William Strugnell

William Victor Strugnell
William Victor Strugnell
Nickname(s)	Struggy
Born	23 July 1892; Southampton, England
Died	1977 (aged 84–85); Dorset, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army; Royal Air Force
Years of service	c.1907–1945
Rank	Group captain
Unit	Royal Engineers; Hampshire Regiment; No. 3 Squadron RFC; No. 5 Squadron RFC; No. 1 Squadron RFC; No. 43 Squadron RFC; No. 54 Squadron RFC;
Commands	No. 9 Squadron RAF; No. 1 Armoured Car Company RAF; RAF Manston;
Battles/wars	World War I; • Western Front; World War II
Awards	Military Cross & Bar

Group Captain William Victor Strugnell MC & Bar (23 July 1892 – 1977) was a British First World War flying ace credited with six aerial victories.^[1] He went on to a long career in the Royal Air Force, and serving throughout the Second World War.

Early military service

Strugnell's father was a sergeant major. At the age of 15, Strugnell joined the Royal Engineers as a bugler. He then transferred to the Hampshire Regiment as a sapper, before being seconded to the Royal Flying Corps soon after its formation on 13 April 1912, serving as an Air Mechanic in No. 3 Squadron RFC from 13 May.^[2] Strugnell trained as a pilot, and was granted Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificate No. 253 on 24 July 1912, after a soloing a Bristol biplane at the Army School on Salisbury Plain,^[3] being the third non-commissioned officer in the British military to receive a pilot's license.^[4] He later served in No. 5 Squadron RFC.^[4]

World War I

On 27 June 1915 Strugnell, then a sergeant, was appointed a flying officer^[5] and commissioned as a second lieutenant for service in the field.^[6] He was posted to No. 1 Squadron RFC, and on 5 February 1916, piloted a Morane-Saulnier L that drove down an Aviatik C.I reconnaissance aircraft for his first victory.^[1]^[7] Soon after, on 12 February 1916, he was appointed a flight commander with the acting rank of captain.^[8]

Strugnell served as a flight commander in No. 43 Squadron RFC, from its formation at Stirling on 15 April 1916.^[9] On 3 June 1916 he was awarded the Military Cross "for Distinguished Service in the Field".^[10]

Strugnell spent some time on instruction duty before returning to action flying a Sopwith Pup in No. 54 Squadron RFC as flight commander of "A" Flight.^[7] On 19 March 1917, he shared in the setting on fire of a German reconnaissance aircraft. On 14 April and 1 May, he sent another reconnaissance aircraft and an Albatros D.III down out of control. On 11 May 1917, he shared in the destruction of another reconnaissance aircraft, and soon after single-handedly destroyed an Albatros D.III.^[1]

On 24 July 1917 his award of a Bar to his Military Cross was gazetted. His citation read:

Lieutenant (temporary Captain) William Victor Strugnell, MC, Hampshire Regiment and Royal Flying Corps.

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. While leading an offensive patrol he attacked and brought down a hostile machine. Later, in the same patrol, he brought down a second machine. In all he has accounted for five machines and a kite balloon."^[11]

On 1 September 1917 Strugnell was appointed a squadron commander with the acting rank of major.^[12]

List of aerial victories

Combat record^[1]
No.	Date/Time	Aircraft/ Serial No.	Opponent	Result	Location	Notes
No. 1 Squadron RFC
1	5 February 1916 @c. 1120	Morane-Saulnier L (5068)	Aviatik C.I	Out of control	South-east of Armentières
No. 54 Squadron RFC
2	19 March 1917 @ 0745	Sopwith Pup	Type C (reconnaissance aircraft)	Destroyed in flames	Roisel	Shared with Lieutenant E. J. Y. Grevelink
3	14 April 1917 @ 0815	Sopwith Pup (A7306)	Type C	Out of control	Buissy–Inchy
4	1 May 1917 @ 0710	Sopwith Pup (A7306)	Albatros D.III	Out of control	East of St. Quentin
5	11 May 1917 @ 1840	Sopwith Pup (A6168)	Type C	Destroyed	Walincourt	Shared with Major C. E. Sutcliffe, and Lieutenants Maurice Scott, Oliver Sutton, E. J. Y. Grevelink & M. B. Cole.
6	11 May 1917 @ 1910	Sopwith Pup (A6168)	Albatros D.III	Destroyed	Beaurevoir

