A Superb Great War Scout Fighter, a ten Victory Ace. D.F.C. A.F.C., group of six awarded to Capt. Edward Dawson ‘Spider’ Atkinson, a Pilot flying Nieuport and SE5’s with 1, 56, 64 and 22 Squadron’s, Shot down by the famous Ace Lt. Karl Emil Shaefer Commanding Officer of Jasta 28, von Richthofen’s star pupil who claimed Atkinson as his 25th victory of 30. Wounded at Neuve Chapppelle, September, 1915

Distinguished Flying Cross (GV)., Air Force Cross (GV), 1914 Star & Bar (Cpl. 35/Div. Sig. Coy) British War Medal, Victory Medal (Capt. R.A.F.) Iraq: King Faisal Active Service War Medal.

Distinguished Flying Cross London Gazette 3rd August 1918 Lieut. (Temp. Capt.) Edward Dawson Atkinson.

A brilliant fighting pilot whose flight has proved very successful under his leadership, often in combats where the- enemy formation was numerically superior. Capt. Atkinson .destroyed single-handed five enemy machines during May, and previously, whilst serving with another squadron, he brought down two enemy aeroplanes and one balloon.

Original citation (for a Military Cross) 2.Lieutenant (Temp. Capt.) Edward Dawson Atkinson, Indian Army Reserve of Officers and Royal Air Force. 10th. (Army) Wing, No. 64 Squadron. His recommendation expands

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has shown himself to be a brilliant fighting pilot, and the flight under his able and determined leadership has accounted for many enemy aircraft, often in combats where the enemy formation has been numerically superior. Personally he has destroyed enemy aircraft as under:- On 31 May 1918, when on offensive patrol near STEENWERCK, he led his patrol to attack a formation of enemy aircraft. He singled out a Pfalz Scout and after he fired a burst at close range, the enemy machine turned over and fell completely out of control. It was confirmed by other pilots on the patrol. Later in the day, in a general engagement with a formation of E.A. in the vicinity of ILLIES, he fired 200 rounds into a Pfalz Scout, E.A. fell Out of Control, crashed and burst into flames. On 28 May 1918, in a general engagement with enemy scouts South of ESTAIRES, he fired 20 rounds at 20 yards range into an Albatros Scout. The enemy fell out of control and was seen by another pilot to crash. Later, when flying alone, he saw a Halberstadt two-seater in the vicinity of BAPAUME. He obtained a position on the enemy machine’s tail and followed it down, firing all the time, till it crashed in a field between BAPAUME and BANCOURT. On 26 May 1918, when on offensive patrol South of ARMENTIERES, he fired 40 rounds at 20 yards range into an Albatros Scout. The E.A. dived vertically, turned over on its back after falling 3,000 feet, and fell completely Out of Control. Previously, when serving with No.1 Squadron, he shot down two enemy machines out of control and destroyed an enemy balloon in flames.’ Earlier on 22 April 1917 No. 1 Squadron, Commanding Officer, recommended Capt. E.D. Atkinson for an award as follows (no award made). ‘On the 25th. March this Officer with great determination and through a heavy fire brought down a hostile balloon (see report attached) he then turned a few feet from the ground, and attacked the men at the winch – shooting several whom he saw to drop. On April 10th. this Officer led an urgent Special Reconnaissance to obtain information re enemy’s trenches from LA BASSEE to LOOS, through some of the worst weather experienced this year – he was caught in two blizzards and with great skill, led his formation back, throughout a most trying period and obtained the required information. On 22nd. April Capt. E.D. Atkinson, when on an Offensive Patrol with five others, encountered a hostile patrol of eight Albatros Scouts over LILLE – a general engagement took place in which these were driven off, three being driven down out of control – two by Capt. Atkinson. This Officer has flown out here now for just on eleven months and in all his work has shown the greatest determination, skill and devotion to duty, which has given him the respect and admiration of the men and of the Squadron.’

Report of attack on hostile balloon

“A formation of Nieuport scouts left the ground at 4.14p.m. with Le Prieur rockets with instructions to destroy a dirigible reported near WERVICQ. Clouds were at 5,000 feet – the formation was lost in the clouds, each member acting individually. On coming out of the clouds, I found myself between WERVICQ and WARNETON – I was then at 4,500 feet and noticed what I thought might be a dirigible closer to WERVICQ but owing to A.A. fire had to climb into the clouds once more. I then made in the direction of the dirigible and then descended through the clouds once more and found myself above the airship – I had made up my mind to dive steeply out of the clouds firing the rockets as I went – if the A.A. was very strong – this was the case, as I fired my rockets which missed the balloon. I then fired tracers into it which set it on fire. Balloon however, was being pulled down very quickly so I dived on the men at the winch and shot two of them who I saw to fall. I was then 50 feet off the ground”. In the field 25.3.1917.

