The Jewish Contribution to the Royal Flying Corps

The image of the pilot of the First World War was of someone from a wealthy background and educated at a public school, which was often true in the early days because initially the Royal Flying Corps was keen to recruit anyone who already had some flying experience and flying an aeroplane was an expensive hobby or occupation. As the war progressed, men from a variety of backgrounds who were considered reasonably well-educated would be recruited.

Approximately 2000 Jews served in the RFC and the RNAS, the majority of whom were working class Jews who served as either NCO’s or mechanics and were employed in maintaining and repairing aircraft. The majority of those who became pilots or observers came from established upper or middle class families in the Jewish community.

In January 1911 Sir Victor Sassoon, a member of the Sassoon banking family, became the first British Jew to obtain a pilot’s licence and went on to serve in the RNAS. The honour of being the first Jew to serve in the RFC went to Wing Commander Joseph Kemper MBE who transferred into the RFC from the British Army in 1912, six weeks after it had been formed. He went on to serve for another 33 years and was only one of five Jews who served in both the RFC and in the RAF in the Second World War.

A month after war with Germany was declared Major Reginald Marix was hailed a hero in the press for destroying a Zeppelin workshop in Dusseldorf. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his mission, the first successful bombing raid of the war. Captain Jack Barnato flew one of the aeroplanes that dropped bombs on the city of Constantinople in 1916 a feat which created a great sensation because he flew a round trip of 300 miles which was the longest ever attempted for a bombing raid at the time.

Wing Commander Marcus Michael Kaye OBE also served in both World Wars. In 1917 he was shot down behind enemy lines and spent 18 months in German prisoner of war camps before he was repatriated. He served in the RAF during the Second World War playing an active part in planning the Dunkirk, Dieppe, and D-Day operations; he was twice mentioned in dispatches.

The highest scoring British Jewish ace of WWI was Captain Solomon Clifford Joseph with 13 victories. Three days after he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for gallantry he was granted a Bar to his DFC in lieu of a second award. Captain Victor Dreschfeld and Lieutenant Gordon Hyams were also awarded the DFC for acts of gallantry.

Jews also served as observers in the balloon sections of the RFC. This was dangerous work as they were frequently attacked by German aeroplanes and were often forced to escape from their balloons using parachutes. One can only admire the bravery of Lieutenant Albert Abram Robinson who had survived several years of trench warfare for which he was awarded the Military Medal and Bar for gallantry before he became a balloon observer in 1918 and was subsequently awarded the DFC for his bravery and devotion to duty.

A number of Jewish airmen did not survive the war, some died in training accidents like Australian cousins Flight-Lieutenant Cyril Whelan and Flight-Lieutenant Alwyn Gordon Levy who were reunited in April 1918 after a gap of 15 years apart and both died shortly afterwards in a mid-air collision. Canadian Jew Lieutenant Harry Jassby was selected to fly in a V for Victory formation over London once the Armistice had been announced. On 6 November 1918 while practicing this manoeuvre, the aeroplane above Jassby lost all power to its engine and collided with Jassby's Sopwith Pup resulting in a fatal crash. Although he was Jewish, Jassby was buried in the cemetery of St Peter's Church in Aldborough Hatch, Ilford as was the custom then, in the cemetery nearest to the base from which he served.

Look on our website to read more about these amazing flyers.

Dr Ronnie Fraser