Francis Casey

Francis Dominic Casey, DSC (3 August 1890 – 11 August 1917) was an Irish flying ace of the Royal Naval Air Service during the First World War, credited with nine aerial victories. He received the Distinguished Service Cross before his death during a test flight in 1917.^[1]

Francis Dominic Casey was born in Clonmel, County Tipperary, the youngest son of Maurice J. Casey and Agnes M. Casey, and was educated at St. George's College, Weybridge.^[2][3]

In August 1914, when the First World War broke out, Casey was working for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company.^[2] On 25 May 1915 he was granted a temporary commission as a sub-lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve,^[4] and on 30 May he was posted to HMS President for duty with the Royal Naval Air Service.^[5] On 27 May 1916 Casey's Royal Naval Reserve commission was cancelled, and the following day he was re-commissioned as a probationary flight sub-lieutenant in the Royal Naval Air Service.^[6] On 3 August 1916 he was confirmed in his rank of flight sub-lieutenant, with seniority from 28 May.^[7]

Casey served in No. 2 Wing, and was eventually posted to No. 3 (Naval) Squadron to fly the Sopwith Pup single-seat fighter. He gained his first aerial victory on 17 March 1917, driving down out of control a Halberstadt D.II fighter over Bapaume.^[1] On 1 April Casey was promoted to flight lieutenant,^[8] and gained his second victory a week later, driving down an Albatros D.III fighter on 8 April. He then gained seven more victories, six of them D.III fighters, in only twelve days, from 21 April to 2 May.^[1] On 12 May he received a mention in despatches,^[9] and on 22 June was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. His citation read:

Flight Lieutenant Francis Dominic Casey, R.N.A.S.
For conspicuous bravery and skill in attacking hostile aircraft on numerous occasions. On 21 April 1917, he attacked a hostile two-seater machine at a range varying from 40 to 100 yards, and brought it down completely out of control. On 23 April 1917, on four different occasions during one flight, he attacked hostile machines, one of which was driven down in a spinning nose dive and another turning over on its side went down completely out of control. This officer has driven down four machines completely out of control, and forced many others down.^[10]

Appointed to the acting rank of flight commander, Casey died in a flying accident during a test flight on 11 August 1917.^[1][11] He is buried in Adinkerke Military Cemetery in De Panne, West Flanders, Belgium.^[3]

• Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell F. & Alegi, Gregory (1997). Above the War Fronts: The British Two-seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, the British Two-seater Fighter Observer Aces, and the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter Aces, 1914–1918. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-1-898697-56-5.