Stanley Cockerell
World War I
World War I
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The day after war was declared, Cockerell joined up as a [despatch rider](/wiki/Despatch_rider "Despatch rider") in the [Royal Flying Corps](/wiki/Royal_Flying_Corps "Royal Flying Corps"). In April 1915 he became an [air mechanic 2nd class](/wiki/Air_mechanic_2nd_class "Air mechanic 2nd class") and later that year was promoted to [air mechanic 1st class](/wiki/Air_mechanic_1st_class "Air mechanic 1st class").

Cockerell was granted his [Royal Aero Club](/wiki/Royal_Aero_Club "Royal Aero Club") Pilot's Certificate No. 3271 on 21 July 1916 and became a [sergeant pilot](/wiki/Sergeant_pilot "Sergeant pilot") with [24 Squadron](/wiki/No._24_Squadron_RFC "No. 24 Squadron RFC"). He used an [Airco DH.2](/wiki/Airco_DH.2 "Airco DH.2") on 14 September 1916 to share a victory with [Arthur Gerald Knight](/wiki/Arthur_Gerald_Knight "Arthur Gerald Knight"), when they set a [Fokker D.II](/wiki/Fokker_D.II "Fokker D.II") aflame. He scored again on 30 September, again setting his enemy on fire. Cockerell was wounded in the hip on 10 October (the bullet was never removed). He was commissioned a [second lieutenant](/wiki/Second_lieutenant "Second lieutenant") on 27 October 1916\. He then took a break until 4 February 1917, when he shared in the destruction of a reconnaissance plane. Two days later, he was the sole destroyer of another reconnaissance plane. On 2 April 1917, he destroyed an [Albatros D.III](/wiki/Albatros_D.III "Albatros D.III") for his fifth victory. He upgraded to an [Airco DH.5](/wiki/Airco_DH.5 "Airco DH.5") on 25 May for his sixth kill, when he destroyed another Albatros D.III. Cockerell was then withdrawn to England to serve in Home Defence squadrons at [Hornchurch](/wiki/RAF_Hornchurch "RAF Hornchurch"). He was appointed a flight commander on 1 September 1917, with the temporary rank of [captain](/wiki/Captain_%28armed_forces%29 "Captain (armed forces)"). He returned to France in July 1918 with [151 Squadron](/wiki/No._151_Squadron_RAF "No. 151 Squadron RAF"). On 4 August, while flying a [Sopwith Camel](/wiki/Sopwith_Camel "Sopwith Camel") in the squadron's night intruder role, he bombed the German aerodrome at [Guizancourt](/wiki/Guizancourt "Guizancourt"). A [Gotha](/wiki/Gothaer_Waggonfabrik "Gothaer Waggonfabrik") bomber subsequently attempted a recovery at the field, and Cockerell destroyed it for his seventh consecutive victory.

Cockerell was appointed Chevalier of the [Order of the Crown](/wiki/Order_of_the_Crown_%28Belgium%29 "Order of the Crown (Belgium)") in August 1917 and was awarded the [*Croix de guerre*](/wiki/Croix_de_guerre_%28Belgium%29 "Croix de guerre (Belgium)") in March 1918, both by Belgium. Although he was later regraded as a substantive [flight lieutenant](/wiki/Flight_lieutenant "Flight lieutenant") in line with the RAF's new rank system, he continued to be generally known as "Captain Cockerell".


What aircraft did Cockerell use to destroy a Fokker D.II?