Early Life of Edward Mannock:
Born May 24, 1887, Edward Corringham Mannock was the son of Edward and Julia Mannock. A career soldier, it is believed that Edward was stationed at Ballincollig, Ireland at the time of his son's birth, though some sources believe the future ace was born at Aldershot or Brighton. Following his father's postings, young Edward lived in Ireland, Scotland, England, and India as a boy. While in India, he developed an infection that left him temporarily blind. Though his vision returned, legend indicates that he remained nearly blind in his left eye, a fact disputed by his friends.
At age twelve, Edward's father abandoned the family leaving them destitute. Halting his education, he sought work to help the family's finances. Moving through a variety of menial jobs, he ultimately trained and found work as a telephone engineer. During this time, he became a member of the Labour Party and an outspoken advocate for social justice. In February 1914, Mannock's employer, the National Telephone Company, sent him to Turkey to assist with a project. With the outbreak of World War I in August, Mannock attempted to return to England as Turkey was allied with Germany and Austria.
Into the Royal Flying Corps:
Arrested before he could arrange transport, Mannock was held in a detainment camp for several months. While there, he was beaten and kept in solitary confinement after making multiple escape attempts. Finally repatriated in April 1915, he immediately enlisted in the British Army upon returning home. Joining the Royal Army Medical Corps, Mannock's health failed to return after his ordeal in Turkey and the army considered him unfit for most military tasks. Obtaining a transfer to the Royal Engineers as an officer cadet, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in spring 1916.
That August, after reading about the exploits of British ace Albert Ball, Mannock requested a transfer to the Royal Flying Corps. At age 29 and with questionable vision, Mannock was far from the ideal candidate, but the pressing need for pilots led to his acceptance. Reporting to the School for Military Aeronautics in Reading, Mannock served in the Joyce Green Reserve Squadron for his training. Making his first solo in an Airco DH.2, Mannock fell into a spin at 1,000 feet but was able to recover.
Believing his pupil was showboating, Mannock was chastised by his commanding officer Major Keith Caldwell. Also among Mannock's instructors was the famed ace Captain James McCudden. Completing training in March 1917, Mannock was assigned to 40 Squadron at St. Omer, France. Arriving on April 6, he initially had difficulty fitting in with the upper-class, well-educated pilots who made up most of the unit. Known as Mick due to his Irish birth, Mannock initially held back in the air and later admitted that he was frightened.
Becoming an Ace:
While some of his comrades questioned his courage, Mannock worked to overcome his fears and succeeded in shooting down a German observation balloon on May 7. Working tirelessly to hone his craft, Mannock practiced his gunnery and developed tactics for combating German aircraft. Downing four German aircraft through July, Mannock became an ace. On August 12, he claimed his sixth victim when he downed and captured German ace Lieutenant Joachim von Bertrab. Four days later, he managed to down four German aircraft in one day.
A Gifted Leader:
On September 17, he was awarded the Military Cross for driving off several German aircraft while also downing three German balloons. Already a flight leader, Mannock was promoted to captain in October 1917. Demonstrating great skill in leading his men, Mannock advocated the coordinated use of several aircraft rather than the "lone wolf" tactics used by pilots earlier in the war. Emphasizing teamwork, Mannock ultimately developed his own set of rules, similar to the famed Dicta Boelcke, for aerial combat.
A nurturing commander, Mannock often aided novice pilots in scoring their first kill to aid in boosting their confidence. He seldom claimed any credit for assisting in these kills. During his career, Mannock became obsessed about the possibility of being burned to death if his plane was shot down. As a result, he began carrying a pistol with him with the intention of shooting himself if his plane ever caught fire. Earning a bar for his Military Cross, Mannock was posted back to England in late 1917. Transitioning to the new R.A.F. SE-5a, Mannock returned to action in January 1918.
The following month, he was transferred and made a squadron leader in the new 74 Squadron. Through the spring, Mannock continued to add to his total and on May 21 again shot down four in a single day. Shortly after this feat, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. He would earn two bars for his DSO through the summer. At this time, the strain of combat began to get to Mannock and he became obsessed about dying. Taking leave in June, he was promoted to major and given command of 85 Squadron. Accepting, he began working with his new squadron in July. Through the month, Mannock tallied nine more kills.
The Final Flight:
On July 26, Mannock took off with novice pilot Lieutenant D.C. Inglis with the goal of getting the new arrival his first kill. After downing a German LVG on the far side of the lines, Mannock and Inglis turned for home. While crossing the trenches, the two fighters were subjected to heavy ground fire. Inglis reported seeing Mannock's SE.5a catch fire and crash behind the German lines. Mannock's body was found 250 yards from the wreck. While he did not fire his pistol, it was believed that he had jumped from the aircraft in an attempt to survive the crash.
Following Mannock's death, his comrades lobbied successfully for him to receive the Victoria Cross for his actions during the summer of 1918. Mannock's body was never recovered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and his place of burial is not known. One of the top British aces of the war, Mannock's exact score is a subject of debate. While Mannock claimed 51 kills, he seldom took credit for those he shared. His friend from 74 Squadron, Captain James Ira Jones, claimed that Mannock downed 73 German aircraft, while recent scholarship indicates that his final score was 61.
Selected Sources
