Wing Commander Wing commander (Wg Cdr or W/C) is a senior 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. Wing commander is immediately se ...

Robert John Orton Compston

DSC DSC or Dsc may refer to: Education * Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) * District Selection Committee, an entrance exam in India * Doctor of Surgical Chiropody, superseded in the 1960s by Doctor of Podiatric Medicine Educational institutions * Dyal Sin ...

& 2 Bars DFC (9 January 1898 – 28 January 1962) was an English fighter pilot credited with 25 victories during

World War I 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 ...

. He was one of only seven airman in this war who won three awards of the Distinguished Service Cross.

Life and service

Robert John Orton Compston was born in Farnham, Surrey the son of Herbert Fuller Bright Compston, a clergyman, and his wife Rose Contance Compston (née Orton). He 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 ...

in 1915 when he was 17 years old. He originally flew Home Defense missions, but was reassigned to 8 Naval Squadron when it went to France. He was a close friend of ace Robert Little. Compston served in the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. On the 13 August 1940, while based at

RAF Detling Royal Air Force Detling, or more simply RAF Detling, is a former Royal Air Force station situated above sea level, located near Detling, a village about miles north-east of Maidstone, Kent. It was a station of the Royal Naval Air Service (R ...

, the airfield came under attack by the ''

Luftwaffe The Luftwaffe () was the aerial warfare, aerial-warfare branch of the before and during World War II. German Empire, Germany's military air arms during World War I, the of the Imperial German Army, Imperial Army and the of the Imperial Ge ...

''. It was the first major effort of the Germans during the

Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain () was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defended the United Kingdom (UK) against large-scale attacks by Nazi Germany's air force ...

Junkers Ju 87 The Junkers Ju 87, popularly known as the "Stuka", is a German dive bomber and ground-attack aircraft. Designed by Hermann Pohlmann, it first flew in 1935. The Ju 87 made its combat debut in 1937 with the Luftwaffe's Condor Legion during the ...

''Stuka'' dive-bombers devastated the station and

Squadron Leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr or S/L) is a senior 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. Squadron leader is immediatel ...

Compston was

wounded in action Wounded in action (WIA) describes combatants who have been wounded while fighting in a combat zone during wartime, but have not been killed. Typically, it implies that they are temporarily or permanently incapable of bearing arms or continuing ...

; one of 42 wounded and 24 killed.Saunders 2013, p. 212. He retired from the RAFVR in 1954 with the rank of wing commander.

Personal life

Compston married Nina Barclay in Chelsea in 1919. He died in the Worthing area of Sussex on 28 January 1962 aged 64.

Honours and awards

*12 May 1917 Flight Lieutenant Robert John Orton Compston, R.N.A.S. was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC): *11 August 1917 Flight Commander Robert John Orton Compston, D.S.C., R.N.A.S. was awarded a bar to his Distinguished Servrtillery aeroplanes: *On 16 March 1918 Flight Commander Robert John Orton Compston, D.S.C., R.N.A.S. was awarded a second bar to his Distinguished Service Cross (DSC): *3 June 1918 Captain Robert John Orton, DSC was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on the occasion of the King's Birthday for Distinguished Service.

Sources of info

References

* ''Sopwith Triplane Aces of World War 1''. Norman Franks. Osprey Publishing, 2004. , 9781841767284. * Saunders, Andy. ''Stuka Attack!: The Dive-Bombing Assault on England During the Battle of Britain''. Grub Street, London. {{DEFAULTSORT:Compston, Robert Royal Naval Air Service aviators 1898 births 1962 deaths Royal Navy officers of World War I People from Farnham Royal Air Force squadron leaders British World War I flying aces Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve personnel of World War II Royal Naval Air Service personnel of World War I Military personnel from Surrey