CRY HAVOC!!!... and unleash the puppies of war?

I first posted this in the ' Billy Bishop, L & C" thread, and it was somehow, I can't imagine why, lost in the shuffle... It's from a "Comic Cuts" (or RFC Communiqué to you!) of 1917, and Walbanke Ashby Pritt was flying a Sopwith Pup:

15 AUGUST - Lt. W.A. Pritt (66 Sqn) flew to Marcke aerodrome in the dark and dropped one 20lb bomb from 100 ft right in the middle of a group of machines on the aerodrome. He dropped a second which fell in a road, and a third which just missed the machines, then dropped a fourth on Herelbout siding which was full of troops. Just as he was doing this he saw an Albatros scout getting off the aerodrome so attacked it and saw it crash on the houses north-east of the aerodrome. On turning round he saw another machine getting off the aerodrome. This he also attacked and it made a half turn, side-slipped, then crashed on the aerodrome. He then silenced a machine gun that was firing at him and retuned home."

Could anyone tell us more about the gallant, as well as highly dangerous, Lt. Pritt? Further, can his exploit be verified through German records?

VBR,
Captain Lewis

2nd Lieutenant Walbanke Ashby Pritt awarded Military Cross as per LONDON GAZETTE dated 26 September 1917.

[Immo_Frese]

There were no Jasta stationed at Marcke at this time. Perhaps his victims belongs to a Fliegerabteilung which was equipped with Albatros? *

Immo

[Richard_Schrader]

Sounds a bit like Billy Bishop doesn't it? Another aerodrome in never-never land.

Richard

[jado]

Capt:

Franks ATT shows Pritt flying Pups with 66Sqn in the summer of 17 and scoring two DV's on the 16th. A further example of his tenacity and I quote from ATT, "On another patrol he ran out of ammunition before seeing a German staff car at which he dived. One of the officers in this got out and fired at him with a pistol, so Pritt dived down again and fired a Very Flare at his opponent!"

After scoring 5 victories he served with 44Sqn Home defense. WHAT A GUY!

Hell on wheels, Joe -- HELL ON WHEELS !!!

The photo and text following are from Mick Davis' SOPWITH FIGHTERS (Crowood Press, 1999):

"On 30 September Lt. W.A. Pritt MC was credited with sending an Albatros D V down out of control with fire from his 'top gun' on B2162."

[And the caption reads:]
"Attempts were made to augment the single Vickers gun with an overwing Lewis [No relation - C.L.]. B2162 of 66 Sqn was flown operationally with that extra armament and on 30 September 1917 Lt W.A. Pritt MC achieved a victory with his 'top gun'."

[john_g]

Ashby Walbanke Pritt born on 31 October 1897 possibly at Leamington Spar Warwickshire England.

Royal Aero Club Certificate number 3564 granted on 16 September 1916. Taken on a Caudron Biplane at the Wallisdown School Bournemoth, Dorset England.
He then attended School Military Aeronautics Denham (16/11/1916), Oxford (16/1/1917) other Cadets on course included F.D.C. Gore who would also join 66 Squadron, David Deakin, Alan B Hill, Laurence N Mitchell and Richard G Turner. 41
Reserve Squadron Doncaster ( April/1917), 15 Reserve squadron Spittlegate ( April/1917), 40 Training squadron (June 1917). He entered France on 4 July 1917 and Joined 66 Squadron who were then flying Sopwith Pup's later Camels. He returned to Home establishment on 14 November 1917 and joined 44 Squadron at Hainault Farm on 16 December 1917. Pritt was injured on 15 February 1918 flying Sopwith Camel B7332 when the motor failed at 500ft, Pritt turned up-wind and stalled.

9 Wing war diaries note that Pritt was wia on 21 August 1917 in Pup B1762 (not listed in Henson).

That in July 1917 he shot up a car near Dadizeele and fired two very lights at the men.

On 6 August 1917 Pritt bombed aircraft on Marcke aerodrome, attacked Albatros taking off and shot it down and also another.

Bishop was dodgy, Pritt I suggest was not. Just because you are not able to tally the record up against know losses, does not mean it did not happen or that Pritt did not make his claim in the best of faith. It is all to easy to sit hear and say he made it up, why not try and prove he did not actually destroy these aircraft.

Don't forget either the exploits of Lt. Leonard Monteagle Barlow of 56 Squadron. Early on the opening day of the Battle of Messines (June 7, 1917) he single handedly attacked TWO airfields, a train and train station, and some ground troops, for the loss of an elevator on his SE5. Like Pritt he earned the MC for his efforts. His combat report is summarized on pages 74 and 75 of "High in the Empty Blue."

Perhaps the absence of any claimed aerial victories, rather than his lack of Canadian citizenship, explains the award of an MC to Barlow for an event that is otherwise quite similar to Bishop's VC mission - but then why no VC for Pritt? Perhaps there were different standards for Canadians. Or maybe "copycats" don't deserve the same medal?

Strange that the decision to award a VC to Bishop came after Barlow's similar exploits were known. Was the decision to award Bishop the VC made prior to Pritt's similar mission?

That is a nice Pup. Is that a number 14 on the side, and does anyone have a guess what color he painted the nose and wheel decorations?

I see that Above the Trenches describes Pritt as "very youthful in appearance, looking more like a boy of 14 or 15, despite his insistence that he was 20."

Obviously totally unfit for civilian life. Anybody know what ultimately became of him?