ACE major Lanoe Hawker VC
Lanoe George Hawker was the first flying ace of the British Commonwealth.
An aggressive combat pilot, his motto was "Attack Everything!"
Major Lanoe Hawker VC helped to establish British control of the air above the Somme in the opening weeks of the WW1 battle.
Below: The Bristol Scout C, RFC serial no. 1611, flown by Hawker
- Lanoe Hawker, the first pilot to mount a machinegun, helped to shape modern warfare -
Lanoe Hawker's family is distinguished by his great grandfather,
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Admiral Edward Hawker, of England, who captained his own ships at the outbreak of the Napoleonic Wars,
and his grandfather, -
the Honourable George C. Hawker, who migrated to South Australia in 1840,
along with his two brothers James and Charles, who in 1841 settled at Bungaree, now the historic sheep station north of Clare, S.A.
George C. Hawker had 16 children, and his son Harry, born in England, held a commission in the English navy and married Julie Gordon Lanoe in 1879 in Hampshire, England. Lanoe was their fifth child, and his biographer, Tyrrell Hawker was his younger brother.
Lanoe was a forward child, who learnt to read early, and read the Encyclopedia Brittanica fervently. He enjoyed mechanical toys, which he liked to take to pieces, to see how they worked, and then carefully reassembled them.
While his father served in the Boer War, the boys were sent to study in Geneva, Switzerland, where the bullied Lanoe displayed pluck and perserverence, and learnt French.
After two years, Lanoe returned to England to study at Stubbington House, Dartmouth, preparing for a naval career. While plucky, he had to take sick leave and left college. He never complained.
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Lanoe's family moved to north Herefordshire in 1906, and Lanoe quickly recuperated. There he experimented with box kites and model aeroplanes. At the cinema, the boys watched the first flight of the Wright aeroplane, and then witnessed an overhead flight in April, 1910.
He studied for the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, using private tutors, and entered college in February 1910. As a reward for entering Woolwich he was given a Triumph Motor Cycle, with which he proved he could drive safely, with a fine sense of balance and speed, and quickly covered thousands of miles.
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He qualified as a second lieutenant in the Royal Engineers in 1911, but an increasing interest in flying led him to train as a pilot.
On the brink of war, he joined the Royal Flying Corps (RFC)'s Central Flying School in August 1914.
However, a shortage of aircraft meant that he did not pass out from the CFS until early October 1914, having achieved just 25 hours in the air.
He was then posted to 6 Squadron which left Farnborough for Dover on 6 October, before crossing the Channel the following day.
Hawker went with his unit to France in October 1914 and soon began aerial reconnaissance work during the early stages of the First World War.
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War
Above: The Farman III, also known as the Henry Farman 1909 biplane, was an early French pusher aircraft designed and built by Henry Farman, used for reconnaissance by Lanoe Hawker.
The Farman Aviation Works (French: Avions Farman) was a French aircraft company.
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Once in France, Lanoe applied himself to solving problems facing the RFC.
After a difficult winter when aircraft were often left out in the elements (Hawker had one aircraft destroyed and another badly damaged by gales), he decided that his latest aircraft should not suffer a similar fate.
Putting his Royal Engineer training to good use he designed a wooden aircraft shelter.
The first examples were made from hop poles found in the area around the airfield at Bailleul, but using ordinary timber the design was to be seen on most airfields by the end of 1915.
Another early invention was Hawker’s ‘fug boots’, which were thigh length and sheepskin lined to try and ward off the extreme cold at altitude.
His first pair was made for him by Harrods, and they went on to be introduced as a standard item of aircrew clothing.
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11 November 1914: "This morning it was blowing a gale... and while I was at lunch the brute (Farman 111 aeroplane) broke loose and was completely wrecked."
Although Lanoe was sad at the destruction of his Henry Farman, it was no great loss. It was so slow and climbed so badly it made little headway against the strong west winds, and hung too low in the the air, an easy target for Archie (the Germans) which it could not avoid.
On 1 January 1915 Lanoe was given a new Bristol B.E. to fly. He was delighted.
It had a speed of 72 m.p.h. compared to the Farman's 59, and not only climbed twice as fast, but twice as high.
Sunday 7 February 1915: "I found a telegram telling me to report to St Omer as a B.E.2c was ready for the expeditionary force."
The engine had 20 h.p. more than the B.E.2 and the performance of the plane was appreciably better, with inherent stability: "Stability Jane".
Returning to Abeele with the scout, he demonstrated his enthusiasm for the new mount with a skilful flying display of climbing, turning and zooming over the aerodrome.
Straight away, Hawker had a Lewis gun mounted on the scout in the same manner as his first Bristol.
In the early days of the war there were no dedicated scout (fighter) aircraft, and when more suitable machines were introduced they were sent in small numbers to the existing squadrons.
To arm the scouts various methods were tried and Hawker designed a Lewis gun mounting that was built by one of the mechanics, E.J. Elton.
It was mounted on the side of his Bristol Scout’s cockpit and allowed the Lewis gun to be fired obliquely between the wing bracing wires and clear of the propeller.