Air Force Cross London Gazette, 1 January 1919. Capt. Edward Dawson Atkinson, D.F.C.

Ministry of Defence letter states on their copy of the London Gazette, was a note “MARSKE, D of T”. The Royal Flying Corps had an airfield for flying schools in Marske and was set up as a ‘finishing school’ for Pilots to learn combat flying. ‘Captain ‘W.E. Johns’, the author of the Biggles books, was posted to RFC Marske during part of the First World War, from April until August 1918.

Squadron Leader Edward Dawson “Spider” Atkinson, who became one of the Indian born Irish Aces, firstly serving with 40th Pathans/35 Sig Coy., then 1, 56, 64 and 22 Squadrons. Born 10 Nov. 1891, in Calcutta, India, spent much of his childhood in India, where his father was a merchant. He enlisted in the 35th Signal Coy as a Corporal, direct from the Calcutta Volunteer Rifles in August 1914. Transferring to the 40th Pathans 2 April 1915, they marched north from Marseille and served on the front line within days, suffering heavy casualties at Neuve Chapelle and in the Second Battle of Ypres during April and May 1915. Suffered further casualties at Aubers Ridge and held positions near Neuve Chapelle in August and Sept. 1915 where Atkinson was wounded on 23 Sept. 1915 when he was evacuated to Ireland before he then transferred to the RFC in 1915, and qualified for his Pilot’s Licence (No. 2145) on the L&P Biplane at London & Provincial School, Hendon, 12 Dec. 1915.

Following a period of further training on the home establishment, he was posted to No.1 Squadron, a Nieuport unit operating out of Bailleul in June 1916, and gained experience on assorted reconnaissance missions over the coming months. On a photographic sortie over Courtrai on 16 October, from which one of the aircraft escorting him failed to return (Lieut. C.M. Kellbe became a P.O.W. and 2.Lieut. T.G.G. Sturrock K.I.A.) but 2.Lieut. D.M. Murdoch and Atkinson managed to obtain 10 photographs, an indication of the growing dangers of operating behind enemy lines. By January 1917, 1 Squadron lost it’s Observers and was re-equipped with single-seater Nieuport 17’s Scouts. Atkinson’s operational experience was sufficient to prompt his appointment from Flying Officer to Flight Commander (T.Capt.) in Feb. 1917 and to command “B” Flight, then due to the loss of Capt. J. Shepherd (‘A’ Flight Commander) he took over as Flight Commander of ‘A’ Flight. On 25 March 1917 he gained his first confirmed victory, an enemy balloon:- as detailed above in a separate report entered for an award by his No.1 Squadron, Commanding Officer. (1 x Destroyed) With the Arras offensive underway, the Squadron was now constantly in action especially against balloons, on 7 April 1917 Atkinson and Lieut. J.A. Slater, piloting two of four aircraft assigned to attack a chain of German kite balloons, came up against four E.A. and broke off their attack. Atkinson’s score began to mount, when leading a formation of nine aircraft to patrol LILLE-SECLIN-CARVIN – La BASSEE on 22 April against a chain of kite balloons again, but the formation were embroiled in a melee with several Albatros Scouts of Jasta 28, with one Albatros Scout falling to his guns over Lille –

1 Sqd. Combat Report Offensive Patrol 7.05 a.m. 22 April 1917 “Eight old type Albatros Scouts attacked our six remaining Nieuport’s, three were in front of me. I attacked the centre one and turning, dived on his tail, he turned sharply and fired wildly. I kept under his tail and fired a full drum into him. He circled over sideways and went down spinning laterally out of control. There was a second machine behind and above me shooting. I kept doing vertical banks until I had changed a drum and then attacked. The E.A. went down to 10,000 feet, and I followed spiralling, shooting whenever possible. He then suddenly did a vertical dive, I followed for a 1,000 feet or so, when, he being the faster, I gave up the chase and climbed up to the other Nieuport’s at 14,000 feet. I saw a machine going down completely out of control East of LILLE.” (1 x O.O.C.)

