Charles Lupton

Charles Roger Lupton
Born	27 January 1898 Potternewton, Yorkshire, England
Died	9 May 1918
Vignacourt British Cemetery	Somme, France
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Flying service
Rank	Captain
Unit	No. 205 Squadron RAF
Awards	Distinguished Flying Cross

Captain Charles Roger Lupton was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.^[1] Charles Roger was the only surviving son of Charles Lupton OBE JP DL (O.R., 1869-74), Lord Mayor of Leeds 1915-16, solicitor and founder of law firm DLA Piper, Alderman of the City and of Katharine his wife, of Carr Head, Roundhay. Katherine was the fourth daughter of Thomas Ashton, DL of Ford Bank, Didsbury, Manchester, two of whose sons were Thomas Gair Ashton MP. who became Lord Ashton of Hyde (O.R, 1868-74), and Samuel Edgar Ashton (O.R. 1870-76).

Lupton entered Rugby in 1912 and left in July, 1916 before he was eighteen, to join the Royal Naval Air Service. After obtaining his full certificate, he served at home stations, and at Prawle Point in April 1917 he met with a serious accident which incapacitated him for two months, after which he returned to duty. He was sent to Dunkirk in August 1917 to take up work with a bombing Squadron, and while there received the Distinguished Service Cross with Observer Sub-Lieutenant W. L. Pattison (O.R.) and another Officer. The official record of the award was made on December 19th, 1917, is as follows "Flight Sub-Lieutenant C. R. Lupton, Royal Nayal Air Service. "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in a bombing raid on Thourout Railway Station and Varsennacre Aerodrome on October 25th. These Officers volunteered for the expedition in spite of extremely unfavourable weather conditions. They have all previously taken part in many bombing raids."

Flight Lieutenant Lupton was made an Acting Flight Commander in January, 1918, and, when the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps were combined to form the Royal Air Force in April, he was promoted Captain. In March his Squadron had been moved further south, and shortly afterwards he received a Bar to the Distinguished Service Cross.

He continued at this work until he was killed in action, by a collision with a French aeroplane, 4,000 feet up in the air, while returning from a raid over the German lines, on May 9th, 1918. He was 19 years old.

Lupton was buried at Vignacourt and is commemorated on the family grave in St John the Evangelist Churchyard, Roundhay, near Leeds. The Lupton family seat, Beechwood, was also in Roundhay.^[2][3]

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