Littler, was killed.[6]

Between 17 January and 12 April 1918, Fleming scored eight aerial victories (listed below). His exploits gained him the Military Cross, although the award citation did not recognize all his feats. The award was gazetted on 13 May 1918, reading:

Temporary Lieutenant Austin Lloyd Fleming, Royal Flying Corps: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He attacked a formation of three enemy machines, and forced the leading machine, which was a two-seater, to land, although the other two were attacking him from behind. He then attacked and destroyed another of the enemy machines, and engaged the third, which succeeded in escaping. He destroyed four enemy machines during one month, and showed splendid courage and skill on many occasions.[7]

On 11 September 1918, Fleming was injured.[2]

List of aerial victories
No. Date/time Aircraft Foe Result Location Notes
1 17 January 1918 @ 0920 hours Bristol F.2 Fighter serial number A7192 Enemy two-seater Destroyed Kalikieh Observer/gunner: Frederick John Knowles
2 18 January 1918 @ 1130 hours Bristol F.2 Fighter s/n A7198 Enemy two-seater Destroyed Between Jaffa and Arsuf Observer/gunner: Frederick John Knowles; victory shared with another air crew
3 23 January 1918 @ 1145 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n B538 Albatros D.III Destroyed Tul Keram
4 24 January 1918 @ 1130 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n B538 Enemy two-seater Destroyed Northwest of Tul Keram
5 29 January 1918 @ 1530 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n B538 Enemy two-seater Captured Southwest of Junction Station Pilot KIA; observer taken POW
6 10 March 1918 @ 0930 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n B540 Albatros D.III East of al-Bireh
7 12 April 1918 @ 0715 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n B6242 Albatros D.V Driven down out of control Tul Keram
8 12 April 1918 @ 0720 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n B6242 Albatros D.V Driven down out of control Tul Keram[8][2]

Second World War, retirement and death

On 1 June 1919, Fleming was transferred to the unemployed list of the Royal Air Force, ending his service.[9] He subsequently spent some years in the United States before moving to Britain.[2]

With the advent of the Second World War, Fleming returned to military service in the Royal Air Force. On 1 September 1939, he appointed as a flight lieutenant.[10] He served until 1 August 1942, when he once again gave up his commission and left the RAF.[11]

In 1959, Fleming presented No. 111 Squadron a souvenir machine gun taken from the reconnaissance craft he captured on 29 January 1918.[12]

Fleming died in Málaga, Spain, on 26 January 1969.[2] He was buried in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto, and survived by his wife, Helen Hyde Fleming,[13] and twin children, Bob and Louis.[14]

Notes
  1. "The John C. Christies' of Scotland and Canada:Information about Austin Lloyd Fleming". Archived from the original on 12 October 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2011. Retrieved 13 December 2011.
  2. "Austin Fleming". The Aerodrome. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  3. "Captain Austin Lloyd Fleming". Canadian Great War Project. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  4. "No. 30155". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 May 1917. p. 6384.
  5. "No. 30115". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 June 1917. p. 5580.
  6. O'Connor, Michael (23 December 2008). Airfields and Airmen: Ypres by Michael O'Connor. ISBN 9781783409969. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  7. "No. 30681". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 May 1918. pp. 5696, 5699.
  8. Above the Trenches, p. 157; Bristol F.2 Fighter Aces, pp. 77–78
  9. "No. 31730". The London Gazette. 13 January 1920. p. 562.
  10. "No. 34705". The London Gazette. 10 October 1939. p. 6799.
  11. "No. 35671". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 August 1942. p. 3609.
  12. Above the Trenches, p. 157.
  13. "Austin Lloyd Fleming". Find a Grave. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  14. "Louis K. Fleming, Theatre and Arts Management Consultant, is Dead at 89". Lighting and Sound America. 6 January 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2017.

References
  • Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. Christopher F. Shores, Norman L. R. Franks, Russell Guest. Grub Street, 1990. ISBN 0-948817-19-4, ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.
  • Bristol F2 Fighter Aces of World War I: Volume 79 of Aircraft of the Aces: Volume 79 of Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. Jon Guttman, Harry Dempsey. Osprey Publishing, 2007. ISBN 1-84603-201-6, ISBN 978-1-84603-201-1.
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