Arthur Noss

Second lieutenant Arthur Rex Hurden Noss was a British World War I flying ace credited with nine aerial victories. He won a Military Cross as Keith Park's gunner, and was killed in a flying accident shortly thereafter.

Early life

Arthur Rex Hurden Noss was the sole child of Mr. and Mrs. A. A. Noss of Crouch End.^[1] His birth was registered in the first quarter of 1897 in Edmonton, Essex, indicating he was born in late 1896 or early 1897.^[2] He was educated at Herne Bay, winning eight athletic prizes in his final year.^[3]

World War I

Noss began his military service as a gunner (regimental number 625052) in the Honourable Artillery Company.^[4] He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps.

On 4 April 1917, Noss was commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant on probation.^[5] Noss was on the General List of the Royal Flying Corps when he was appointed as a Flying Officer (Observer) on 20 June 1917. His seniority date of appointment was set at 16 May 1917, indicating he began actual duties as an observer/gunner then.^[6]

Noss was assigned to 48 Squadron as an observer/gunner in two-seated fighters in March 1917.^[7] He scored his first aerial victory on 27 May 1917, and would score one more before pairing up with Keith Park. On 19 July, this aircrew suffered through a magneto failure and a crashlanding that injured Noss.^[8] On 2 August 1917, Flight magazine reported Noss had been wounded.^[9]

Noss and Park would go on to score seven victories in August 1917, with an outstanding performance on the 17th. That was the day that Park went to the rescue of a Sopwith Camel being attacked by three German Albatros D.IIIs. In the process of driving the three Germans away, Noss and Park were assailed by two more of the enemy. Noss fired at the attacking pair; when they overran his fighter, Park took his turn and shot them both down. At that point, another trio of Germans attacked; Noss spun one of them out with machine gun fire. Park chased after the falling German; still another three Germans attacked, but they also overran the British crew. Park then saw a second Sopwith Camel under attack from a German, and pumped 100 rounds of machine gun ammunition into the German from 50 yards range. The German spun out, for the British crew's fourth win of the day.^[10] They would win the Military Cross for this action; its award was announced 4 October 1917.^[11]

Second Lieutenant Arthur Rex Noss was injured in a crash on 15 September 1917, died that evening or the following day, and is buried in plot I. E. 1, Zuydcoote Military Cemetery, Nord, France.^[12][13]

On 4 October 1917, Flight reported that Noss had won the Military Cross^[14] and died of wounds.^[15]

Noss's Military Cross would not be gazetted until 9 January 1918:

"....During an engagement with several large hostile formations the two machines with which he was patrolling were put out of action. In spite, however, of being left alone he continued to attack, and engaged the enemy in so determined a manner that he and his pilot between them destroyed one and drove three others down completely out of control. He has performed several other fine feats and has at all times set a most inspiring example by his dash and tenacity.^[16][17]

List of aerial victories

See also Aerial victory standards of World War I

References

• Franks, Norman; Guest, Russell; Alegi, Gregory. 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: Volume 4 of Fighting Airmen of WWI Series: Volume 4 of Air aces of WWI. Grub Street, 1997. ISBN 1-898697-56-6, ISBN 978-1-898697-56-5.
• Guttman, Jon. Bristol F2 Fighter Aces of World War I: Volume 79 of Aircraft of the Aces: Volume 79 of Osprey Aircraft of the Aces. Osprey Publishing, 2007. ISBN 1-84603-201-6, ISBN 978-1-84603-201-1.

Endnotes