Charles Arnison

Charles Henry Arnison
Born	13 January 1893 Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England
Died	4 September 1974 (aged 81) Hammersmith, London
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Flying Corps Royal Air Force
Years of service	1917–1920
Rank	Lieutenant
Unit	No. 62 Squadron RAF
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Military Cross

Lieutenant Charles Henry Arnison MC (13 January 1893 – 4 September 1974) was a British World War I flying ace credited with nine aerial victories. He won the Military Cross for valour in World War I, and returned to the RAF to serve in World War II.

Early life

Charles Henry Arnison was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne on 13 January 1893.^[1]

World War I

On 26 May 1917 Sergeant C. H. Arnison of the Territorial Force was commissioned as a second lieutenant and transferred to the General List of the Royal Flying Corps.^[2] On 28 June 1917 he was confirmed as a second lieutenant and appointed a Flying Officer.^[3]

By early 1918, he was assigned to 62 Squadron as a Bristol F.2 Fighter pilot; he began his victories with them with a win on 12 April 1918, and ran his string out at nine with his last victory on 15 May 1918.^[1] On both 6 and 20 June 1918 he was reported wounded in Flight magazine, although it is uncertain if this is a reference to two separate woundings.^[4][5] His exploits won him the Military Cross, gazetted 16 September 1918:

....He has destroyed four enemy aircraft and driven down four others completely out of control. He has always shown the greatest skill, keenness and gallantry, and has been largely instrumental in the fine achievements of his squadron.^[6]

Arnison remained in the Royal Air Force after the war. On 28 October 1919 he was appointed as a Flight Lieutenant in the reorganized RAF.^[7] However, less than a year later, on 6 October 1920, he retired due to injuries, retaining his rank.^[8]

World War II

On 25 January 1941, Arnison was commissioned as a probationary Flying Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, and assigned to the Administrative and Special Duties Branch.^[9]

On 17 July 1941 he was reported wounded or injured in action in Flight magazine.^[10]

Post-war Arnison remained on the RAF List of Reserve Officers until relinquishing his commission on 11 May 1954.^[11]

List of aerial victories

No.	Date/time	Aircraft	Foe	Result	Location	Notes
1	12 April 1918 @ 1420 hours	Bristol F.2 Fighter serial number C4859	Albatros D.V fighter	Driven down out of control	East of Estaires	Observer/gunner: Samuel Parry
2	21 April 1918 @ 1000 hours	Bristol F.2 Fighter s/n C4859	Pfalz D.III fighter	Driven down out of control	Estaires-Lille	Observer/gunner: Samuel Parry
3	21 April 1918 @ 1000 hours	Bristol F.2 Fighter s/n C4859	Pfalz D.III fighter	Driven down out of control	Estaires-Lille	Observer/gunner: Samuel Parry
4	3 May 1918 @ 1115 hours	Bristol F.2 Fighter s/n C4859	Albatros D.V fighter	Driven down out of control	East of Armentières	Observer/gunner: Samuel Parry
5	3 May 1918 @ 1116 hours	Bristol F.2 Fighter s/n C4859	Albatros D.V fighter	Driven down out of control	East of Armentières	Observer/gunner: Samuel Parry
6	3 May 1918 @ 1117 hours	Bristol F.2 Fighter s/n C4859	Albatros D.V fighter	Destroyed by fire	East of Armentières	Observer/gunner: Samuel Parry
7	9 May 1918	Bristol F.2 Fighter s/n C4859	Pfalz D.III fighter	Destroyed	South of Herlies	Observer/gunner: Horace Ernest Merritt
8	9 May 1918	Bristol F.2 Fighter s/n C4859	Pfalz D.III fighter	Driven down out of control	Northeast of La Bassée	Observer/gunner: Horace Ernest Merritt
9	15 May 1918 @ 1745 hours	Bristol F.2 Fighter s/n C4859	German reconnaissance plane	Destroyed	Albert-Ayette	Observer/gunner: C. D. Wells[1]

See also

• Aerial victory standards of World War I

References

1. "Charles Henry Arnison". theaerodrome.com. 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
2. "Royal Flying Corps: Appointments". Flight. IX (456): 980. 20 September 1917. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
3. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30286. p. 9540. 14 September 1917.
4. "The Roll of Honour: Wounded". Flight. X (23): 617. 6 June 1918. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
5. "The Roll of Honour: Wounded". Flight. X (25): 687. 20 June 1918. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
6. The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30901. p. 10915. 16 September 1918.
7. The London Gazette: no. 31620. p. 13139. 28 October 1919.
8. The London Gazette: no. 32074. p. 9695. 5 October 1920.
9. "Administrative and Special Duties Branch". Flight. XXXIX (1680): 200. 6 March 1941. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
10. "Service Aviation: Wounded or Injured on Active Service". Flight. XL (1699): 40. 17 July 1941. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
11. The London Gazette: no. 40169. p. 2773. 7 May 1954.