Captain Henry Woolett RFC takes on 13 German aircraft

Throughout these months, No.43 Squadron was home to one of the more colourful characters ever to fly with the RFC. Captain Henry Woollett was aged 23 when he joined the squadron in March 1918. He had already acquired an impressive reputation as a fighting pilot, having shot down the required five enemy aircraft to gain the informal designation of “ace”. He was a distinctive figure in his leopard skin flying helmet and gauntlets, and his aircraft was equally noticeable having a dragon painted down the side of its fuselage. He began his career in No.43 Squadron with a bang, shooting down 10 aircraft before the end of March.

On 12 April he took to the skies in his distinctive Camel and before the sun set that day he had shot down six German aircraft. A contemporary pilot wrote “Captain H. W. Woollett of No. 43 Squadron...whilst leading a patrol, he saw a German machine, out-manoeuvred it, fired about thirty rounds and saw it spin down and crash. During this fight he had been attacked by several other machines. Without delay he climbed rapidly above his attackers and dived on to a two-seater, firing as he went, causing this machine also to crash. Once again he out-climbed his opponents, looped away from two attacking Fokkers, made a vertical bank, and again dived on the tail of an Albatross. After he had fired about 40 rounds, this machine burst into flames and fell to pieces. He then went home. At 5 p.m. the same evening he attacked thirteen enemy aircraft.... He first fired 30 rounds into one of the enemy aeroplanes, which turned over on its back and fell to pieces. He then climbed again, manoeuvred rapidly among the remaining twelve machines, avoiding the fire of his opponents until he could fire a burst into an Albatros, which spun down and crashed. He then made for home. On crossing the lines he saw another enemy machine above him. Once more the climb of his 'bus enabled him to get over his enemy, and he crashed his sixth machine for the day.”

Woollett went on to shoot down four more aircraft and three observation balloons with No.43 Squadron before he crashed his Camel and was sent home to Britain. There he took up a position with a training squadron, where he ended the war. His total score was 36, made up of 25 aircraft and 11 balloons. He had been awarded the DSO, the Military Cross and Bar and the French Legion D’Honneur.