World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. Born in Nottingham, England, he served as a Captain in the 56 Squadron, British Royal Flying Corps. Throughout his flying service he was known as a lone-wolf pilot and his country's first most popular ace. On May 7, 1917, near Douai, France, Captain Ball led a group of eleven British aircraft on a patrol when they encountered German fighters. A running dogfight in deteriorating visibility resulted, and the aircraft became scattered. Captain Ball was last seen by fellow pilots pursuing German planes falling upside-down from the bottom of the cloud, at an altitude of 200 feet with a dead prop. Although the Red Baron von Richthofen was credited by the Germans with shooting Captain Ball down, ground forces stated that with his plane's dead prop, he lost control, crash landed and died at the scene from injuries. At the time of his death, he had 44 confirmed victories and was England's leading ace. For most prestigious gallantry, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross on June 8, 1917 and also the Croix de Chevalier, from the French government.
World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. Born in Nottingham, England, he served as a Captain in the 56 Squadron, British Royal Flying Corps. Throughout his flying service he was known as a lone-wolf pilot and his country's first most popular ace. On May 7, 1917, near Douai, France, Captain Ball led a group of eleven British aircraft on a patrol when they encountered German fighters. A running dogfight in deteriorating visibility resulted, and the aircraft became scattered. Captain Ball was last seen by fellow pilots pursuing German planes falling upside-down from the bottom of the cloud, at an altitude of 200 feet with a dead prop. Although the Red Baron von Richthofen was credited by the Germans with shooting Captain Ball down, ground forces stated that with his plane's dead prop, he lost control, crash landed and died at the scene from injuries. At the time of his death, he had 44 confirmed victories and was England's leading ace. For most prestigious gallantry, he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross on June 8, 1917 and also the Croix de Chevalier, from the French government.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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