Henry Winslow Woollett
Encyclopedia
Henry Winslow Woollett DSO
, MC
& Bar
(5 August 1895 – 31 October 1969) was a World War I fighter ace who scored 35 victories and continued to serve in the Royal Air Force
during the 1920s.
, Suffolk
, England
and was educated at Wellingborough School
(1907–1913). A doctor's son, he was pursuing medical studies when World War I began. He immediately enlisted and on 19 November 1914 was commissioned a second lieutenant in an infantry unit, the Lincolnshire Regiment. He then served in the Gallipoli Campaign, landing at Suvla Bay. In 1916, he requested and received transfer to the Royal Flying Corps
. He qualified as a pilot after only 3.5 hours flight time.
.
In the summer of 1917 No. 24 squadron switched to flying the Airco DH.5
. The DH.5 was unusual in design with the top wing having a 'back stagger', behind the lower wing, to give the pilot good visibility, especially overhead. Given its lack of power (top speed was 102 miles per hour) and poor performance at higher altitudes, it was used more for ground attack than air combat. Nevertheless, it was while flying the DH.5 that Woollett destroyed three more German planes and drove another down 'out of control'. On 17 August 1917, he became an ace, and was promoted to flight commander. He was posted back to England as a flight instructor at Eastbourne
in August 1917. On 9 January 1918, he was awarded the Military Cross; a Bar in lieu of a second award would follow on 22 June.
He returned to combat in France in March 1918 with No. 43 Squadron, operating Sopwith Camel
s. He achieved ten victories in March and was a triple ace by month's end. Beginning on 24 March, he began a series of 22 victories with Camel number D6402, making it one of the more successful airframes in the war. Victories 14 and 15 were over observation balloons, considered highly dangerous targets due to their heavy anti-aircraft protection and fighter cover.
Even in an era of relaxed garb and standards, Woollettt was colourful. He wore a leopardskin flying helmet and gauntlets when he flew. His airplane was equally distinctive, with the propeller spinner painted as a Native American's face and a dragon trailing down the length of the fuselage. He also briefly adorned his plane with white 'splotches' as experimental camouflage to aid his balloon busting, but his superiors made him remove them.
Eccentric he may have been, but he was also effective. April saw him claim six more German airplanes and five more balloons. He shot down six planes on a single day—12 April. It was a record day unsurpassed by any pilot in the entire war. Belgium's top ace of World War I, Willy Coppens
described Woollett's exploits:
Woollett downed a balloon and two planes in May, an enemy fighter and two balloons in July, and finished up by destroying a Fokker D.VII
to end his war with 35 victories. He had scored at least 23 of his triumphs in the same Camel, serial number D6402, which he overturned and damaged on 21 July. His final wartime duty was a posting back to England to command a training wing.
His account consisted of 20 enemy planes destroyed, (including 4 shot down in flames), 4 more aircraft down 'out of control' and 11 balloons destroyed.
on 30 November 1918, and the Croix de Guerre
with Palm on 15 July 1919. He served in Iraq during the 1920s, being appointed Squadron Leader
as of 11 December 1928. He also was Squadron Leader of No. 23 Squadron in 1930–1931. One of the pilots assigned to his command was Douglas Bader
, the World War II ace.
Some time after that, Woollett left the service; however, he was later appointed Acting Pilot Officer
on 1 February 1941 for duration of hostilities for World War II
.
He died on 31 October 1969.
Military Cross
& Bar
Legion d'Honneur
(France) - 30 November 1918
Croix de Guerre
with Palm
(France) - 15 July 1919
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
(5 August 1895 – 31 October 1969) was a World War I fighter ace who scored 35 victories and continued to serve in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
during the 1920s.
Early life
Henry W. Woollett grew up in SouthwoldSouthwold
Southwold is a town on the North Sea coast, in the Waveney district of the English county of Suffolk. It is located on the North Sea coast at the mouth of the River Blyth within the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The town is around south of Lowestoft and north-east...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and was educated at Wellingborough School
Wellingborough School
Wellingborough School is an independent fee-paying day school in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England. It was established in 1595 and is one of the oldest schools in the country.-History:...
(1907–1913). A doctor's son, he was pursuing medical studies when World War I began. He immediately enlisted and on 19 November 1914 was commissioned a second lieutenant in an infantry unit, the Lincolnshire Regiment. He then served in the Gallipoli Campaign, landing at Suvla Bay. In 1916, he requested and received transfer to the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
. He qualified as a pilot after only 3.5 hours flight time.
