Arthur Claydon

Name:

Arthur Claydon

Country:

England

Rank:

Captain

Service:

Royal Flying Corps
Royal Air Force

Units:

Victories:

Born:

25 September 1885

Place of Birth:

Deeping St. James, Lincolnshire.

Died:

08 July 1918

Place of Death:

Near Carvin

Cemetery:

Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery, Souchez, Pas de Calais, France

Arthur Claydon was a general contractor living in Winnipeg, Manitoba when he enlisted on 18 February 1916. After serving with an artillery regiment, Claydon transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in 1917. Posted to 32 Squadron later that year, he was shot down by Max von Müller on 11 November 1917 but survived and scored his first victory flying the D.H.5. In May and June of 1918, he scored six more victories flying the S.E.5a but was killed in action when he was shot down by Paul Billik of Jasta 52.

Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)

Lt. (temp. Capt.) Arthur Claydon (formerly Canadian Fd. Arty.).
Recently this officer, single-handed, went to the assistance of another pilot, who was attacked by eleven Fokker biplanes and six scouts. By his gallant conduct and skilful manoeuvring he not only extricated the pilot, but drove down several of the enemy aeroplanes. He has shown great initiative and gallantry in locating, bombing and attacking troops on the ground from low altitudes.

Supplement to the London Gazette, 3 August 1918 (30827/9199)

Victories

	Date	Time	Unit	Aircraft	Opponent	Location
1	20 Nov 1917	0800	32	D.H.5 (A9300)	C (DESF) ¹	Passchendaele
2	08 May 1918	0935	32	S.E.5a (C1089)	Pfalz D.III (OOC)	Dury-Vitry
3	08 May 1918	1015	32	S.E.5a (C1089)	Pfalz D.III (DESF)	Vitry
4	28 May 1918	1845	32	S.E.5a (C1089)	Pfalz D.III (OOC)	NW of Armentières
5	12 Jun 1918	1630	32	S.E.5a (C1089)	Fokker D.VII (DES)	Cuvilly
6	13 Jun 1918	0600	32	S.E.5a (C1089)	Albatros D.V (DES)	Couchy
7	25 Jun 1918	1815	32	S.E.5a (C1089)	C (DESF)	Fleurbaix-Laventie

1	Shared with Lt A L Cuffe (B4924), 2Lt Walter Tyrrell

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