Henry Crowe
| Henry George Crowe | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Hal |
| Born |
11 June 1897 Donnybrook, Dublin, Ireland |
| Died | 26 April 1983 (aged 85) Thornton-le-Dale, North Yorkshire |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | British Army Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1915–1946 |
| Rank | Air Commodore |
| Unit |
Royal Irish Regiment No. 20 Squadron RAF No. 106 Squadron RAF No. 2 Squadron RAF No. 39 Squadron RAF No. 14 Squadron RAF |
| Commands held |
No. 23 Squadron RAF No. 74 Squadron RAF No. 223 (Composite) Group |
| Awards |
Order of the British Empire Military Cross Order of the Cloud and Banner with Special Cravat (China) |
Air Commodore Henry George Crowe CBE, MC (11 June 1897 – 26 April 1983) was a World War I flying ace credited with eight confirmed aerial victories. He also survived being shot down six times in 11 days at one point. His career in the Royal Air Force took him through World War II, during which he ascended to air commodore.
Crowe became interested in aviation early on, serving as secretary of the school aviation club at St. Helen's School. Although he was born in Ireland, he was educated in England, at Colwyn Bay and at Cheltenham School in 1911. He returned to Ireland in 1913 for further schooling, attending Trinity College, Dublin as an engineering student. While there, he joined the Officers Training Corps.
Henry George Crowe entered the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, as a Gentleman Cadet in November 1915. He graduated from Sandhurst and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Royal Irish Regiment on 19 July 1916. Crowe joined the Royal Irish at Kemmel.
On 5 September 1917, he was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps as an Observer. He applied for pilot's training at this time, but was refused because of a shortage of observers. He was assigned to 20 Squadron in November, and underwent training beginning 28 November 1917.
On 23 January 1918, he was officially assigned to 20 Squadron as a Flying Officer Observer, although he had already jumped the gun and scored his first three victories by then. On 1 April 1918, he was shot down by antiaircraft fire, in a crash that totally destroyed his Bristol F.2 Fighter, but escaped unharmed. On 12 April 1918, he and Douglas Graham Cooke returned from a special mission with their Bristol F.2 Fighter bullet riddled; again, he was unhurt. He was also awarded the Military Cross in April 1918. By 8 May 1918, he had scored five more, and been shot down three times. Manning the guns for Thomas Colville-Jones, Douglas Graham Cooke, or Ernest Lindup, Crowe had destroyed four German planes and driven down four more out of control. He left 20 Squadron having been shot down six times in 11 days, but remained unscathed. By August 1918, he was undergoing pilots training.
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