His Career as an Ace
In November 1916, he was assigned to No. 24 Squadron to fly the Airco DH2. These early fighter planes had a rear "pusher" engine format and a forward firing machine gun with a clear field of fire making synchronisation unnecessary. It was flying one of these that Woollett claimed his first victory, on 5 April 1917, destroying an Albatros D.IIIAlbatros D.III
The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service and the Austro-Hungarian Air Service during World War I. The D.III was flown by many top German aces, including Manfred von Richthofen, Ernst Udet, Erich Löwenhardt, Kurt Wolff, and Karl Emil Schäfer...
.
In the summer of 1917 No. 24 squadron switched to flying the Airco DH.5
Airco DH.5
-Bibliography:* Bruce, J.M. Warplanes of the First World War, Vol. 1. London: MacDonald, 1965, pp. 128–132.* Jackson, A.J. De Havilland Aircraft since 1915. London: Putnam, 1962....
. The DH.5 was unusual in design with the top wing having a 'back stagger', behind the lower wing, to give the pilot good visibility, especially overhead. Given its lack of power (top speed was 102 miles per hour) and poor performance at higher altitudes, it was used more for ground attack than air combat. Nevertheless, it was while flying the DH.5 that Woollett destroyed three more German planes and drove another down 'out of control'. On 17 August 1917, he became an ace, and was promoted to flight commander. He was posted back to England as a flight instructor at Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
in August 1917. On 9 January 1918, he was awarded the Military Cross; a Bar in lieu of a second award would follow on 22 June.
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
s. He achieved ten victories in March and was a triple ace by month's end. Beginning on 24 March, he began a series of 22 victories with Camel number D6402, making it one of the more successful airframes in the war. Victories 14 and 15 were over observation balloons, considered highly dangerous targets due to their heavy anti-aircraft protection and fighter cover.
Even in an era of relaxed garb and standards, Woollettt was colourful. He wore a leopardskin flying helmet and gauntlets when he flew. His airplane was equally distinctive, with the propeller spinner painted as a Native American's face and a dragon trailing down the length of the fuselage. He also briefly adorned his plane with white 'splotches' as experimental camouflage to aid his balloon busting, but his superiors made him remove them.
Eccentric he may have been, but he was also effective. April saw him claim six more German airplanes and five more balloons. He shot down six planes on a single day—12 April. It was a record day unsurpassed by any pilot in the entire war. Belgium's top ace of World War I, Willy Coppens
Willy Coppens
Willy Omer Francois Jean Coppens was Belgium's leading fighter ace and the champion "balloon buster" of World War I.-Background and Early Military Service:...
described Woollett's exploits:
Woollett downed a balloon and two planes in May, an enemy fighter and two balloons in July, and finished up by destroying a Fokker D.VII
Fokker D.VII
The Fokker D.VII was a German World War I fighter aircraft designed by Reinhold Platz of the Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. Germany produced around 3,300 D.VII aircraft in the summer and autumn of 1918. In service, the D.VII quickly proved itself to be a formidable aircraft...
to end his war with 35 victories. He had scored at least 23 of his triumphs in the same Camel, serial number D6402, which he overturned and damaged on 21 July. His final wartime duty was a posting back to England to command a training wing.
His account consisted of 20 enemy planes destroyed, (including 4 shot down in flames), 4 more aircraft down 'out of control' and 11 balloons destroyed.
Post war
Woollett was awarded the French Legion d'HonneurLégion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
on 30 November 1918, and the Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
with Palm on 15 July 1919. He served in Iraq during the 1920s, being appointed Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
as of 11 December 1928. He also was Squadron Leader of No. 23 Squadron in 1930–1931. One of the pilots assigned to his command was Douglas Bader
Douglas Bader
Group Captain Sir Douglas Robert Steuart Bader CBE, DSO & Bar, DFC & Bar, FRAeS, DL was a Royal Air Force fighter ace during the Second World War. He was credited with 20 aerial victories, four shared victories, six probables, one shared probable and 11 enemy aircraft damaged.Bader joined the...
, the World War II ace.
Some time after that, Woollett left the service; however, he was later appointed Acting Pilot Officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
on 1 February 1941 for duration of hostilities for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
He died on 31 October 1969.
Honours and awards
Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
Legion d'Honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
(France) - 30 November 1918
Croix de Guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
with Palm
Palm
Palm may refer to :* Palm, the central region of the front of the hand, see Hand#Human anatomy or metacarpus.-People:* August Palm , Swedish socialist activist* Conny Palm, , Swedish electrical engineer and statistician...
(France) - 15 July 1919