William Avery Bishop

From Alf Askin's research notes

Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.

BISHOP, William Avery.(Reg. No.93)

Captain Canadian Cavalry and 60 Squadron of The Royal Flying Corps.

London Gazetted on 11th August 1917.

VC Medal's Custodian is the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa, Canada.

Born on 8th February 1894 at Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada.

Died on 11th September 1956 at Palm Beach, Florida, United States of America.

Memorials on grave at Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound, Ontario and a Plaque in Queen's Park, West Owen Sound Ontario.

Digest of Citation reads: On 2nd June 1917 near Cambrai, France, Captain Bishop, patrolling independently, flew to an enemy aerodrome where several machines were standing with their engines running. One of the machines took off, but Captain Bishop fired at very close range and it crashed. He fired at and missed, the second, but his fire made the pilot swerve and hit a tree. Two more aircraft then took off– He emptied his Lewis -gun into the forward fuselage of the first and it crashed. He then emptied a whole drum into the fourth machine which had come up behind him and it dived away. Captain Bishop then flew back to his station. Further information: Air Marshal Bishop was the son of William Avery Bishop, Registrar of Grey County, Ontario. He attended and was educated at the Royal Military College at Kingston joining the Canadian Militia on the 26th of August 1911. He was commissioned in the Canadian Cavalry in March 1915 travelling to the European War in France with one of the Units. After a short spell in the trenches, he decided to join up as an airman. He succeeded Captain Albert Ball VC, on his demise, as commander of the Squadron. In 1917 he was awarded the Military Cross and the Distinguished Service Order, later he received a Bar for the DSO.. On the 28th August 1917 he was promoted to Major. Later, on the 5th August 1918 he was promoted to Temporary Lieutenant Colonel and took the appointment of General Staff Officer, First Grade of the Canadian Forces. He later became an Air Marshall. He married Margaret Eaton, the daughter of Mr and Mrs C.E. Burdon, and niece of Sir John Eaton, on the 17th Of October 1917.