Lives of the First World War

Captain William Avery Bishop VC CB DSO & Bar MC DFC ED. Billy Bishop was born in Ontario, Canada and, on the outbreak of the First World War, served initially with Canadian cavalry regiments. He travelled to England with the 7th Canadian Mounted Rifles on board the CALEDONIA in June 1915. After a month in the trenches on the Western Front, Bishop transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as an observer. He was accepted for pilot training the following year and in March 1917 joined No. 60 Squadron RFC on the Western Front, where his success in shooting down enemy aircraft soon gained recognition. After winning the VC Bishop served in various capacities, culminating in the command of No 85 Squadron from April 1918. By the end of the war, Bishop claimed 72 kills. During the Second World War, Bishop, by now an Honorary Air Marshal, was in charge of recruitment and training for the Royal Canadian Air Force. He died in 1956