The downfall was that it was difficult to fly the aircraft in one direction while aiming and firing in another, however, Hawker was able to master the problem sufficiently to down three enemy aircraft on the evening of 25 July 1915.
The feat was thought so extraordinary that he was awarded the Victoria Cross, the first ever awarded for air combat.
"Hawker" (Short Movie, 2023)
"Hawker" is a short film (23 minutes) by Daniel Arbon and Middle Realm Productions.
For more information on this project, visit hawkerfilm.com
To read more about Lanoe Hawker - greatwaraviation.org/the-anatomy-of-an-aircraft/
Based on the true events of 25th July 1915, when Captain Lanoe Hawker became the first British Airman to successfully shoot down an enemy aircraft in flames.
With his innovative and pioneering drive, Hawker managed to mount a Lewis machine gun to the side of his new Bristol Scout. He just needs to prove it can work and convince his superiors that there is a new task in military aviation, the role of the Fighter Pilot!
As he achieves his goal, the first German aircraft fall from the sky in a ball of flames. Visiting the crash site at night, through the mud of the trenches and shell holes, Hawker finds the Iron Cross once worn by his fallen adversary.
Below: Bristol Scout ‘C’ in which Hawker fought his VC action on 25 July, 1915. The Lewis gun is angled to clear the propeller.
Shooting Germans
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The middle of the month of July was rainy with strong winds, but by the 25th, the weather had improved, and in the early morning, Hawker set out on his Bristol Scout to patrol the German lines close to the Ypres Salient. Flying at 10000 feet, he saw a German machine over Passchendaele.
A German anti-aircraft battery fired shots to warn their machine of Hawker’s presence, and, in consequence, he had to fire at the enemy from a range of 400 yards. The enemy machine dived away with Hawker in hot pursuit, firing a whole drum at the fleeing German.
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Twenty minutes later, he surprised another enemy machine over Houthulst Forest, but this quickly drew out of range by diving steeply and was able to escape.
Climbing to 11000 feet, Hawker saw another enemy machine being engaged by British anti-aircraft fire over Hooge.
Carefully stalking the enemy aircraft, Hawker manoeuvred himself into the sun and dived to the attack, holding his fire until he was 100 yards away from his target. The stream of bullets hit the German machine, which dived down out of control, then burst into flames and turned over, throwing out the observer.
The stricken machine finally crashed in the British front lines, 1000 yards east of Zillebecke.
Returning to Abeele, Hawker experienced the mixed emotions of exaltation on the successful shooting down of an enemy machine and the revulsion at the manner of the death of the German observer.
Later, the body of the observer was recovered, and on his person, they discovered a map with the location of several important German artillery batteries, which was of immense help to Army Intelligence.
The fate of the German aircraft was also witnessed by thousands of British troops, including the Commander of the Second Army – General Plumer – who sent his congratulations to Second Wing HQ.
Hawker’s successful action on 25 July and his brilliant reconnaissance work had also been noted by higher authority, and he was informed that he had been awarded the Victoria Cross.
The award, gazetted on 24 August 1915, was the first VC to be awarded for aerial combat.
Dog-Fights
Above: the F.E.2 ("Farman Experimental 2") designation for a "Farman" pusher biplane layout (propeller behind the pilot).
The "F.E.2" type was operated as a day and night bomber and fighter by the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War.
The F.E.2 was instrumental in ending the Fokker Scourge that had seen the German Air Service establish a measure of air superiority on the Western Front from the late summer of 1915 to the following spring.
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(Diary entries by Hawker)​
"…last Monday in an FE on our way home, we came up behind a couple ranging. Left No 1 diving steeply after 140 rounds, attacked and chased No 2 well home till we got too low over their lines – 5000 (ft)– and later attacked a third, who made off at once into clouds.
We since heard No 1 landed behind their trenches (confirmed by King’s Own Regiment) so evidently we at least did in his engine – unluckily there was a strong wind in his favour…"
A further series of successful engagements occurred on 11 August when flying an FE with Lt Noel Clifton as observer.
Hawker reported:
"6 to 6.45, then 7.15pm. Reconnaissance: Houthem- Zonnebeke at 8 to 7000. Later Lille- Roubaix at 9000.
The FE met, attacked and drove off an Albatros over Houthem.
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It was then attacked by two Halberstadt Scouts and an Albatros over Polygon Wood. Luckily, they did not all come within range at the same moment. After a fight lasting 20 minutes, they all retired.
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The FE then attacked an Aviatik over Houthem and (it) left in a nose-dive. This left only one and a quarter drums of ammunition.
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​Between Lille and Roubaix at (?) feet, the FE was attacked by a very fast scout monoplane, which tried to get behind the FE.
I turned the FE very sharp and succeeded in facing it.
The scout crossed about 50 yards in front, firing at us. The FE kept head on to the scout, (until it) suddenly nose dived absolutely vertically for about 4000 feet and then seemed to flatten out a bit".
The monoplane was in fact the first Fokker that Hawker had encountered, and was later reported to have crashed over Lille.
