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John Todd (RAF officer)

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John Todd
Born(1899-01-12)12 January 1899
Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland
Died1980 (aged 80–81)
St Cyrus, Kincardineshire, Scotland
Buried
St Cyrus, Scotland
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Army
Royal Air Force
Years of service1917–1919
RankCaptain
UnitNo. 70 Squadron RFC/RAF
Battles / warsWorld War I
 • Western Front
AwardsOrder of the British Empire
Military Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross
Other workMissionary doctor

Captain John Todd MBE, MC, DFC (1899–1980) was a Scottish First World War flying ace credited with 18 aerial victories.[1]

Military service

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Todd was a medical student at the University of Edinburgh[2] before he joined the Royal Flying Corps as a cadet. He was commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant (on probation) on the General List on 2 August 1917,[3] and was confirmed in his rank on 3 November.[4]

He was posted to No. 70 Squadron RFC to fly the Sopwith Camel single-seat fighter, and scored his first victory on 22 January 1918. Further victories followed, and Todd had brought his score up to five by the end of March, to make him an ace.[1] On 1 April 1918, the Royal Flying Corps was merged with the Royal Naval Air Service to form the Royal Air Force, and his unit became No. 70 Squadron RAF. He gained three more victories by the end of the month,[1] and on 7 May he was appointed a flight commander with the acting rank of captain.[5] As such he gained six more victories in May, three in June, and his 18th and last on 1 July 1918.[1] His final total was ten enemy aircraft destroyed (two shared), seven driven down out of control (one shared), and one captured. Fourteen of them were fighters and four were reconnaissance aircraft.[1]

Todd was posted back to the Home Establishment in Britain to serve as an instructor in July 1918.[2] On 3 August his award of the Distinguished Flying Cross was gazetted,[6] followed by his Military Cross on 16 September.[7] On 5 January 1919 he was transferred to the RAF's unemployed list.[8]

A replica of the F.1 Sopwith Camel B7320 flown by Todd is on permanent display at Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre in Montrose, Angus[9]

List of aerial victories

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Combat record[1]
No. Date/Time Aircraft/
Serial No. 		Opponent Result Location Notes
1 22 January 1918
@ 1430		 Sopwith Camel
(B3890)		 Albatros D.V Destroyed North-East of Houthoulst Forest Shared with Captain Frank Quigley.
2 28 January 1918
@ 1550		 Sopwith Camel
(B3890)		 Fokker Dr.I Out of control North-West of Menen
3 18 February 1918
@ 1215		 Sopwith Camel
(B7320)		 Albatros D.V Out of control Staden
4 12 March 1918
@ 1245		 Sopwith Camel
(C8213)		 Albatros D.V Out of control North of Menen
5 22 March 1918
@ 1550		 Sopwith Camel
(C8213)		 Fokker Dr.I Out of control South-West of Cambrai
6 22 April 1918
@ 1630		 Sopwith Camel
(C1670)		 Type C Destroyed South-East of Wancourt
7 23 April 1918 Sopwith Camel
(C1670)		 Two-seater Destroyed
8 29 April 1918
@ 1910		 Sopwith Camel
(C1670)		 Type C Captured North-East of Querrieu
9 27 May 1918
@ 1000		 Sopwith Camel
(C1670)		 Albatros D.V Out of control Ribemont Shared with Lieutenants Carl Falkenberg, Hugh Saunders, & V. C. Chapman.
10 27 May 1918
@ 1155		 Sopwith Camel
(C1670)		 LVG C Destroyed in flames Ribemont
11 30 May 1918
@ 1110		 Sopwith Camel
(C1670)		 Albatros D.V Destroyed in flames Albert—Bruay Shared with Lieutenant Sydney Liversedge.
12 Albatros D.V Destroyed
13 31 May 1918
@ 1000		 Sopwith Camel
(C1670)		 Albatros D.V Destroyed South-East of Albert
14 31 May 1918
@ 1800		 Sopwith Camel
(C1670)		 Albatros D.V Destroyed in flames South-East of Albert
15 27 June 1918
@ 2045		 Sopwith Camel
(C1670)		 Albatros D.V Destroyed ½ mi East of Lakes at Albert
16 30 June 1918
@ 1835–1840		 Sopwith Camel
(C1670)		 Albatros D.V Out of control Bray
17 Fokker Dr.I Destroyed South of Bray
18 1 July 1918
@ 0920		 Sopwith Camel
(C1670)		 Albatros D.V Out of control Bray

Post-war career

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After the war Todd returned to his medical studies. After graduating in 1922, he went to Livingstonia, Nyasaland, as a medical missionary.[1] His work was rewarded by being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1955 Birthday Honours "for medical and missionary services in Northern Rhodesia."[10]

Awards and citations

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Distinguished Flying Cross
Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) John Todd, MC. (formerly No. 70 Squadron).
"With four other officers he engaged ten enemy scouts, shooting down one; later, on the same day, he shot down another in flames. In addition to these, during the last two months he has shot down seven enemy machines. His gallantry in leading his flight into action against enemy patrols of superior numbers has been an inspiring example.[6]
Military Cross
Second Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) John Todd, R.A.F.
"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During recent operations he destroyed three enemy aircraft, forced one to land in our lines, and drove four down out of control. He did very fine work."[7]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "John Todd". The Aerodrome. 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  2. ^ a b Franks (2003), p. 64.
  3. ^ "No. 30249". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 August 1917. pp. 8782–8783.
  4. ^ "No. 30401". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 November 1917. p. 12334.
  5. ^ "No. 30702". The London Gazette. 24 May 1918. p. 6110.
  6. ^ a b "No. 30827". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 August 1918. p. 9204.
  7. ^ a b "No. 30901". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 September 1918. p. 11025.
  8. ^ "No. 31131". The London Gazette. 17 January 1919. p. 906.
  9. ^ "Heritage Centre Layout". Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre. Ian McIntosh Memorial Trust. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  10. ^ "No. 40497". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 June 1955. pp. 3280–3284.

Bibliography

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