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Name: Selden Herbert "Tubby" Long
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
Military Cross (MC)
Selden Herbert Long
Country: England
Rank: Major
Service: Royal Flying Corps
Royal Air Force
Units: 24, 29, 46, 111
Victories: 9
Born: 06 October 1895
Place of Birth: Aldershot, Hampshire, England
Died: 12 December 1952
Place of Death: Cape Town, South Africa
 
 
Possibly the son of Major General Sidney Selden Long, Selden Herbert Long was commissioned in the Durham Light Infantry before he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps on 25 March 1915. 2nd Lieutenant Long received Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate 1046 on a Maurice Farman biplane at military school, Brooklands on 25 January 1915. He scored nine victories flying the D.H.2. Post-war, he published Into the Blue (1920) and Navigational Wireless (1927).
Great Britain, Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificates, 1910-1950
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920
 
Military Cross (MC)
2nd Lieutenant Selden Herbert Long, The Durham Light Infantry and Royal Flying Corps.
   For conspicuous gallantry on several occasions, notably the following: —
    On 10th September, 1915, he went out to attack an observation balloon shed with a 100-lb. bomb, but, being heavily fired at by an anti-aircraft battery, he silenced the guns with this bomb and returned for another one, with which he attacked the balloon. He only narrowly missed it as it was being deflated beside the shed.
    On 23rd September he made two determined attacks on trains from 500 feet, breaking the rails in two places. On the first occasion he returned to the attack three times, and finally climbed to 1,000 feet in order to make better use of his bomb sight; on the second occasion he made most of his return journey at 1,000 feet in order better to examine villages, roads, etc.
    On 25th September he attacked a train at 500 feet under heavy rifle fire, and damaged the line.
    Late in the afternoon of 25th September he heard that trains were moving at 25 miles distance, and, in spite of darkness and bad weather, he volunteered to attack them. Heavy rain prevented his reaching them, so he turned to attack Péronne station, descending to 500 feet and coming under heavy anti-aircraft gun fire. This fire prevented his reaching the station, but he climbed to 1,500 feet and attacked a "Rocket" battery, silencing one of its guns.
 
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
Lt. (temp. Capt.) Selden Herbert Long, M.C., Durh. L.I. and R.F.C.
   For great skill and daring in piloting his machine. He shot down an enemy machine, which fell in our lines, and the same day he forced another hostile machine to land in the enemy's lines. Later, he shot down another enemy machine, which fell in our lines.
 
Victories
Date Time Unit Aircraft Opponent Location
1 06 Aug 1916 1945 29 D.H.2 (7915) Fokker E (OOC) Ypres Salient
2 16 Nov 1916 1215 24 D.H.2 (A305) Roland C.II (CAP) Beaulencourt
3 11 Dec 1916 1000 24 D.H.2 (A305) Albatros D.I (DES) 1 Bapaume
4 20 Dec 1916 1200 24 D.H.2 (A305) Albatros D.II (DESF) 2 Velu
5 26 Dec 1916 1230 24 D.H.2 (A3059) C (OOC) 3 Le Transloy
6 27 Dec 1916 1225 24 D.H.2 (7930) Albatros D.II (OOC) Bois de Vaux
7 25 Jan 1917 1005 24 D.H.2 (A305) LVG C (DES) Bapaume-Clery
8 27 Jan 1917 1005 24 D.H.2 (A305) C (DES) Bapaume
9 06 Mar 1917 24 D.H.2 (A305) C (DES) 4  

1 Shared with 2Lt Eric Pashley (7930), Capt Chester Duffus & 2Lt G O McEntee (7697)
2 Shared with Lt Kelvin Crawford (6008)
3 Shared with 2Lt F B Sedgwick
4 Shared with 2Lt Eric Pashley
 
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