1 Sqd. Combat Report 26 April 1917 on Engine Test (!) with 2.Lt. E.S.T. Cole “Capt. E.D. Atkinson saw what appeared to be a new type Albatros Scout chasing a R.E.8. The R.E.8 dived towards YPRES, the H.A. following close on his tail. The Nieuport’s immediately dived on the H.A. which went down to 4,000 feet over YPRES having given up chasing the R.E.8 and turned due East. Six R.E.8’s engaged the H.A. which immediately left them behind, being much faster. Nieuport’s continued to dive and caught up the H.A., 2.Lieut. E.S.T. Cole fired a drum and the H.A. was forced to land. He was obviously badly hit and at close range the tracers were distinctly seen to go into him.”

1 Sqd. Combat Report 29 April 1917, PONTE ROUGE to S. of QUESNOY. “I saw an Albatros 2 seater approaching the lines opposite PLOEGSTEERT at 16,000 feet. I was about 14,000 feet between PLOEGSTEERT and ARMENTIERES. I turned West and climbed getting to 15,500 feet when the H.A. opened fire. I immediately turned and got under him, the H.A. turned and flew West. I fired a few shots when he twisted and turned, all the time making towards LILLE and the Observer firing whenever he could. About PONTE ROUGE I got in a burst of 25 shots at 30 yards range and immediately clouds of smoke came out of the engine and he went down in a steep dive vertically. Getting beyond the vertical he turned over on his back and went down completely Out of Control. I followed him down in order to see where he crashed, down to 9,000 feet when I saw 3 Albatros Scouts (old type) 2,000 feet below and in direct line with my dive. Seeing these, I pulled out of the dive and turned towards our lines having only about 10 shots left in my drum. There was no firing from the H.A. I engaged after my burst over PONTE ROUGE and concluded the Observer was hit.” (1 x O.O.C.)

Next came one of the most hair-raising encounters of his operational career, when on an Offensive Patrol 1st. May 1917 over YPRES – ROULERS, 10.18 – 12.30pm the patrol fought with 4 Albatros Scouts, (Jasta 28) including one painted brilliant red who later in the action Atkinson fought with, this was Ltn. Karl Emil SHAEFER, the Commanding Officer of Jasta 28 von Richthofen’s star pupil who claimed Atkinson as his 25th of 30 victories.

1 Sqd. Combat Report 1 May 1917, Offensive Patrol against 4 Albatros Scouts, 3 usual type and one painted brilliant red with an exceptionally good Pilot. “Whilst on Offensive patrol at 12,000 feet, the formation attacked 4 H.A., one of which was a special machine, All H.A. Pilots were exceptionally good at handling their machines. A general combat ensued in the vicinity of POPERINGUE – YPRES and lasted for 20 minutes. Capt. E.D. Atkinson when leading the formation to attack, noticed one of the H.A. had seen the Nieuport’s – this machine immediately climbed, obviously with the intention of diving on us when we attacked the others, consequently I singled him out and after 5 minutes of manoeuvring managed to get under him and fired. He went down for 2,000 feet vertically and then towards his lines – obviously he was badly hit and I went down to finish him off, when the red H.A. attacked from above – he fought for at least 10 minutes but he was an exceptionally good Pilot with a machine superior in every way to the Nieuport and got in quite 2 bursts of fire to my one (amongst other things, he shot away my carburettor) then, having lost my engine, I spun. The H.A. chased me down to 3,000 feet firing, but the only time he hit the machine in coming down, was when, for a short while I stopped spinning to see where the H.A. was. After getting out of the spin, I landed with no further damage near ELVERDINGHE……………. 2.Lt. E.S.T. Cole of the patrol shot down Ltn. Kuttscher (killed) Jasta 28 this side of the lines (allocated for captured aircraft the British number G30) this being the Albatros firstly attacked and sent down by Atkinson. Atkinson’s Nieuport 17 was a write-off. In a letter home Lieut. E.S.T. Cole (he was there !) says “the Captain brought one down but he managed to get back to hunland before crashing, in turn the Capt. was shot down by one of the hun, shots going right through his petrol tank. He came down in a spin but managed to right her before hitting the ground”. (‘RFC Communiques’ No 86 credit him with a Destroyed Albatros near Zonnebeke, ‘Number One in War and Peace’ page 26, ‘Irish Aces’ page 19, ‘The Jasta Chronology’ page 55 all refer). 56 Squadron Combat Report of Lieut. Durrant, (leading the patrol, as Atkinson was in the patrol for a ‘refresher course under combat conditions’) 3 May 1918, Offensive Patrol. “Led patrol of Capt. Atkinson, Lt’s Irwin, Burden, Boyle. Capt. Atkinson, Lt. Irwin and I crossed lines at 9.25a.m. at BOULICOURT at 12,000 feet, the other two having fallen out through engine trouble. At 9.30 three E.A. two-seater Rumpler C attacked a British machine which was spinning down. We dived on the E.A. who went away East. We were forced to leave these E.A. owing to being attacked by a formation of 14 Triplanes which were 2,000 feet above as slightly to S.E.

