An October 1918 casualty Bomber Pilot and Observer’s Great War Western Front Distinguished Flying Cross group awarded to Second Lieutenant, later Temporary Lieutenant Ernest Harold Canning, 102 Squadron, Royal Air Force who having enlisted initially served in the 28th (Artists Rifles) Battalion, London Regiment as a Private on the Western Front from 23rd April 1916, before being commissioned into the 1st Battalion, Gloucester Regiment on 14th April 1917. Transferring to the Royal Flying Corps, he would become a part of the Royal Air Force upon its formation on 1st April 1918, and would be decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross in the London Gazette of 2nd November 1918 as a result of bravery in carrying out low level bombing raids under heavy enemy fire, including on the bridges over the Somme River, and later in support of the decisive Allied Offensives that began around Amiens on 8th August 1918. Canning would later be killed in action on 5th October 1918 whilst attached to No. 102 Squadron and serving as an Observer when his aircraft crashed on a return form a bombing raid on a railway station behind the German Lines, he is now buried in Drummond Cemetery.
Group of 3: Distinguished Flying Cross, GVR cypher with 1st type issue horizontal ribbon; British War Medal and Victory Medal; (2. LIEUT. E.H. CANNING. R.A.F.) Mounted loose for wear.
Condition: Mounted loose for wear, Extremely Fine
Along with original cloth Observer Brevet
Ernest Harold Canning was born on 10th August 1895, the fifth of the seven children of Frederick George Canning (1860-1921) and Janet Canning nee Barnes (b.1854). His birth was registered in the 3rd quarter of 1895 in the St. George, Hanover Square registration district, Westminster and he was baptised on 13th October 1895 in St. Mark’s Church, North Audley Street, Mayfair, London, where the baptismal register shows his family were residing at 37 King Street Mews, Mayfair (now called Culross Street) His father was described as a coachman.
In the 1901 census he is shown as living at 36 King Street Mews, Mayfair, with his parents and five siblins together with three stablemen and a groom. His father was listed as a coachman/groom and his elder brother, Frederick was shown as an electrician
When his father completed his 1911 census return form, the family were living in the 38 roomed property called Dudley House at 36 Park Lane, Mayfair, the residence of Sir Joseph Robinson (1840-1929). He was described as an apprentice civil engineer living with his parents, two siblings: Rose Maud Canning and John Canning. His father described himself as coachman, his daughter as a dressmaker and his youngest son as a schoolboy.
On 26th October 1915 he is shown in the manifest of the S.S. Highland Pride arriving in the Port of London having embarked at Montevideo as a 2nd Class passenger and giving his occupation as a Clerk.
In November 1915 he enlisted as a Private in the 28th (County of London) Battalion, the London Regiment and entered France serving as a Private (No. 4824) on 21st April 1916. On 1st January 1917 his service number was changed to 760765. He would be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Gloucestershire Regiment on 13th April 1917 and later transferred into the Royal Flying Corps which became the Royal Air Force on 1st April 1918.
By 1st November 1918 he would be shown in the London Gazette as a 2nd Lieutenant holding the rank of Temporary Lieutenant, it also confirms the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross, the citation reading:
‘This officer has displayed marked courage and skill in bombing enemy transport etc., at low altitudes. He took a conspicuous part in the attack on bridges over a certain river, subjected to heavy machine gun fire he descended to 150 feet to exactly locate their position, and bombed them from a low altitude;’
The original recommendation for the award reading: Lieut. Ernest Harold Canning – 1st Gloucestershire Regiment, No.102 Squadron, R.A.F.
I beg to recommend the above named Officer for such award as you may think fit. This Officer has invariably shown the greatest resource and gallantry in all the work he has carried out with the Squadron. He has on many occasions bombed Trains and Transport from very low heights. On 5.6.1918 he dropped 3 112lb bombs on a train entering Busigny Station from 700 feet. On 26.6.1918 he dropped 8 25lb bombs on a train entering Cambrai Station from 300 feet. During the offensive south of the Somme he bombed the Somme Bridges from a low altitude in spite of severe Machine Gun fire from the neighbourhood of the bridges.
On 8.8.1918 he carried out 2 raids on Cappy Bridge on the same night. On the first raid he dropped 3 112lb bombs on the bridge from 600 feet. On the second raid he found the Bridge in spite of very bad visibility. Locating it by flying at 150 feet and then dropping his bombs from 600 feet.
During the recent advance he has on three occasions bombed transport from a height of under 500 feet. He obtained direct hits on Transport near Queant on 21.8.18 and at Vaulx-Vrauccurt and near Lagnicourt on 24.8.18.
On 28.8.18, he attempted to carry out a reconnaissance of the Arras-Cambrai Road in spite of clouds at 1,000 feet. He carried out observations on the road as far as Marquion by means of parachute flares but when over Marquion was hit in the main tank and had to return, landing at Marieux when his petrol gave out.
This officer has carried out 16 low flying reconnaissances during the last three months, brining back valuable information on several occasions. He has to his credit a total of 76 bombing flights since he joined the Squadron on 26.4.18. The manner in which he has carried out his work has been an excellent example to other Observers in the Squadron.
Lieut. Canning served in France with 1/28th London Regiment from 23.4.16 to 13.4.17, and with the 1st Gloucester Regiment from 14.4.17 to 8.11.17.
Signed Major Baker, Commanding No.102 Squadron Royal Air Force on 29th August 1918.
He was attached to 102 Squadron when he was killed, aged 23 years, on 5th October 1918. He was an Observer when his aeroplane, which was being piloted by Lieutenant Leslie James Forrest crashed on their return from a bombing raid on a railway station behind the German lines, into the front line of the 8th Canadian Infantry Battalion. His body was buried in the Drummond Cemetery.
Probate records show his address to have been 14 Hyde Park Terrace, Paddington and that when administration was granted to his father on 27th December 1918 his effects totalled £101. By 1 September 1919 his army effects totalling £121-11s-6d plus his £8-0s-0d war gratuity had been sent to his father.