Inter-war career

On 1 August 1919 Strugnell was granted a permanent commission in the RAF with the rank of major (squadron leader).^[13] He was posted to No. 1 Flying Training School (Inland Area), before being briefly attached the School of Military Administration at Chiseldon from 23 September^[14] to 1 November 1921, after which he was assigned to the RAF Depot (Inland Area) as a supernumerary officer.^[15]

On 14 September 1922 he was posted to the RAF Aircraft Depot in Iraq,^[16] transferring to the Engine Repair Depot, Egypt, on 18 October 1924,^[17] before eventually returning to the UK when posted to the RAF Depot, Uxbridge, on his transfer to the Home Establishment on 9 May 1926.^[18] From 1 September 1926 Strugnell served at the headquarters of No. 21 (Training) Group at RAF West Drayton.^[19]

On 1 July 1928 he was promoted to wing commander,^[20] and on 1 September was appointed Officer Commanding of No. 9 Squadron, based at RAF Manston,^[21] forming part of No. 51 (Night Bomber) Wing. In August 1930 the Vickers Virginia bombers of No. 51 Wing formed part of the "Blue" forces in the annual RAF Exercises.^[22] On 10 January 1931 Strugnell was posted to the Home Aircraft Depot at RAF Henlow for administrative duties.^[23]

He was promoted to group captain on 3 July 1934,^[24] returning to the Middle East to serve as commander of No. 1 Armoured Car Company at RAF Hinaidi, Iraq, until 19 February 1935.^[25] He then commanded the Reception Depot at West Drayton from 3 April 1935,^[26] and was station commander of RAF Manston from 10 August 1935.^[27]

World War II service

Strugnell served throughout the Second World War. He was a station commander in Algeria in 1943,^[28] and received a mention in despatches on 8 June 1944.^[29] He retired from the RAF on 7 June 1945,^[30] only a month after the end of the war on Europe.

On 12 February 1951, he was commissioned as a flight lieutenant (Class J) in the Royal Air Force Reserve of Officers,^[31] relinquishing his commission exactly eight years later on 12 February 1959.^[32]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "William Victor Strugnell". The Aerodrome. 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ Yoxall, John (17 March 1949). "No. 3 Fighter Squadron: The Story of our Oldest "Heavier-than-Air" Unit and its Antecedents". Flight. LV (2099): 316. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ "Aviators' Certificates". Flight. IV (187): 667. 27 July 1912. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ ^a ^b Franks (2005), p. 20.
^ "No. 29273". The London Gazette. 24 August 1915. p. 8396.
^ "No. 29250". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 August 1915. p. 7649.
^ ^a ^b Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 354.
^ "No. 29511". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 March 1916. p. 2916.
^ Robertson, F.A. de V. (19 September 1930). "No. 43 (Fighter) Squadron". Flight. XXII (1134): 1042–1047. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ "No. 29608". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 1916. p. 5577.
^ "No. 30204". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 July 1917. p. 7621.
^ "No. 30262". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 August 1917. p. 9088.
^ "No. 31486". The London Gazette. 1 August 1919. p. 9866.
^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XIII (662): 558. 1 September 1921. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XIII (673): 770. 17 November 1921. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XIV (720): 598. 12 October 1922. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XVI (829): 725. 13 November 1924. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XVIII (911): 339. 10 June 1926. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XVIII (923): 557. 2 September 1926. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ "No. 33400". The London Gazette. 3 June 1928. p. 4501.
^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XX (1030): 827. 20 September 1928. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ Robertson, F. A. De V. (15 August 1930). "R.A.F. Exercises: Blue Andover versus Red Cranwell". Flight. XXII (1129): 993. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XXIII (1155): 151. 13 February 1931. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ "No. 34066". The London Gazette. 3 July 1934. p. 4233.
^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XXVII (1370): 335. 28 March 1935. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XXVII (1374): 448. 25 April 1935. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XXVIII (1392): 233. 29 August 1935. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ "Service Aviation". Flight. XLIV (1803): 79. 15 July 1943. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
^ "No. 36544". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 1944. p. 2613.
^ "No. 37280". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 September 1945. p. 4743.
^ "No. 39182". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 March 1951. p. 1624.
^ "No. 41699". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 May 1959. p. 2930.

Bibliography

Shores, Christopher F.; Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell F. (1990). Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.
Franks, Norman (2005). Sopwith Pup Aces of World War I. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-886-1.