At 9.40 a.m. whilst over BOULICOURT at 12,000 feet sighted E.A. two-seater (Rumpler C) going East over ALBERT. I fired two bursts of 40 rounds into E.A. who then went down apparently Out of Control – stalling several times and eventually hit the ground just South of POZIERES. At 9.55 a.m. Sighted E.A. two-seater 1,000 feet above us over AVELUY WOOD. I fired a short burst but both guns then stopped. The E.A. Observer was hanging over side of cockpit and gun upright: E.A. dived steeply and Capt. Atkinson and Lt. Irwin both fired at him. Lt. Irwin followed him down firing, I saw him crash at MONTAUBAN.

At 10.15 a.m. Whilst at 12,500 feet sighted E.A. two-seater going over BOULICOURT at 16,000 feet, we climbed up to and engaged him over BEAUCOURT. I succeeded in getting under his tail and keeping 50 yards behind fired some 200 rounds into him: after the first burst the Observers gun was sticking up straight. After my first burst my Vickers gun gave several stoppages and I was only able to get short bursts. Capt. Atkinson who was just below me fired 250 rounds at 50 yards range from both guns. E.A. tried to dodge our fire for 10 seconds, then smoked considerably and went down in a slow unsteady dive making no attempt to avoid our fire as if the Pilot was unconscious. I had used all my ammunition so turned away. Lt. Irwin now dived on E.A. and fired a good burst. The E.A. was last seen at 2,000 feet S.E. of BAPAUME still going down very unsteadily.”

C.O.’s notes – I consider the first machine was crashed by Lt. Durrant. The second machine crashed by Capt. Atkinson, Lt’s Durrant and Irwin and the third Out of Control by Capt. Atkinson, Lt’s Durrant and Irwin. 1 Sqd. Combat Report 4 May 1917 “2 Albatros two-seaters crossed over the Aerodrome flying West. Leaving the ground I got to 13,000 feet over the BOIS de BREZ and was 2,000 feet below, half mile behind the H.A. and we exchanged a few shots with no apparent result.

Seeing A.A. fire over BAUELAUL I made towards YPRES and cut the H.A. off over WYTSCHAETH he exchanged a few shots when H.A. dived East doing ‘S’ turns to escape. I dived after him, firing in all nearly two drums. In the dive I passed very near to the H.A. and when within a few yards, distinctly saw the Observer was shot. Having a drum to change and being only at 7,000 feet and two other H.A. approaching, I came back.”

German losses on this day in this area show FL Abt.3. the Observer Ltn. Albert Spitzer was killed in a fight with an enemy Scout. The machine came down Near BISSEGHEM, this confirms Capt. Atkinson’s claim that after a fight with an Albatros two seater he distinctly saw the Observer had been shot.

1 Sqd. Combat Report 12 May 1917. “Capt. E.D. Atkinson and Lieut. J.R. Anthony attacked a hostile balloon as it was being hauled down and Capt. Atkinson fired a drum into it when it was about 800 feet. The balloon was not seen to be on fire. Lt. Anthony patrolled above balloon to protect Capt. Atkinson.”

Returning to Home Establishment 13 May 1917 after over a year on frontline service Atkinson became an Instructor, and by early 1918 was working up the students of No.1 School of Aerial Fighting at Ayr, which establishment’s staff boasted 2 VCs (Rees and McCudden). As it happened, he was shortly to come into contact with a future VC winner, ‘Mick’ Mannock, for about this time Atkinson was ordered to London Colney in Hertfordshire, another training establishment, where No.74 Squadron was about to be fully operational. Mannock was given command of ‘A’ Flight and chose Atkinson as one of his pilots, but as it transpired – possibly because Atkinson had already served as Flight Commander himself – he was quickly despatched to 56 Squadron, a SE5a unit. Arriving on 26 April 1918, he showed the he had lost none of his old combat prowess.

