Page 11 - November (Remembrance)2020

Flight Commander Fred Everst Banbury, DSC
Banbury was born in Wolseley,
Saskatchewan, the only son of
Robert Samuel Banbury and
Susannah Beatrice (née March).
He was educated at schools in
Wolseley and Regina before
attending Victoria College in
1911–12 and University College
in 1912–14. After graduating he
attended Regina Normal School,
and also worked as a teacher at , Ken Nicholson was an instructor with the RCAF during

Bredenbury, before becoming a law student at Regina. World War II training many wartime pilots.
Banbury travelled to the United States to enrol at the Curtiss After his honourable discharge, he continued to fly -
Flying School at Newport News, Virginia, in March 1916. He barnstorming and flying mercy flights.
qualified with the highest marks ever gained at the school,
after soloing a Curtiss biplane and was awarded Aero Club of Ken established his own business, Nicholson Flying
th
America pilot's license No. 507 on June 5 . Banbury then Services, managed the Estevan Flying Club and was
travelled to England to join the Royal Naval Air Service, being instrumental in organizing a chapter of Saskatchewan
commissioned as a temporary flight sub-lieutenant on Flying Farmers. He was also a volunteer and worked with
th,
probation on June 28 1916. After additional training he the local Air Cadet Squadron, where he promoted
was eventually posted to France in March 1917 to serve in aviation to a new generation of enthusiasts.
No. 9 Naval Squadron based at St. Pol. Flying a Sopwith Pup
single-seat fighter Banbury gained his first aerial victory on
31 May 1917. The following day he drove down a
Halberstadt reconnaissance aircraft. His squadron were then
re-equipped with the Sopwith Camel fighter, and in one of
these Banbury shared in the driving down of another
th
reconnaissance aircraft off Westende on July 25 . Banbury
gained three more aerial victories in September, accounting
for an Albatros reconnaissance aircraft and two Albatros D.V
st,
fighters. On October 1 , 1917 he was promoted to flight
lieutenant, going on to gain three more victories over enemy
aircraft that month. He was granted the acting rank of flight
th
commander on November 9 , and gained his tenth victory
rd
on November 23 .Banbury returned to Canada on leave in
December 1917, before returning to England in February
1918, and then to his unit in France in March. He gained his
eleventh and final victory, sharing in the capture of a
reconnaissance aircraft near Becelaere, on 26 March. On 1
April 1918 the Royal Naval Air Service was merged with the
Army's Royal Flying Corps to form the Royal Air Force, and
Flight Commander Banbury of No. 9 (Naval) Squadron
became Captain Banbury of No. 209 Squadron RAF.
However, the same day Banbury took off in Camel "B7247"
on a practice flight, he suffered a fatal heart attack in flight
and crashed. Banbury's award of the Distinguished Service
Cross “in recognition of services at Dunkirk" was gazetted
rd
posthumously on April 23 ,l 1918. Banbury is buried in
grave "III.E.5." in Hazebrouck Communal Cemetery, Nord,
France