Lanoe George Hawker was born in Hampshire, England back in 1890 to Henry and Julia. He was sent to the Stubbington House School at eleven and to the Royal Nave College in Dartmouth. From there he entered the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich joining the Royal Engineers as an officer cadet.
He developed a keen interest in flying and was awarded Aviator’s Certificate No. 435 by the Royal Aero Club. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant in 1913 being posted the Cork Harbor with the 33rd Fortress Company, three days before Britain entered into World War I.
In 1914, he was in France as a captain with No. 6 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. In 1915, while flying a reconnaissance mission he was wounded by ground fire. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for attaching a German zeppelin. By 1916 he was promoted to major, in November of that year he was killed in action by Manfred von Richthofen (The Red Baron).
What you may know about Lanoe is that he was the first British flying ace of the First World War with seven victories. He was also the third pilot to receive the Victoria Cross.
NW Arkansas, come for a visit, stay for a lifetime.
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