Background
Keith Muspratt was born in Bournemouth, Hampshire, the youngest of three sons of Charles Drummond Muspratt, Doctor of Medicine, (1859–1927), a surgeon, and his wife Mabel, the daughter of the Right Honourable Sir H. Knox.
Keith Muspratt was born in Bournemouth, Hampshire, the youngest of three sons of Charles Drummond Muspratt, Doctor of Medicine, (1859–1927), a surgeon, and his wife Mabel, the daughter of the Right Honourable Sir H. Knox.
Muspratt was educated at Wychwood School in Bournemouth, and in 1911, aged 14, was sent to Sherborne School, Dorset.
Early life and background There he was a school prefect, played football for his house, and was commissioned as a cadet officer in the Junior Division of the Officers" Training Corps. Muspratt began to learn to fly while still at school, mainly during the holidays, attending the Ruffy-Baumann School of Flying at Hendon Aerodrome from mid-1915. He was awarded his Royal Aeronautical Club Aviator"s Certificate (Number 2789) on 27 April 1916.
Military service Muspratt left school at the end of the 1916 summer term, and was commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant in the Dorsetshire Regiment for service in the Royal Flying Corps on 8 August 1916.
On 2 November he was appointed a flying officer Muspratt first served as a flying instructor and in a testing squadron, before joining Number.
56 Squadron in France in May 1917. During his service he was credited with eight aerial victories (one captured, four destroyed, and three (two shared) "out of control").
His first claim was flying Sopwith-built Southeast.5 Number.
A4861, against an Albatros Doctorate.III that he helped to force down out of control on 24 May 1917. He added a second out-of-control victory on the 28th, while flying Southeast.5 Number. A8913. On 17 July, he shared another out-of-control victory flying A8913.
He switched to Southeast.5 Number.
8944, and scored decisively three times in August. Then, on 23 September, he participated in one of the epic air battles of World War I when Werner Voss single-handedly fought patrols from Number.
60 Squadron, and "B" Flight of Number. 56 Squadron, included Muspratt.
During the battle, Voss damaged two Number.
60 squadron aircraft such that they withdrew from the fight. He also holed the radiator of Muspratt"s aircraft and riddled the wings of another 56 Squadron aircraft. Voss finally succumbed to bullets from Arthur Rhys Davids.
After his final victory, he was withdrawn from battle and assigned to Home Establishment to serve as a test pilot at Martlesham Heath.
Muspratt was promoted to lieutenant on 8 February 1918, and appointed a flight commander with the acting rank of captain on 11 February. He was killed in a flying accident in Suffolk on 16 March 1918, and is buried at Bournemouth Cemetery on Wimborne Road.