Patrick Anthony Langan-Byrne

Second Lieutenant Patrick Anthony Langan Byrne DSO (1895 – 16 October 1916) was an Irish flying ace of the First World War credited with ten aerial victories.[1]

Patrick Anthony Langan Byrne
Born1895
Clogherhead, County Louth, Ireland, United Kingdom
Died16 October 1916 (aged 2021)
Commemorated at
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army
Years of service1914–1916
RankSecond Lieutenant
Unit30th Brigade, RFA
No. 24 Squadron RFC
Battles/warsWorld War I
  Western Front
AwardsDistinguished Service Order

Early life and education

Byrne was born in Clogherhead, County Louth, the son of Dr. and Mrs. J. V. Byrne.[2] He was educated at Clongowes.[3]

World War I

Langan-Byrne was commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery on 9 October 1914,[4] serving in 129th Battery, 30th Brigade.[2] He was later seconded to the Royal Flying Corps, in which he was appointed a flying officer on 4 August 1916.[5]

Langan-Byrne flew an Airco DH-2 such as this for all of his victories.

Langan-Byrne began his victories on 31 August 1916, when he used Airco DH.2 No. 6011 to force an enemy aircraft to land. Three days later, he drove a German fighter aircraft down out of control for his second win. On 15 September, he switched to DH.2 No. 7911 and shot down another German fighter in flames. The next day, Byrne destroyed a Fokker D.II. Then, between 21 and 28 September, he ran off a string of five "forced to land" victories. His being shot down by four Germans on 23 September did not seem to daunt him. [6]

He was appointed a flight commander with the temporary rank of captain on 14 October[7] just prior to his last victory on the morning of 16 October. That afternoon he was airborne for his second sortie of the day. He led "B" Flight right for Oswald Boelcke, commander of Jasta 2, who promptly killed him for the German ace's 34th victory. Langan-Byrne's grave site is unknown, though it is known he was buried.[1][8] His Officer Commanding, Major Lanoe Hawker, lamented, "He was such a nice lad, as well as the best officer I have ever met."[9] As a flying casualty of the Western Front with no known grave he is commemorated at the Arras Flying Services Memorial.[2]

Having scored all of his 10 victories in the Airco DH.2, he's the most successful pilot in the type.

List of aerial victories

Combat record[1]
No. Date/Time Aircraft/
Serial No.
Opponent Result Location
131 August 1916
@ c.1800
DH.2
(6010)
Enemy aircraftForced to landNorth of Bapaume
22 September 1916
@ 1935
DH.2
(6010)
Single-seat fighterOut of controlBeaulencourt
315 September 1916
@ 0830
DH.2
(7911)
Single-seat fighterDestroyed in flamesNorth-east of Morval
416 September 1916
@ 1900
DH.2
(7911)
Fokker D.IIDestroyedAchiet
521 September 1916
@ 1745
DH.2
(7911)
LVG two-seaterForced to landNorth of Miraumont
622 September 1916
@ 1140
DH.2
(7911)
Enemy aircraftForced to landVélu
722 September 1916
@ 1800
DH.2
(7911)
Rumpler two-seaterForced to landGrandcourt
823 September 1916
@ 0815
DH.2
(7911)
Rumpler two-seaterForced to landEast of Combles
928 September 1916
@ 1710
DH.2
(A2538)
LVG two-seaterForced to landRocquigny
1016 October 1916
@ 1030
DH.2
(5925)
Albatros D.IForced to landBiefvillers

Honours and awards

Distinguished Service Order
Second Lieutenant Patrick Anthony Langan-Byrne, Royal Artillery and Royal Flying Corps.
"For conspicuous skill and gallantry. He has shown great pluck in attacking hostile machines, often against large odds. He has accounted for several. On one occasion, with two other machines, he attacked seventeen enemy machines, shot down one in flames and forced another to land."[10]

References

Notes
  1. "Patrick Anthony Langan-Byrne". The Aerodrome. 2016.
  2. "Casualty Details: Byrne, Patrick Anthony Laugan". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 2016.
  3. "Catholics in the War Honours". The Tablet: 12. 25 November 1916.
  4. "No. 28932". The London Gazette. 9 October 1914. p. 8043.
  5. "No. 29723". The London Gazette. 25 August 1916. p. 8399.
  6. Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 231.
  7. "No. 29801". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 October 1916. p. 10378.
  8. Guttman (2009), pp. 40–44.
  9. Guttman (2009), p. 45.
  10. "No. 29824". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 November 1916. p. 11041.
Bibliography
  • Guttman, Jon (2009). Pusher Aces of World War I. illustrated by Harry Dempsey. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-417-6.
  • Shores, Christopher; Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell (1990). Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920. London: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.
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