Ace tricks
Above: The Fokker Eindecker played a crucial role during World War I. Its development marked a pivotal moment in aerial combat. Introduced by the German forces in 1915, the Eindecker ("monoplane" in German) was designed by the Dutch aviation pioneer Anthony Fokker.
This aircraft was one of the first to be equipped with a synchronization gear, allowing the pilot to fire a machine gun through the arc of the propeller without damaging it. This innovation dramatically changed air combat, giving German pilots a significant advantage.
By September 1915, Hawker had seven victories and was sent home to take command of the newly-formed 24 Squadron, RFC on 20 September 1915.
This fighter unit was the first to be equipped exclusively with DH2 single-seater scouting aircraft intended for combat.
As a 'pusher' with the engine located behind the pilot, the DH2 had a good field of fire for its Lewis gun mounted at the front.
Hawker was subsequently posted to Home Establishment
On arriving at Hounslow, Hawker found that 24 Squadron had no Flight Commanders and that only one of the six aircraft on charge was airworthy.
The squadron was required to train instructors for night flying on Avros and BE2cs, so that they in turn could train other pilots in anti-Zeppelin work.
After the excitement of active service flying in France, Hawker found his work dull and demanding.
However, the tedium was broken on 5 October when he was summoned to Buckingham Palace to be invested by the King with the Victoria Cross and the Distinguished Service Order.​
On 10 November 1915, Hawker was requested to advise the War Office on the suitability of various gun synchronising gear for firing a machine gun through the propeller, which were then currently being experimented with by a number of inventors.
Ultimately, a Bristol Scout was satisfactorily fitted with a Vickers gun and synchronising gear, but this aircraft did not arrive in France until 25 March 1916, and it was not until August that the Vickers gear was used in any noteworthy quantity, and then mainly on the BE12s of 19 and 21 Sqns.
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Another gun sight invented by Hawker was the ‘Upward Shooting Sight’.
This sight allowed the pilot flying below an enemy aircraft in the same direction and at the same speed to adjust the sight to his airspeed. The bullets would then travel about 2,000 feet in a straight line.
The invention was considered so secret that it was initially only used in England, and when later introduced in France it was only used by selected pilots flying behind British lines.
The Germans could not understand how their aircraft penetrating beyond British lines were being shot down by an aircraft flying below them.
Fighting the Baron
Hawker led 24 Squadron to France in February 1916 and established it at Bertangles, north of the Somme.
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In early 1916, the German Fokker E1 monoplane was still dominant over the Western Front.
But the arrival of 24 Squadron, motivated by Hawker's concise philosophy - 'Attack Everything!' - soon helped the Royal Flying Corps to turn the balance.
On 1 July, the opening day of the Battle of the Somme, the squadron flew a number of patrols and Hawker personally led two reconnaissances.
Soon, British airpower dominated the skies over the Somme and 24 Squadron had claimed 70 victories by November.
From June 1 through November 18, 1916, the RFC lost 499 airmen killed, wounded or missing in action, and more than 972 aircraft were destroyed in combat or accidents.
Many of those aircraft, such as the infamous Blériot Experimental series (most notably the B.E.2c), were outdated, but Maj. Gen. Hugh Trenchard was determined to put every available plane into the fight.
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Hawker's luck came to an end, however, on 23 November 1916, when he encountered Leutnant Manfred Albrecht Freiher von Richthofen of Jagdstaffel 2 near Begaume, France, while flying an Airco DH.2.
On 23 November, a week after the Battle of the Somme ended, Hawker took part in a patrol near Bapaume.
After attacking up to eight German aircraft over Achiet, he began a long dog-fight with one in particular. The pilot was German 'ace' Manfred von Richthofen, who later wrote, 'I discovered that I was not meeting a beginner. He had not the slightest intention of breaking off the fight…'
A lengthy battle ensued with neither fighter ace gaining advantage.
Richthofen, “The Red Baron,” fired over 900 rounds during the fight. Running low on fuel, Hawker tried to break off and head for friendly lines.
Almost there, he was struck in the head by a single machine gun bullet from Richthofen’s Albatros D.II.
Major Hawker was killed and his airplane spun to the ground. He was the eleventh of Baron Richthofen’s eighty aerial victories.
The Baron took one of Hawker’s machine guns as a trophy.
The Germans buried him next to his downed aircraft near Bapaume, but his grave was lost and he is now commemorated on the Flying Services Memorial at Arras.
A great pilot had died, but also in brother Tyrrel Hawker’s words:
‘Thus was lost an inventor, invaluable, irreplaceable’.
See also:
Victoria Cross, Captain Lanoe George Hawker, D.S.O., Royal Flying Corps.
Imperial War Museum: Major Lanoe Hawker VC
Lanoe Hawker, VC: Pilot, Innovator and Inventor
The De Havilland DH2 Pusher Scout: Captain Lanoe Hawker
Duel of Aces Over the Somme: The Red Baron’s Most Famous Kill
HAWKER VC FRC ACE The life of Major Lanoe Hawker by Tyrrell Hawker
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Other aviation pages at Clare History: