Aces of War: Billy Bishop – The Lone Wolf of the Northern Sky

When thinking about flying aces in WWI, most people either name German pilots such as Manfred von Richthofen or French pilot René Fonck, or British aces such as Edward “Mick” Mannock. But there was a Canadian pilot, with 72 official victories, who was the British Empire’s top-scoring ace and third overall in WWI. William Avery Bishop, also called Billy Bishop, born on February 8, 1894, in Ontario, preferred solo sports such as shooting and horse riding from childhood. When he was a child, his father gave him a .22-caliber rifle to hunt squirrels in the family orchard. At 15 years old, he showed an early love of flying by trying to build his own “aircraft” from bed sheets, wooden crates, and string. He attempted to fly it off the third story of his house, but it crashed. His sister Louise dug him out of the wreckage, and he was unharmed. In 1911, Billy Bishop joined the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC), where, after a tough first year in which he struggled academically and narrowly avoiding expulsion for cheating, Bishop was readmitted as a second-year student for the 1912–1913 term, improving his class standing. In 1914, he joined the Mississauga Horse Cavalry Regiment and later moved to the 7th Canadian Mounted Rifles in January 1915. His unit left Canada for England on June 6, 1915, on the requisitioned cattle ship Caledonia as part of a convoy. On June 21, near Ireland, U-boats attacked the convoy, sinking three ships and killing 300 Canadians. However, Bishop’s ship reached Plymouth harbor safely on June 23. The Canadians lived in tents and faced sandstorms during dry weather, but usually, they dealt with mud and horse manure. As a result, Bishop spent more time in the hospital in late July. Frustrated with the muddy conditions in the trenches, he requested another transfer to the Royal Flying Corps, believing the war would be much cleaner in the air.

Initial Military Service of Billy Bishop

Billy Bishop was accepted into the Royal Flying Corps and was sent for pilot training on September 1, 1915, where he flew an Avro 504. After a month of basic training, Bishop moved to gunnery training on October 2, 1915. By the end of that month, he started flying missions as an observer in the No. 21 Squadron. On November 24, his plane crashed while landing in England, but both he and the pilot suffered only minor injuries. By January 1916, No. 21 Squadron began moving to France and received new Royal Aircraft Factory RE.7 planes. Bishop’s time as an observer included taking aerial photographs and serving as an aerial spotter for reconnaissance missions without ever firing a gun. In May 1916, after injuring his knee, he convinced the medical staff to allow him to take leave to England. While recovering, he impressed important social circles, which led to his return to Canada for further recovery. In September 1916, Billy Bishop returned to England and began pilot training at the Central Flying School. He made his first solo flight in a Maurice Farman “Shorthorn.” In November 1916, after completing his training, he joined No. 37 Squadron RFC, where Bishop flew the BE.2c. On December 8, 1916, Bishop took on the role of flying officer, though he did not enjoy flying at night over London in search of German aircraft, so he requested a transfer to France. On March 17, 1917, Bishop joined No. 60 Squadron near Arras in France, flying the Nieuport 17. At the time, new pilots had an average life expectancy of just 11 days, facing German aces who outperformed them 5 to 1. His first patrol on March 22 was unsuccessful; he struggled with his aircraft, narrowly escaping anti-aircraft fire and becoming separated from his group. After a crash landing on March 24, he was ordered back to flight school, but somehow managed to secure his position until a replacement arrived. The next day, Bishop scored his first victory when his team of four Nieuports faced three Albatros D.III Scouts near St. Leger. Bishop shot down and seriously injured Lieutenant Theiller, but his engine failed during the fight. He had to land in no-man’s-land, 300 yards from the German front line.

Ace Journey of Billy Bishop

On March 30, 1917, Bishop became a flight commander and scored his second victory on March 31. On April 8, he reached his fifth victory to become an ace officially. By the end of April, he claimed 12 victories, which earned him the Military Cross. On April 30, Bishop faced Jasta 11 and Manfred von Richthofen, known as the Red Baron. In May, he earned the Distinguished Service Order for shooting down two planes while four others attacked him. On June 2, 1917, Bishop flew alone behind enemy lines to attack a German airfield. He claimed to have shot down three planes that were taking off to attack him and destroyed several more on the ground. For this action, he received the Victoria Cross (VC) on August 30, 1917. In July, No. 60 Squadron received faster, more powerful Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5s. In August 1917, Bishop reached 47 victories to surpass the late Albert Ball, becoming the temporary highest-scoring ace in the Royal Flying Corps and the third top ace of the war, behind only the Red Baron and René Fonck. By the end of August 1917, Billy Bishop was appointed as the Chief Instructor at the School of Aerial Gunnery and received the temporary rank of major. After spending some time at home in Canada, Bishop returned to England in April 1918. He was promoted to major and given command of No. 85 Squadron, where he flew S.E.5a scout planes. On May 22, the squadron moved to Petit Synthe, France, and five days later, Bishop shot down a German observation plane, scoring his first victory since August 1917. Over the next few days, Bishop destroyed another eight aircraft, including the German ace Paul Billik, bringing his official score to 59, making him the leading Allied ace again, above James McCudden. The Government of Canada became worried about the morale impact if Bishop were killed, so on June 18, he was ordered to return to England to help organize the Canadian Flying Corps, which frustrated him. On the morning of his departure, he completed one last solo patrol, claiming five victories, including two Pfalz D.IIIa scout planes and a reconnaissance aircraft.

WWII and Legacy

On August 5, 1918, Billy Bishop was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and became the “Officer Commanding-designate of the Canadian Air Force Section.” He was discharged from the Canadian Expeditionary Force on December 31, having claimed 72 air victories, although historians Hugh Halliday and Brereton Greenhous suggest the actual number may be as low as 27. After the war, Bishop founded the Interallied Aircraft Corporation, which struggled due to legal issues and a crash. In 1921, he moved to Britain and engaged in various aviation-related businesses, and became chairman of British Airways in 1929. However, the 1929 stock market crash devastated his family’s wealth, leading them to return to Canada, where Bishop became vice-president of the McColl-Frontenac Oil Company. In January 1936, Bishop became the first Canadian air vice-marshal, and after WWII began, he was promoted to air marshal. Billy Bishop, as a Director of Recruiting for the Royal Canadian Air Force, created a pilot training system that trained over 167,000 airmen. In 1944, he resigned due to poor health and returned to a private life in Montreal. Though he remained involved in aviation and helped establish the International Civil Aviation Organization. In the early 1950s, Bishop wanted to join the Korean War, but he was denied because of his health issues. Later, he passed away on September 11, 1956, at the age of 62, and his funeral took place in Toronto, and there was also a memorial service in England. For his service, Bishop received many decorations, including the Victoria Cross, the Distinguished Service Order with Bar, the Military Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Croix de Guerre, and the Legion of Honor. On June 1, 1944, he became a Companion of the Order of the Bath as part of the King’s Birthday Honors List. In the Aces series, Billy Bishop stands as one of the best Allied Powers aces of all time. Read stories about more Aces HERE.