Ronald Sykes joined the Royal Naval Air Service in April 1917. In September 1917, he was assigned to Roy Brown's flight in 9 Naval Squadron. On 20 September 1917, he scored his first victory but was wounded when his Sopwith Camel was shot down near St. Pierre Capelle by Paul Bäumer of Jasta Boelcke. Sykes escaped capture by swimming the Yser River. Reassigned to 3 Naval Squadron in March 1918, he scored his second victory while serving under Raymond Collishaw. Joining 201 Squadron in August 1918, he scored four more victories by the end of the war. In 1919, while serving with the Royal Air Force in Russia, Sykes was captured when his Camel crashed in a lake near Archangel. He regained his freedom the following year in an exchange of prisoners.
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
"Lieut. (A./Capt.) Ronald Sykes, 201
Squadron. (FRANCE)
An excellent patrol leader, who displayed marked gallantry on 27th September. While engaged in dropping bombs on enemy infantry in a sunken road he was attacked by four enemy aeroplanes. Out-manoeuvring them, he retired west. As soon as the hostile aeroplanes had withdrawn, he returned and fired a number of rounds into the infantry at 200 feet, causing many casualties. He then dived on another party of fifteen, who became so demoralised that they surrendered to one of our men."
Supplement to the London Gazette, 8 February 1919 (31170/2047)
Victories
Date
Time
Unit
Aircraft
Opponent
Location
1
20 Sep 1917
1510
9N
Sopwith Camel (B3906)
Albatros D.III (OOC)
St. Pierre Capelle
2
30 May 1918
1810
203
Sopwith Camel (B6378)
Fokker DR.I (OOC)
Fournes en Weppes
3
12 Aug 1918
1100
201
Sopwith Camel (B7190)
Fokker D.VII (DES)1
St. Christ
4
12 Aug 1918
1100
201
Sopwith Camel (B7190)
Fokker D.VII (DES)1
St. Christ
5
02 Sep 1918
0715
201
Sopwith Camel (D9669)
Fokker D.VII (DES)
Lagnicourt
6
09 Nov 1918
1445
201
Sopwith Camel (F5941)
Fokker D.VII (OOC)
Bois de Princemaille
1
Shared with Capt H R de Wilde (C143) and Lt Robert McLaughlin (B6398)
