John Gilmour

[bastable9]

Can anyone provide a little additioal background on John Ingles Gilmour ? To be honest, his profile on this site is the only reference I've ever seen to him (and it doesn't even list the date he died). Was he the top bomber ace of the war ?

[Kirk R. Lowry]

Bonjour bastable9!

J.I. Gilmour was born at Helensburgh, Dumbartonshire on the 28th of June, 1896.

Having been an officer with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders he joined the R.F.C. in 1915 and was assigned to 27 Squadron. Gilmour served with 65 Squadron in the last days of 1917 and began to claim aircraft sent down at a prodigious rate. Having risen to the rank of Major he was made the commander of 28 Squadron.

Shores, Franks, Guest, in Above The Trenches (from which most of the noted information was gleaned) attribute 39 victories to Gilmour; "1 balloon, 1 captured, 24 and 3 shared destroyed, 10 out of control".

In Italy with 28 Squadron when the fighting ended Gilmour served as an air attaché in Italy before becoming a member of 216 Squadron stationed in the middle east.

Though offered a permanent commission Gilmour declined to remain in the R.A.F. and left the service at the end of 1919.

In Sopwith Camel Aces of World War 1 Franks noted that "by 1926 he was working in London" and there the tale ends ... frustrating! ... perhaps someone else who lands at The Aerodrome can provide details about Gilmour ...

As for aces flying in bombers ... there were several in the R.F.C. and R.A.F. ... D.A. Stewart was given credit for two victories as an observer with 20 Squadron (which was a fighter squadron) flying in F.E.2bs and 14 victories as a pilot with 18 Squadron flying D.H.4s ... total victories: 9 destroyed, 7 out of control ... I believe (but may be wrong) that Stewart would be considered the highest scoring bomber pilot.

Salut!
Kirk

[bastable9]

Thank you, Mr. Lowry. If not the top bomber ace, perhaps Gilmour is the leading Scottish ace ? Didn't Mick Mannock consider himself Irish, rather than Scottish ?