Great War FE2B Bristol Fighter Pilot’s casualty pair awarded to Second Lieutenant A.H. Gilbert, Royal Flying Corps, who having initially served with the 12th Canadian Mounted Rifles, would be commissioned a Second Lieutenant on 26th February 1917 before being posted as a Pilot to 22nd Squadron, Royal Flying Corps on 27th July 1917. By September 1917 he would be flying from Estre Blanche, south of Saint-Omer and on 17th September 1917 claimed an enemy aircraft and another which went down, apparently out of control. Just 4 days later he was killed in action when involved in a mid-air collision during aerial combat. He is now buried in Potijze Chateau Lawn Cemetery.
Pair: British War Medal and Victory Medal; (2. LIEUT. A.H. GILBERT.)
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine
Archibald Holmes Gilbert was born at Los Angeles, California on 12th April 1894, then lived in Calgary, Alberta, Canada joining the Canadian Expeditionary Force as No. 117259 with the 12th Canadian Mounted Rifles. He would then being commissioned as a Second Lieutenant with the Imperial Army on 26th February 1917 and then being posted as a Pilot with the 22nd Squadron, Royal Flying Corps on 27th July 1917.
Between July and September 1917 as the offensive focus of the British ground forces moved from the Somme toward Ypres, 22nd Squadron moved base three times – respectively to Warloy, Izel les Hameaux and Boisdinghem. In September he was flying from an Estre Blanche, an aerodrome just south of Saint-Omer.
On the 17th September 1917 five FE2b Bristol fighters – two seaters armed with forward firing Vickers & rear-facing Lewis Machine Guns – were involved in a desperate aerial combat in which 2 aircraft were lost and another returned with its pilot wounded and his rear-gunner dead. On this same date Lieut. A.H. Gilbert & his Air Mechanic S.C. Boxall shot down one enemy aircraft in flames and claimed another which went down, apparently out of control.
On 21st September 1917 during the Battle of Menin Road Ridge, Second Lieutenant Gilbert set off on an offensive patrol and was engaged in aerial combat above Houthulst-Roulers, N.E. of Ypres. There in exchange for one Enemy Aircraft brought down, two FE2b Bristol Fighters of 22 Squadron were lost in a mid-air collision at 1000 feet – one of these was Gilbert’s aircraft.
Gilber is now buried in Potijze Chateau Lawn Cemetery, and is also commemorated on a bronze plaque in the Knox United Church, Calgary which is inscribed ‘To the Glory of God and in loving memory of Calgary members of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force who fell during the Great War. Full of promise, noble and fearless they gave their lives in defence of their country.
