Donald Charles Cunnell (December 1893 - 12 July 1917) was a
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
flying aceA flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of air victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more.It is said that fighter aces are a dying...
who was killed in action over
BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
.
Cunnell was born in December 1893 at
NorwichNorwich is a city in Norfolk, East Anglia which is in Eastern England. It is the regional administrative centre and county city of Norfolk...
,
NorfolkNorfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast, including The Wash. The county town is Norwich...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the son of Charles Donald Cunnell and educated at
Gresham's SchoolGresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school at Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
,
HoltHolt is a market town and parish in the English county of Norfolk. The town is north of the city of Norwich, west of Cromer and east of King's Lynn. The town is on the route of the A148 King's Lynn to Cromer road. The nearest railway station is in the town of Sheringham where access to the...
.
Cunnell was commissioned into the Hampshire Regiment in 1914. He learnt to fly and transferred to the
Royal Flying CorpsThe Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery cooperation and photographic reconnaissance...
in 1915. He saw active service on the
Western FrontFollowing the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
, including his service as a fighter pilot, from the early weeks of
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
until his death.
As a flight commander with
No 20 SquadronNo.20 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is the current OCU for the BAE Harrier GR9, T10 and T12 operating from RAF Wittering...
in 1917, Cunnell claimed nine victories ( five claimed destroyed, four 'out of control') flying
Royal Aircraft Factory FE2dsThe Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 was a two-seat pusher biplane that was operated as a day and night bomber and as a fighter aircraft by the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War...
.
On 6 July 1917, Cunnell, flying with Second Lieutenant Albert Edward Woodbridge in an FE2d of 20 Squadron was part of a six aircraft patrol when attacked by a flight of German Albatros DVs including one flown by
Manfred von RichthofenManfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen was a German fighter pilot known as the "Red Baron". He was the most successful flying ace of the Imperial German Army Air Service during World War I, being officially credited with 80 confirmed air combat victories.Richthofen was a member of an...
.
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Donald Charles Cunnell (December 1893 - 12 July 1917) was a
BritishThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
flying aceA flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of air victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more.It is said that fighter aces are a dying...
who was killed in action over
BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
.
Early life
Cunnell was born in December 1893 at
NorwichNorwich is a city in Norfolk, East Anglia which is in Eastern England. It is the regional administrative centre and county city of Norfolk...
,
NorfolkNorfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast, including The Wash. The county town is Norwich...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the son of Charles Donald Cunnell and educated at
Gresham's SchoolGresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school at Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
,
HoltHolt is a market town and parish in the English county of Norfolk. The town is north of the city of Norwich, west of Cromer and east of King's Lynn. The town is on the route of the A148 King's Lynn to Cromer road. The nearest railway station is in the town of Sheringham where access to the...
.
Career
Cunnell was commissioned into the Hampshire Regiment in 1914. He learnt to fly and transferred to the
Royal Flying CorpsThe Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery cooperation and photographic reconnaissance...
in 1915. He saw active service on the
Western FrontFollowing the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
, including his service as a fighter pilot, from the early weeks of
World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
until his death.
As a flight commander with
No 20 SquadronNo.20 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is the current OCU for the BAE Harrier GR9, T10 and T12 operating from RAF Wittering...
in 1917, Cunnell claimed nine victories ( five claimed destroyed, four 'out of control') flying
Royal Aircraft Factory FE2dsThe Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 was a two-seat pusher biplane that was operated as a day and night bomber and as a fighter aircraft by the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War...
.
On 6 July 1917, Cunnell, flying with Second Lieutenant Albert Edward Woodbridge in an FE2d of 20 Squadron was part of a six aircraft patrol when attacked by a flight of German Albatros DVs including one flown by
Manfred von RichthofenManfred Albrecht Freiherr von Richthofen was a German fighter pilot known as the "Red Baron". He was the most successful flying ace of the Imperial German Army Air Service during World War I, being officially credited with 80 confirmed air combat victories.Richthofen was a member of an...
. During the clash Richthofen was wounded in the head and forced to land near Wervicq. The victory was credited to the crew of Cunnell's A6412. This was the only time Manfred von Richthofen was shot down in air to air combat.
Woodbridge later described the action:
Cunnell was killed by a
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
flying ace a few days later on 12 July 1917 near Wervicq,
BelgiumThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
, when his observer (Lt. A.G. Bill) successfully flew his fighter back to base. At the time of his death he held the rank of Captain,
RFCThe Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery cooperation and photographic reconnaissance...
.
He was buried at the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension North at
BailleulBailleul is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:*Bailleul, Nord, in the Nord département*Bailleul, Orne, in the Orne département*Bailleul, Somme, in the Somme département...
,
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
close to the
BelgianThe Kingdom of Belgium is a country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters, as well as those of other major international organizations, including NATO...
border, in grave III.C.263.
Air victories
- 2 May 1917 1115, flying a 20 Squadron FE2d
The Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 was a two-seat pusher biplane that was operated as a day and night bomber and as a fighter aircraft by the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War...
serial number A6431, claimed an Albatros D.III 'destroyed in flames'(DESF) at Comines
- 26 May 1917 1035, flying FE2d serial number A6431, claimed an Albatros D.III destroyed(DES) at Comines-Quesnoy
- 31 May 1917 1920, flying FE2d serial number A6430, claimed an Albatros D.III (DES) at Comines
- 5 June 1917 0810, flying FE2d serial number A6414, claimed an Albatros D.V (DESF) at Coucou
- 6 Jul 1917 1030, flying FE2d serial number A6412, claimed an Albatros D.V 'out of control'(OOC) at Wervicq
- 6 Jul 1917 1030, flying FE2d serial number A6412, claimed an Albatros D.V (OOC) at Wervicq
- 6 Jul 1917 1030, flying FE2d serial number A6412, claimed an Albatros D.V (OOC) at Wervicq
- 6 Jul 1917 1030, flying FE2d serial number A6412, claimed an Albatros D.V (OOC) at Wervicq
- 11 Jul 1917 1400, flying FE2d serial number A6412, claimed an Albatros D.V (DESF) at Wervicq-Menin