Edward Mick Mannock

toofatfortakeoff · 26 February 2005, 08:58 AM

Is it true that

Edward Mannock attacked an unarmed Aviatik School and their instructor-if so where and what was the date? is this just a myth?
Did he have an equivalent for ferocity?
Was anyone reprimanded for shooting at bailed out or crash landed pilots on any side?

Vin · 26 February 2005, 06:30 PM

Myth. Another of the many. Look at

Mannock's Mercy - Sources

Ginger. · 27 February 2005, 02:04 AM

A friend of Mannock's called

Ira Jones freely admitted to shooting at Huns in their parachutes. Although not officially reprimanded some of his fellow pilots took a dim view of his antics.

toofatfortakeoff · 27 February 2005, 05:44 AM

Thanks Ginger I thought so. I'll take a look at the other links.
Seanio.

28 February 2005, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toofatfortakeoff

Is it true that Mannock attacked an unarmed Aviatik School and their instructor-if so where and what was the date? is this just a myth?
Did he have an equivalent for ferocity?
Was anyone reprimanded for shooting at bailed out or crash landed pilots on any side?

I believe it is in the book Fighter Pilot by McScotch (

William MacLanachan ) that this did occur, but it was not intentional. They only realized after they attacked that the flight was not returning fire, and talked about it amongst themselves later.

Cheers,
Scarlett

Vin · 1 March 2005, 01:40 AM

McClanachan wrote about the incident in a novel 19 years later. Nothing about the incident in the diaries of Mannock or official records. No claims made. Nothing in German records. You'd think that knocking out 5 - 6 enemy aircraft in one go would be unusual enough to be noticed before 1936.

normanf · 12 March 2005, 02:23 AM

I have read at least two combat reports by RAF pilots downing balloons that they were sorry that while they fired on parachuting observers, they missed. This make me think that there may have been some instruction to the effect that balloon observers were fair game. Then at least they would not be up in another balloon next day, raining shells on Allied troops. Normanf

Vin · 12 March 2005, 03:48 PM

I don’t recall ever reading an account of a pilot shooting at a parachuting observer. The issue was explored in an edition of the '70’s BBC series “Wings”. The central character, the former blacksmith, sergeant pilot, declines to shoot at a parachuting German observer. He encounters a group of foot soldiers who were the victims of a bombardment directed by an observer in the replacement balloon. They abuse him for letting the observer live. Next time, he shoots the parachuting observer and is abused by officers in his squadron who take the Chivalry of the Air view.

R Pope · 12 March 2005, 08:16 PM

All I've read about Mannock paints him as a Hun-hater due to his family dying in a Gotha raid. I don't think the chivalry bit meant much to him.

Vin · 12 March 2005, 10:21 PM

"Wings" is fictional, no matter how good BBC research might be. The parallel between the fictional blacksmith-pilot and Mannock, both coming from outside the officer class, is apparent. In practice, was there much opportunity for a pilot who shot down a balloon to then shoot the parachuting observer anyway ? The pilot would have a crack at the balloon, then try and avoid ground fire or attacking scouts. To shoot at the descending observer would mean another atttack. Most pilots wouldn't because of the danger of going in the second time but even if he did, chances are that by the time he'd turned, gained height etc, the observer would be on the ground.