Charles Bartlett (aviator)
Encyclopedia
Major Charles Philip Oldfield Bartlett (3 January 1889 – March 1986) was an English World War I flying ace
credited with eight aerial victories in the course of flying bombing sorties against the Germans.
He remained in service after World War I, even though he struggled with health issues that threatened his forced resignation. He would serve until 1932, rising to the rank of Squadron Leader.
in the Royal Navy
.
After his World War I experiences, the elder Bartlett recorded his wartime experiences in the books Bomber Pilot, 1916-1918 and In the Teeth of the Wind: The Story of a Naval Pilot on the Western Front, 1916-1918.
In his later years, C. P. O. Bartlett lived at Cheltenham
, Gloucestershire, England. He passed away there in March 1986.
during World War I. He first came to notice on 3 April 1916 when he was confirmed as a probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant for temporary service.
He went into combat in France as an Airco DH.4 bomber pilot in No. 5 Naval Squadron. He scored his first aerial victory on 2 July 1917. However, this was incidental to his main mission, as the citation for his Distinguished Service Cross makes clear. When it was gazetted on 14 September 1917, it read:
Bartlett would not score again until 30 January 1918. However, on 1 March 1918, he was promoted from temporary Flight Lieutenant
to temporary Flight Commander. In the latter part of March, Bartlett and his observer/gunner Walter Naylor
would reel off a string of six more victories in the course of carrying out their bombing missions against the Germans. The string of triumphs was notable enough for specific mention in the second award of the DSC, represented by the award of a Bar. An account of the actions, as gazetted on 17 May 1918, credited him with causing the midair collision of two of his opponents:
Subsequently, on 12 July 1918, after the RNAS had been merged into the Royal Air Force, Lieutenant Bartlett, already serving as a temporary captain, was promoted to act as temporary Major.
However, this revocation of his commission must have been rescinded, because on 24 February 1922, he was restored to full pay from half pay. Later that year, on 27 December 1922, he was once again invalided from the RAF with the honorary rank of Major. A few days later, on 1 January 1923, his discharge for ill health was once again cancelled.
He would continue to serve until 26 August 1932, when he retired as a Squadron Leader
.
Information about his later years is unavailable.
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
credited with eight aerial victories in the course of flying bombing sorties against the Germans.
He remained in service after World War I, even though he struggled with health issues that threatened his forced resignation. He would serve until 1932, rising to the rank of Squadron Leader.
Personal life
Charles Philip Oldfield Bartlett was born on 3 January 1889 in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, England. His only son, Francis Nigel Oldfeld Bartlett, would eventually follow him into the military, serving as a Lieutenant CommanderLieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
After his World War I experiences, the elder Bartlett recorded his wartime experiences in the books Bomber Pilot, 1916-1918 and In the Teeth of the Wind: The Story of a Naval Pilot on the Western Front, 1916-1918.
In his later years, C. P. O. Bartlett lived at Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
, Gloucestershire, England. He passed away there in March 1986.
World War I
Bartlett began military service in the Royal Naval Air ServiceRoyal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
during World War I. He first came to notice on 3 April 1916 when he was confirmed as a probationary Flight Sub-Lieutenant for temporary service.
He went into combat in France as an Airco DH.4 bomber pilot in No. 5 Naval Squadron. He scored his first aerial victory on 2 July 1917. However, this was incidental to his main mission, as the citation for his Distinguished Service Cross makes clear. When it was gazetted on 14 September 1917, it read:
For exceptionally good work on the occasion of a bombing raid on Houttave Aerodrome on the 25th July, 1917.
Bartlett would not score again until 30 January 1918. However, on 1 March 1918, he was promoted from temporary Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
to temporary Flight Commander. In the latter part of March, Bartlett and his observer/gunner Walter Naylor
Walter Naylor
Air Mechanic First Class Walter Naylor was the leading observer ace of the Royal Naval Air Service, with 14 accredited victories. He flew as an enlisted observer/gunner in Airco DH.4 bombers in 5 Naval Squadron along the English Channel....
would reel off a string of six more victories in the course of carrying out their bombing missions against the Germans. The string of triumphs was notable enough for specific mention in the second award of the DSC, represented by the award of a Bar. An account of the actions, as gazetted on 17 May 1918, credited him with causing the midair collision of two of his opponents:
For conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in carrying out bombing raids and in attacking enemy aircraft.
