Percy Jack Clayson (born 7 June 1896) was a British

flying ace A flying ace, fighter ace or air ace is a military aviation, military aviator credited with shooting down a certain minimum number of enemy aircraft during aerial combat; the exact number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an ...

in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

credited with 29 victories.

Biography

Early life and education

Clayson was born in

Deptford Deptford is an area on the south bank of the River Thames in southeast London, in the Royal Borough of Greenwich and London Borough of Lewisham. It is named after a Ford (crossing), ford of the River Ravensbourne. From the mid 16th century ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

on 7 June 1896. In the 1910 Census of Watford, he is listed as a 14-year-old pupil at the Royal Masonic School for Boys at Bushey.

First World War

Clayson joined the

Royal Naval Air Service The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy, under the direction of the Admiralty (United Kingdom), Admiralty's Air Department, and existed formally from 1 July 1914 to 1 April 1918, when it was merged with the British ...

at the outbreak of war and served in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

from December 1914. He then transferred to the

Royal Flying Corps The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...

, being appointed a probationary temporary second lieutenant on the General List on 19 July 1917, and was confirmed in the rank on 28 September. On 30 September 1917 he was awarded his Royal Aero Club Aviators License (No. 5617) after flying a Curtiss Biplane at the Military School at Beverley. He joined No. 1 Squadron on 31 October 1917.Shores ''et.al.'' (1997), p. 107. Clayson gained his first victory on 16 February 1918. He was awarded the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...

on 9 April, and on 8 May was appointed a

flight commander A flight commander is the leader of a constituent portion of an aerial squadron in aerial operations, often into combat. That constituent portion is known as a flight, and usually contains six or fewer aircraft, with three or four being a common ...

with the rank of acting captain. On 12 June 1918, he was cited for the Distinguished Flying Cross and by 14 July had achieved a total of 29 credited victories; 1 shared destroyed balloon, 1 (and 1 shared) aircraft captured, 9 (and 9 shared) aircraft destroyed, and 5 (and 3 shared) aircraft 'out of control'. He was invested with his DFC on 24 July 1919 by The King at Buckingham Palace. Clayson was posted to Home Establishment on 3 August 1918, ending his involvement in direct engagement with the enemy.

Later military service

On 24 October 1919 he was granted a short service commission in the Royal Air Force with the rank of

flying officer Flying officer (Fg Offr or F/O) is a junior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. Flying officer is immediately ...

. He served during the 1920s with Nos. 6 and 70 Squadrons. On 1 July 1925 he was promoted to flight lieutenant, and on 9 July was posted to No. 23 Squadron at RAF Henlow. On 21 September 1926 he was posted to the Aircraft Depot, Iraq, finally returning to the UK to serve at the RAF Depot at

RAF Uxbridge RAF Uxbridge was a Royal Air Force (RAF) station in Uxbridge, within the London Borough of Hillingdon, occupying a site that originally belonged to the Hillingdon House estate. The British Government purchased the estate in 1915, three years b ...

from 14 November 1928. He was placed on the retired list due to ill health on 16 April 1929. On 7 September 1929, at Our Lady of Victories Church,

Kensington Kensington is an area of London in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, around west of Central London. The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up by Kensingt ...

, he married Kathleen Thornton of Kelvingrove, Glasgow. In 1936 Clayson was the Chief Ground Instructor at the Civil Training Flying School operated by the

Bristol Aeroplane Company The Bristol Aeroplane Company, originally the British and Colonial Aeroplane Company, was both one of the first and one of the most important British aviation companies, designing and manufacturing both airframes and aircraft engines. Notable ...

at Yatesbury. During World War II Clayson returned to active service in the

Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve The Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR) was established in 1936 to support the preparedness of the U.K. Royal Air Force (RAF) in the event of another war. The Air Ministry intended it to form a supplement to the Royal Auxiliary Air Force ( ...

being appointed a flying officer in the Administrative and Special Duties Branch on 20 December 1941. He was promoted to flight lieutenant on 1 January 1944. Clayson remained in the Air Force Reserve of Officers until finally relinquishing his commission on 10 February 1954.

Honours and awards

* Temporary 2nd Lieutenant Percy Jack Clayson, General List and RFC, is awarded the

: * Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) Percy Jack Clayson, MC, is awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross:

References

Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Clayson, Percy Jack 1896 births Year of death missing People from Deptford Military personnel from the London Borough of Lewisham People educated at the Royal Masonic School for Boys English aviators Royal Naval Air Service aviators Royal Flying Corps officers Royal Air Force officers British World War I flying aces Recipients of the Military Cross Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) Royal Naval Air Service personnel of World War I Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II British Army personnel of World War I