Posted a few days later, as a Flight Commander, to 64 Squadron, a SE5a unit out of Le Hameau. His score, as outlined in his recommendation, quickly mounted. Having downed an Albatros DV over the Erquinghem-Lys sector on 26 May. “Attacked an Albatros which was flying below him and fired a good burst using 40 rounds from just 20 yards. E.A. went down Out of Control, but was not seen to crash owing to the presence of other E.A.”

64 Sqd. Combat Report 28 May 1918 on Offensive Patrol “Capt. Atkinson (leader of patrol) observed about 12 Albatros D5’s & Pfalz Scouts with two forward guns, patrolling 4 miles E. of the lines at same level. Climbed N. and dived on formation. Fired at various machines, shooting down and crashing one Albatros D5. At Bapaume-Bancourt. (also seen to crash by another pilot and AA Observers). Others attacked with no visible effect. An hour later again over the Bapaume-Bancourt sector. “Saw a Halberstadt C two-seater near BAUPAUME at 7,000 feet, at 8.55 a.m. He dived unobserved under E.A.’s tail and fired a series of bursts, E.A. dived steeply with engine on, and S.E. followed still firing bursts. Capt. Atkinson followed E.A. down to 3,000 feet, and saw it crash in a field between BAPAUME and BANCOURT.

Another ‘double’ followed on the last day of the month, 64 Sqd. Combat Report 31 May 1918 at 6.20 a.m. “Capt. Atkinson attacked a Pfalz DIII Scout East of Merris. He fired a good burst at close range and E.A. dived away, S.E. followed firing bursts. E.A. then went down completely Out of Control, and was still Out of Control at 1,000 feet, but was not actually seen to crash owing to the presence of other E.A.” Then in the evening at 19.40 p.m. “Dived on another Pfalz DIII Scout and fired 200 rounds, closing to very close range. E.A. dived vertically and then started to spin. E.A. was seen to crash at La Bassee and burst into flames after striking the ground.”

Atkinson was posted back home to instruct 13 June 1918, and found time to marry Nancy Rowen of Dunskaig, Ayr in the old parish church in Ayr, Scotland before being awarded the DFC in August 1918 and the AFC in Jan 1919. Remaining a regular Officer, he gained advancement to Squadron Leader in 1924, and assumed command of his old Great War unit, No.1 Squadron, this time in a hotter climate – at Hinaldi, near Baghdad. It was an unhappy posting, the men suffering regular bouts of sandfly fever and dysentery. Returned to Home Establishment in 1926. After having commanded No.1 Squadron at Tangmere in the late 1920’s, he was placed on the Retired List due to ill health in January 1932 and retired to Scotland.

Edward Dawson ‘Spider’ Atkinson 10 Aerial Victories, were with 1, 56 and 64 Squadron below:-

1) 25 March 1917 1Sqn. Nieuport, Balloon, Destroyed, Warneton-Wervicq.

2) 22 April 1917 1Sqn. Nieuport, Albatros DII, Out of Control, Lille.

3) 29 April 1917 1 Sqn. Nieuport, Albatros C, Out of Control Armentieres.

4) 3 May 1918 56 Sqn. SE5a, Rumpler C, Destroyed (shared), Montauban.

5) 3 May 1918 56 Sqn. SE5a, Rumpler C, Out of Control (shared), S.E. Bapaume.

6) 26 May 1918 64 Sqn. SE5a, Albatros DV, Out of Control, Erquighem-Lys.

7) 28 May 1918 64Sqn. SE5a, Albatros DV, Destroyed, Bapaume-Bancourt.

8) 28 May 1918 64 Sqn. SE5a, Halberstadt C, Destroyed, Bapuame-Bancourt.

9) 31 May 1918 64Sqn. SE5a, Pfalz DIII, Out of Control, E. Merris.

10) 31 May 1918 64 Sqn. SE5a, Pfalz DIII, Destroyed, La Bassee.

Total, 1 Balloon, 4 Destroyed, 5 Out of Control = 10 Victories. (11 including 1.5.1917) 1 Additional claim appears to be outstanding & not listed in ‘Above the Trenches’ (C. Shores, N. Franks & R. Guest), which takes his total to 11:-

1 May 1917, 12.00pm, 1 Sqn, Nieuport A6678 – Albatros. The day Atkinson was shot down by Ltn.K. Schafer, Jasta 28.

On the 1939 census he is a scrap metal merchant (aero parts) incapacitated, Squadron Leader R.A.F. living in Kingston-upon-Thames. Died in June 1954, Glasgow.

With extensive file of research