Captain Reginald Pixley RFC

[Jerrymurland]

Can anyone assist with a Gazette look up for Captain Reginald Pixley. Shot down and killed June 4th 1917. I have been told he was awarded the MC at some stage but I have no further detail or his squadron. Any help much appreciated.

Jerry

[Stebie9173]

You might have mentioned his full name...

Name: PIXLEY, REGINALD GEORGE HEWETT

Initials: R G H

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Captain

Regiment/Service: Royal Flying Corps

Unit Text: 54th Sqdn.

Secondary Regiment: Royal Field Artillery

Secondary Unit Text: and

Age: 24

Date of Death: 04/06/1917

Awards: MC

Additional information: Son of Maj. Stewart Aikin Pixley, O.B.E., V.D., and Patricia Hindle Pixley, of Maybury Knowle, Woking, Surrey.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: II. C. 1.

Cemetery: PROSPECT HILL CEMETERY, GOUY

Medal card of Pixley, Reginald George Hewett

Corps Regiment No Rank

Royal Artillery attached Royal Flying Corps Captain

London Gazette 26-7-1917

2nd Lt. (temp. Capt,) Reginald George Hewett Pixley, R.F.A. and R.F.C.

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion toduty. He attacked a hostile balloon with three other pilots, and, remaining after they had left, finally sent it down in flames. He has assisted in bringing down several hostile machines, and has done good work throughout.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

Commission:

LG 20-10-1914

ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY.

7th London Brigade; the undermentioned to be Second Lieutenants: —

Reginald George Hewett Pixley. Dated 27th September, 1914.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

LG 10-5-1915

ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY .

7th London Brigade; the undermentioned Second Lieutenants to be temporary Lieutenants: —

Reginald G. H. Pixley. Dated 22nd April, 1915.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

LG 13-10-1915

ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY.

London Brigade.

The undermentioned Lieutenants to be temporary Captains: —

Reginald G. H. Pixley. Dated 8th September, 1915.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

{Judging by the others mentioned on the list still with 7th London Brigade}

LG 2-11-1916

ROYAL FLYING CORPS.

Mil. Wing.—The undermentioned appts. are made: —

Flying Officers.—

2nd Lt. (temp. Capt.) R. G. H. Pixley, Lond. Brig., R.F.A., T.F. 15th Oct. 1916.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

LG 7-11-1916

ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY.

London Brigade —2nd Lt. (temp. Capt.) R. G. H. Pixley is seconded for duty with the R.F.C. 15th Oct. 1916.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

LG 8-6-1917

War Office,

8th June, 1917.

TERRITORIAL FORCE.

ROYAL HORSE AND ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY,

The undermentioned to be Lts. 1st June 1916, except where otherwise stated: —

2nd Lt. (temp. Capt.) R. G. H. Pixley to retain temp, rank of Capt., and to remain seconded.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

LG 21-9-1917

War Office,

21st September, 1917.

TERRITORIAL FORCE.

ROYAL HORSE AND ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY.

Lt. (temp. Capt.) R. G. H. Pixley, M.C., relinquishes the temp, rank of Capt. on alteration in posting, and remains seconded. 22nd Sept. 1917.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

From the Times 31-7-1917

Steve.

[Dolphin]

Jerry

Capt R G H Pixley of No 54 Sqn RFC was killed in action while flying Sopwith Pup B2151 on 4 June 1917. He had left Flez aerodrome at 0500 as part of the escort to a formation of FE 2s on an information gathering mission, and was seen in combat with enemy aircraft over Le Catelet. He was shot down over Auben-en-Bois at 0710; a victory was credited to Ltn Werner Voss of Jasta 5 - the 32nd of Voss's eventual 48.

I hope that this helps.

Gareth

[Stebie9173]

It is likely that the MC refers to the balloon kill mentioned here (especially as four pilots shared the kill):

http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/hudson2.php

He flew Sopwith Pup B2151 for at least some of his career (as already mentioned by Gareth!):

http://www.theaerodrome.com/aircraft/seria...ws_serials=9474

Steve.

[Jerrymurland]

Steve, Gareth - what can I say? Thanks a bunch. Actually Steve I'm recommending you for an immediate award of the MC for conspicuous devotion to sustained interrogation of the Gazette. The citation reads:

On many separate occasions he doggedly interrogated the Gazette with great success after others had repeatedly failed and produced little forward progress. His cheery disposition while undertaking the most difficult of tasks has raised morale and enabled others to carry on in an attempt to raise their own abilities when under fire from the Gazette.

Congratulations.

Jerry

[Dolphin]

Jerry

Capt R G H Pixley was flying Pup A668 on 5 April 1917 when he shared in the destruction of the balloon with Lt M D G Scott in A636, 2Lt R M Charley in A672, Capt R Oxspring MC in A673 and Capt F N Hudson MC in A6166.

On 10 May 1917, Capt Pixley was flying A668 when he was was involved in a fight which saw an enemy two-seater crash. He came under enemy ground while crossing the lines and the port wing of A668 buckled up at 50 feet before the aircraft crashed into a shell hole.

Regards

Gareth

[Clive Temple]

From Wings of War

 

Capt Pixley, R.G.H. (Reginald George Hewett), 54 Squadron, RFC. Killed in aerial combat over Gouy aged 24.

Captain Reginald George Hewett Pixley MC (Royal Field Artillery attached Royal Flying Corps) is killed in action at age 24 when his Sopwith Pup is shot down by Werner Voss south east of Douai. In 1911 he represented a combined English Schools rifle team in Canada having been the Captain of the Shooting VIII at Eton. His grave where the Germans buried Pixley will be discovered in 1919 by a friend who had known him since childhood and who had gone to France, at the behest of the Pixley family, with the express purpose of establishing his fate. His grave is in the garden of a house in Guoy and has been carefully tended by the French lady who owned the property.

[topgun1918]

He fell a long way (40+ Km) south-east of Douai.  The RFC casualty report read 'force landed about Sheet 57b.S.28 [this is a point east of Vendhuile] after attack by patrol of H.A. on escort to FEs; Werner Voss' claim was was located at Aubencheul-aux-Bois, a short way (5 Km) north-east of Vendhuile.  He was later re-interred in Prospect Hill Cemetery, less than 5 Km south-east of where he fell.

Graeme