Allegiance United Kingdom Years of service 1913–1917 Service/branch British Army | Awards Military Cross & Bar Rank Captain Name Richard Maybery | |
 | ||
Born 4 January 1895
Brecon, Brecknockshire, Wales ( 1895-01-04 ) Buried at Flesquieres Hill British Cemetery, Flesquieres, Nord (50°7′30″N 3°7′30″E / 50.12500°N 3.12500°E / 50.12500; 3.12500Coordinates: 50°7′30″N 3°7′30″E / 50.12500°N 3.12500°E / 50.12500; 3.12500) Unit 21st (Empress of India's) Lancers
No. 56 Squadron RFC Battles/wars World War I
• North West Frontier Province
• Western Front Died December 19, 1917, Haynecourt, France Education Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Battles and wars World War I, Western Front | ||
Place of burial Flesquieres, France | ||
Colonel richard maybery deputy commander for the army in the west midlands
Captain Richard Aveline Maybery (4 January 1895 – 19 December 1917) was a Welsh flying ace in the First World War.
Contents
- Colonel richard maybery deputy commander for the army in the west midlands
- Biography
- Awards and citations
- Quotes
- References
Biography
Maybery was born in Brecon, Wales, on 4 January 1895, the only son of Aveline Maybery, a solicitor, and his wife Lucy. He was educated locally and at Wellington College, Berkshire, before going on to the Royal Military College at Sandhurst.
After his graduation he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 21st (Empress of India's) Lancers on 17 September 1913. At the outbreak of the war he was serving in the North West Frontier Province where he was promoted to lieutenant on 31 October 1914. After being seriously wounded in action at Shabqadar on 15 September 1915, Maybery became bored during his rehabilitation and, unable to sit on a horse, became involved in observing for a unit of the Royal Flying Corps who were based nearby. He was eventually seconded to the RFC, and appointed a flying officer (observer) on 10 October 1916, with seniority from 21 August 1916. Later he travelled to Egypt where he trained to be a pilot, being appointed a flying officer on 11 April 1917, and was posted to France to serve in No. 56 Squadron, alongside aces James McCudden, Arthur Rhys Davids and Keith Muspratt.
Aggressive and headstrong, Maybery quickly accumulated a high victory tally, accounting for 21 enemy aircraft between 7 July and 19 December 1917. He was awarded the Military Cross on 26 September, and on 18 November was appointed a flight commander with the temporary rank of captain. His second Military Cross was awarded on 17 December.
Moments after his final victory on 19 December, shooting down an Albatros D.V over Bourlon Wood, Maybery's SE5a was either hit by fire from a mobile anti-aircraft battery (credited to K-Flakbatterie 108 commanded by Leutnant Thiel), or shot down by Vizefeldwebel Artur Weber of Jasta 5, and crashed near the village of Haynecourt. His wartime tally consisted of 16 destroyed (two shared), and five driven down 'out of control'.
Maybery was buried in Haynecourt by the Germans, but after the war was re-interred at Flesquieres Hill British Cemetery, Nord, France.
A marble plaque dedicated to the memory of Richard Aveline Maybery, can be found in Brecon Cathedral. The plaque includes the prayer:
"Almighty God..... enable us who remain in the safety of our homes to be worthy of those who have died for us... grant us with a willing spirit to do whatever duty may be laid upon us."
Awards and citations
Quotes
"...He (Captain Maybery) and Captain Ball and Lieutenant Rhys Davids did more harm to the morale of the German Flying Corps than any other fifteen pilots between them. They all, always, took on any odds. They were too brave and reckless."