Walbanke Ashby Pritt

Background

Pritt was born and grew up in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, the son of Walter Charles Ashby Pritt, a cotton factor (commission merchant), and his wife Marguerite Bianca Selina Pritt.

Education

His army records indicate that he attended Street Peter"s School in York from September 1909 to February 1916.

Career

He passed the entrance exams for Sandhurst in February 1916, but was rejected for officer training as being too small. After being rejected by Sandhurst he opted to try flying. On 16 September 1916 Pritt passed his Royal Aeronautical Club flying test and was awarded Aviators" Certificate Number.

3564, after soloing a Caudron at the Wallisdown School in Bournemouth, and was then accepted by the Royal Flying Corps for flying training as a cadet.

He underwent training at the Cadet School at Denham and Number. 2 School of Military Aeronautics at Oxford.

Commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant (on probation) on the General List for service on the Reconstruction Finance Corporation on 4 March 1917. he was then posted to Number. 41 Reserve Squadron and Number.

15 Reserve Squadron where he gained his Reconstruction Finance Corporation wings, and was appointed a flying officer on 2 June 1917.

He was then posted to Number. 40 Reserve Squadron, and on 4 July 1917 was sent to France where he joined Number. 66 Squadron. During the five-month period, 4 July to 14 November 1917, while flying Sopwith Pups with Number.

66 Squadron Pritt became an ace, officially credited with five aircraft destroyed.

There is evidence of a possible sixth victory. His citation read:

Temporary Second Lieutenant Walbanke Ashby Pritt, General List and Royal Flying Corps.

"Foreign conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in attacking a hostile aerodrome with exceptional dash and determination. Having reached his objective and dropped bombs from a very low altitude, he then attacked and destroyed two hostile machines almost as soon as they had left the ground.

A machine-gun then opened upon him from the aerodrome, which he immediately attacked.

Both on his outward and homeward journey he was under very heavy machine-gun and anti-aircraft fire. On another occasion he attacked a motor-car, and shot one of the occupants from about 50 feet, afterwards attacking infantry on the march and inflicting severe casualties upon them. He has at all times shown constant gallantry and fine offensive spirit."

On 15 February 1918 Pritt was injured while flying Sopwith Camel (B7332) of Number.

44 Squadron.

He had an engine failure at 500 feet over Hainault Farm, flying downwind he stalled and spun in. On 19 April 1920 Pritt was granted a Short Service Commission in the Royal Air Force with the rank of flying officer In August 1920, he failed the Royal Air Force Flight Instructor Course at the Central Flying School.

The accompanying note states "did not take exams, absent sick, CFS cat B, graded unsuitable as instructor at present".

He resigned his commission on 8 December 1920, but was denied permission to retain his rank because of "unsatisfactory dealings with cheques". On 15 April 1921 Pritt was commissioned as a temporary lieutenant in the 5th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, part of the Territorial Army.

Pritt was married in 1925. Records indicate Pritt was a commercial artist and poultry farmer until his death on 27 January 1928 at the age of 30 in an automobile accident near Bagby in North Yorkshire.

Achievements

• He was also awarded the Military Cross on 26 September 1917.