Sidney Cottle
Encyclopedia
Group Captain Sidney Joseph "Jack" Cottle MBE
's military career began during World War I. He became a flying ace in the latter years of the war, credited with thirteen aerial victories. His service would span three decades and three continents before his final retirement in 1944.
, where he grew up. He was dubbed "the man with the funny elbows" by the locals. In 1914, he enlisted in the South African Mounted Rifles. He served with them until he transferred into the Royal Flying Corps
in 1917.
. On 10 March 1918, he and Richard Dawes
destroyed an enemy DFW
two-seater southeast of Salgarada. On 18 May, Cottle singlehandedly scored his second victory, setting an Albatros D.III
afire. On 30 May 1918, Cottle was wounded in action. On 5 July 1918, Cottle set an LVG
two-seater on fire; it was last seen still apparently under control. No score, though it was ruled "driven down". He did score twice more in July, though, becoming an ace on its last day. He scored three times in early August; then on the 31st he destroyed an Albatros D.III at 0935, killed Josef Pürer and driven his D.III down into captivity at 0940, driven a third D.III down into captivity at 0945, and drove an enemy reconnaissance two-seater down at 1035. The four wins pushed his total to eleven confirmed wins.
At this point, 45 Squadron shifted theaters, from Italy back to France, thus removing Cottle from combat for a time. Cottle then scored on both 3 and 5 November 1918, ending the war with thirteen confirmed victories and that one flaming unconfirmed.
. He was promoted to Group Captain
in 1940, and retired in 1942. However, he was re-employed until 1944. He then finally retired. A few years later, he moved to India. He died there on 15 August 1967.
by his king for his service.
The text of the award citation for the Distinguished Flying Cross reads:
Sidney Joseph Cottle also was awarded the Silver Medal of Military Valor
by a grateful Italian government in 1918.
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
's military career began during World War I. He became a flying ace in the latter years of the war, credited with thirteen aerial victories. His service would span three decades and three continents before his final retirement in 1944.
Early life and service
Although Cottle was English-born, while young he was moved to ZululandColony of Natal
The Colony of Natal was a British colony in south-eastern Africa. It was proclaimed a British colony on May 4, 1843 after the British government had annexed the Boer Republic of Natalia, and on 31 May 1910 combined with three other colonies to form the Union of South Africa, as one of its...
, where he grew up. He was dubbed "the man with the funny elbows" by the locals. In 1914, he enlisted in the South African Mounted Rifles. He served with them until he transferred into the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The 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 co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
in 1917.
World War I flying service
He was commissioned in the RFC on 27 July 1917. He was forwarded to 45 Squadron in Italy to fly a Sopwith CamelSopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
. On 10 March 1918, he and Richard Dawes
Richard Jeffries Dawes
Richard Jeffries Dawes was born on 23 October 1897 in Lachine, Quebec, Canada. He joined the military for World War I, and ended up a Sopwith Camel pilot in the Royal Flying Corps.-World War I:...
destroyed an enemy DFW
Deutsche Flugzeug-Werke
Deutsche Flugzeug-Werke, usually known as DFW was a German aircraft manufacturer of the early twentieth century. It was established by Bernhard Meyer and Erich Thiele at Lindenthal in 1910, and initially produced Farman designs under licence, later moving on to the Etrich Taube and eventually to...
two-seater southeast of Salgarada. On 18 May, Cottle singlehandedly scored his second victory, setting an Albatros D.III
Albatros D.III
The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service and the Austro-Hungarian Air Service during World War I. The D.III was flown by many top German aces, including Manfred von Richthofen, Ernst Udet, Erich Löwenhardt, Kurt Wolff, and Karl Emil Schäfer...
afire. On 30 May 1918, Cottle was wounded in action. On 5 July 1918, Cottle set an LVG
LVG
Luftverkehrsgesellschaft m.b.H. was a German aircraft manufacturer based in Berlin-Johannisthal, which began constructing aircraft in 1912, building Farman-type aircraft. The company constructed many reconnaissance and light bomber biplanes during World War I.The raid on London in 1916 was...
two-seater on fire; it was last seen still apparently under control. No score, though it was ruled "driven down". He did score twice more in July, though, becoming an ace on its last day. He scored three times in early August; then on the 31st he destroyed an Albatros D.III at 0935, killed Josef Pürer and driven his D.III down into captivity at 0940, driven a third D.III down into captivity at 0945, and drove an enemy reconnaissance two-seater down at 1035. The four wins pushed his total to eleven confirmed wins.
At this point, 45 Squadron shifted theaters, from Italy back to France, thus removing Cottle from combat for a time. Cottle then scored on both 3 and 5 November 1918, ending the war with thirteen confirmed victories and that one flaming unconfirmed.
Post World War I life and service
Cottle stayed in the Royal Air Force and became a Flight Commander in 79 Squadron in 1919. He then transferred into 48 Squadron in India. He married a major in the Women's Indian Army. Cottle was then transferred to Iraq in 1924. In 1932, he was assigned to duty with the Egyptian Air ForceEgyptian Air Force
The Egyptian Air Force, or EAF , is the aviation branch of the Egyptian Armed Forces. The EAF is headed by an Air Marshal . Currently, the commander of the Egyptian Air Force is Air Marshal Reda Mahmoud Hafez Mohamed...
. He was promoted to Group Captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
in 1940, and retired in 1942. However, he was re-employed until 1944. He then finally retired. A few years later, he moved to India. He died there on 15 August 1967.
Honors and awards
Sidney Joseph Cottle was awarded the MBEMBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
by his king for his service.
The text of the award citation for the Distinguished Flying Cross reads:
Sidney Joseph Cottle also was awarded the Silver Medal of Military Valor
Silver Medal of Military Valor
The Silver Medal of Military Valor is an Italian medal for gallantry.Italian medals for valor were first instituted by Victor Amadeus III of Sardinia on May 21, 1793, with a gold medal, and, below it, a silver medal...
by a grateful Italian government in 1918.