Harold Mellings

Harold Thomas Mellings
Born August 1897[1] or 5 August 1899[2]
Bromfield, Shropshire, England
Died 22 July 1918
Ostend, Belgium
Buried at Ramscappelle Road Military Cemetery, Nieuwpoort, Belgium
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
Royal Air Force
Years of service 1915–1918
Rank Captain
Unit No. 2 Wing RNAS
No. 10 Squadron RNAS/No. 210 Squadron RAF
Battles/wars World War I
 • Macedonian Front
 • Western Front
Awards Distinguished Service Cross & bar
Distinguished Flying Cross

Captain Harold Thomas Mellings DSC*, DFC was a British World War I flying ace credited with 15 aerial victories.[2]

Early life and career

Mellings was granted Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificate No. 2028 at the Beatty Flying School in Hendon on a Caudron biplane on 11 November 1915,[3] having joined the Royal Naval Air Service as a temporary probationary flight sub-lieutenant, and was confirmed in his rank on 3 April 1916.[4]

Service on the Aegean Front

Mellings began his career as a fighter ace on 30 September 1916, when he flew a Bristol Scout to victory over an LVG near Smyrna. He sent the observation plane spinning down out of control. It would be exactly a year until victory number two,[2] by which time he had been promoted to flight lieutenant (June 1917).[5] This second action was a clash between polyglot forces. Mellings was flying a recently rebuilt Sopwith Triplane equipped with an extra gun, and was accompanied by John Alcock in a Sopwith Camel and a third pilot in a Sopwith Pup. The opposing Germans were a two-seater observation plane escorted by two Albatros W.4s. The ensuing dogfight resulted in Mellings shooting away the upper left wing of Walter Kreuger's W.4; Kreuger crashed into the Aegean Sea.[1] In November, Mellings destroyed enemy aircraft on the 19th, 25th, and 29th, becoming an ace while still flying Sopwith Triplane No. N5431. Soon afterwards, he was transferred out of No. 2 Wing to No. 10 Naval Squadron on the Western Front in France.[2]

Service on the Western Front

Mellings's new assignment put him in the cockpit of a Sopwith Camel. He used it to score his sixth triumph on 28 February 1918. He tallied four more wins in March, including a double victory on 24 March, to become a double ace. After one more win, on 9 April, he was wounded in action on the 15th. He would not score again until 9 July 1918. He then notched two victories each on 20 and 22 July. Later in the day of the 22nd, he was killed in action by Ludwig Beckmann.[2]

Mellings's final tally was ten enemy aeroplanes confirmed destroyed, five driven down out of control, and two unconfirmed victories.[2]

He is buried in Ramscappelle Road Military Cemetery, Nieuwpoort, Belgium.[6]

Honours and awards

Distinguished Service Cross
Flight Sub-Lieutenant Harold Thomas Mellings, RNAS.
"In recognition of his services on 19 March 1917, when he attacked a hostile aeroplane with great gallantry at heights varying from 12,000 to 2,000 feet."[7]
Bar to the Distinguished Service Cross
Flight Lieutenant Harold Thomas Mellings, DSC, RNAS.
"For the great skill, judgment and dash displayed by him off Mudros on 30 September 1917, in a successful attack on three enemy seaplanes, two of which were brought down in the sea."[8]
Distinguished Flying Cross
Lieutenant (Honorary Captain) Harold Thomas Mellings, DSC. (Sea Patrol).
"A very gallant officer who, on a recent patrol, attacked and caused to crash an enemy two-seater. Later, on the same patrol, he was attacked by four Fokkers, one of which he shot down at a range of ten yards; this machine was seen to crash. A second was driven down smoking. Since he was awarded a Bar to the Distinguished Service Cross Captain Mellings has, in addition to the above, accounted for eleven enemy machines—seven destroyed, and four driven down out of control."[9]

Mellings was also awarded the Silver War Medal by Greece on 21 September 1916.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 Franks (2004), p.60.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Harold Thomas Mellings". The Aerodrome. 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  3. ↑ "Aviators' Certificates". Flight. VII (360): 894. 19 November 1915. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  4. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 29694. p. 7675. 4 August 1916.
  5. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 30156. p. 6415. 29 June 1917.
  6. ↑ "Casualty Details: Mellings, Harold Thomas". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  7. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30147. p. 6256. 22 June 1917.
  8. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30437. pp. 13318–13319. 18 December 1917.
  9. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30913. p. 11253. 20 September 1918.
  10. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30913. p. 11259. 20 September 1918.
Bibliography
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