On the 28th March, 1918, he carried out three bombing raids. Whilst returning from one of these missions he was attacked at a height of about 2,500 feet by three enemy triplanes, and five other scouts. One of these he drove down, attacking it with his front guns, whilst his observer shot down out of control a second. Observing that two of the triplanes were diving on him and converging, he side-slipped his machine away with the result that the two enemy machines collided and fell to the ground together, where they burst into flames.
He has carried out very many bombing raids, and brought down several enemy machines, invariably showing the greatest skill and determination.
Subsequently, on 12 July 1918, after the RNAS had been merged into the Royal Air Force, Lieutenant Bartlett, already serving as a temporary captain, was promoted to act as temporary Major.
Post World War I
Bartlett continued in Royal Air Force service after World War I, even though he constantly struggled with health problems. On 3 September 1919, he gave up his commission because of sickness, though he was entitled to retain his rank.However, this revocation of his commission must have been rescinded, because on 24 February 1922, he was restored to full pay from half pay. Later that year, on 27 December 1922, he was once again invalided from the RAF with the honorary rank of Major. A few days later, on 1 January 1923, his discharge for ill health was once again cancelled.
He would continue to serve until 26 August 1932, when he retired as a Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
.
Information about his later years is unavailable.
List of aerial victories
See also Aerial victory standards of World War IAerial victory standards of World War I
During World War I, the national air services involved developed their own methods of assessing and assigning credit for aerial victories.The victory scores of the pilots represented at List of World War I flying aces often cannot be definitive, but are based on itemized lists that are the best...
| No. | Date/time | Aircraft | Foe | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 July 1917 @ 1230 hours | Airco DH.4 serial number N5967 | Albatros D.V Albatros D.V |-See also:-Bibliography:*Bennett, Leon. Gunning for the Red Baron. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 2006. ISBN 1-58544-507-X.... |
Driven down out of control | Zeebrugge Zeebrugge Zeebrugge is a village on the coast of Belgium and a subdivision of Bruges, for which it is the modern port. Zeebrugge serves as both the international port of Bruges-Zeebrugge and a seafront resort with hotels, cafés, a marina and a beach.-Location:... |
Observer/gunner: S. D. Sambrook |
| 2 | 30 January 1918 @ 1330 hours | Airco DH.4 s/n N6001 | Albatros D.V | Driven down out of control | Engel Airfield | Observer/gunner: Walter Naylor Walter Naylor Air Mechanic First Class Walter Naylor was the leading observer ace of the Royal Naval Air Service, with 14 accredited victories. He flew as an enlisted observer/gunner in Airco DH.4 bombers in 5 Naval Squadron along the English Channel.... |
| 3 | 18March 1918 @ 1102 hours | Airco DH.4 s/n N5961 | Albatros D.V | Driven down out of control | Beaurevoir Beaurevoir Beaurevoir is a commune in the department of Aisne in Picardy in northern France.-Population:... |
Observer/gunner: Walter Naylor |
| 4 | 21 March 1918 @ 1804 hours | Airco DH.4 s/n N6000 | Fokker Dr.I Triplane | Driven down out of control | Honnecourt-sur-Escaut Honnecourt-sur-Escaut Honnecourt-sur-Escaut is a communes in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*... |
Observer/gunner: Walter Naylor |
| 5 | 27 March 1918 @ 1045 hours | Airco DH.4 s/n N6000 | Albatros D.V | Driven down out of control | Fontaine Fontaine Fontaine is a French word meaning fountain or natural spring.Fountain is the title of a famous sculpture by Marcel Duchamp.- Place Names :Fontaine or Fontaines is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:... |
Observer/gunner: Walter Naylor |
| 6 | 28 March 1918 about 1000 hours | Airco DH.4 s/n N6000 | Fokker Dr.I Triplane | Destroyed | Raincourt Raincourt Raincourt is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France.-References:*... |
Observer/gunner: Walter Naylor |
| 7 | 28 March 1918 about 1000 hours | Airco DH.4 s/n N6000 | Fokker Dr.I Triplane | Destroyed | Raincourt | Observer/gunner: Walter Naylor |
| 8 | 28 March 1918 about 1000 hours | Airco DH.4 s/n N6000 | Fokker Dr.I Triplane | Destroyed | Raincourt | Observer/gunner: Walter Naylor |
Further reading
- Bomber pilot, 1916-1918. Charles Philip Oldfeld Bartlett. Allan, 1974, ISBN unknown
- In the Teeth of the Wind: The Story of a Naval Pilot on the Western Front, 1916-1918. Author: Charles Philip Oldfeld Bartlett. Editor: Nick Bartlett. Naval Institute Press, 1994. ISBN 1557503931, 9781557503930.