William Avery "Billy" Bishop Timeline Date DMY Event 8- 2-94 William Avery Bishop, third son of the Registrar of Grey County, is born in Owen Sound. Right from the start "Billy" Bishop is a rebel, flouting the rules and authority and always involved in a fight. Although he develops an early talent for shooting, horse-riding and other outdoor pursuits, his academic record is appalling. His head teacher reports to his parents, " The only thing your son is good at is fighting." 11-11 Bishop is accepted into Canada's Royal Military College as a cadet. But he continues to defy authority and fail exams, so much so that he is threatened with expulsion. 28- 6-14 Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to throne of Austria-Hungary, assassinated at Sarajevo, Bosnia. 4- 8-14 Great Britain at war with Germany 12- 8-14 Great Britain at war with Austria-Hungary. 19- 8-14 Canadian Parliament authorizes raising expeditionary force. 30- 9-14 Bishop commissioned, appointed Lieut. 9th Mississauga Horse 1-10-14 9th Mississauga embarks for England. Bishop is in a hospital, suffering from pneumonia. 14-10-14 Canadian Expeditionary Force of 32,000 men lands at Plymouth. 22- 4-15 Second Battle of Ypres. Poison gas first used by Germans in attack on Canadians. 9- 6-15 Bishop left Canada, 7th C.M.R., Lieutenant on the cattleship, "Caledonia". 2- 9-15 Bishop Assigned/Posted to No. 21 (Training) Sqn 3- 9-15 Bishop Trans. to Base Details, 2nd Div. Cav. 15-10-15 Great Britain declares war on Bulgaria. 18- 1-16 Bishop T.O.S. General List, France on arrival in France & remains attd. to RFC 11- 5-16 Bishop S.O.S. General List, France on being admitted to Hosp. in England for knee injury. 1-10-16 Bishop reports to Braesenose College, Oxford for initial ground training for pilot training. 1-11-16 Bishop sent to another school for elementary training in the air. 15-11-16 Bishop TO BE FLYING OFFICER (OBSERVER) 15-11-16 Bishop Seniority from 18-1-16 SECONDED FOR DUTY WITH RFC 8-12-16 Bishop TO BE FLYING OFFICER RFC MIL. WING 8-12-16 Bishop Assigned/Posted to No. 37 (Home Defense) Sqn near mouth of the Thames. 4- 3-17 Germans begin withdrawal along Hindenburg line from the Somme. 7- 3-17 Bishop Arrived in Boulogne, France for duty with RFC & attached 60th Sqdn. 7- 3-17 Bishop Assigned/Posted to No. 60 Sqn. 9- 3-17 Bishop finishes riding train to squadron. 14- 3-17 Bishop's first patrol with 60 Sqn. 24- 3-17 Bishop crashes while landing. 25- 3-17 V: Albatros (first confirmed victory). 6pm: starts work on engine. 7:30: gives up. 9pm: Starts raining. 26- 3-17 Attempts to taxi; propeller breaks. 3pm: Rescue party arrives. 27- 3-17 Finishes disassembling plane in afternoon. 7pm: begins return journey. 28 -3-17 6:30am: Arrives at aerodrome. Patrol leader today. 29 -3-17 Patrol leader. Several fights. 1 plane crashes, 1 lands but pilot dies. 31- 3-17 V: Albatros (red). Escorts/protects photography machines. 5- 4-17 Looks for sausage-balloon, but it's not flying today. Afternoon: lone patrol. 6- 4-17 Drives down enemy machine. Practices on square ground-target for an hour. 7- 4-17 V: Albatros. Also destroys sausage-balloon. 8- 4-17 Bishop TO BE FLIGHT COMMANDER & TO BE TEMP. CAPT. WHILE SO EMPLOYED 8- 4-17 Bishop TO BE TEMP. CAPTAIN, CANADIAN GENERAL LIST 8- 4-17 Vs: Albatros, 2-Seater, 1-Seater (becomes Ace). Offensive patrol. Given the afternoon off. (Easter Sunday) 9- 4-17 (Easter Monday) Start of the Battle of Arras. 12- 4-17 Attacks a machine-gun nest. 13- 4-17 Vimy, Givenchy, Bailleul, and positions about Lens taken by Canadians. 20- 4-17 V: Aviatik 2-Seater (in flames). Machine now called the "Blue Nose". 22- 4-17 Vs: 2 Albatroses 23- 4-17 Vs: 2-Seater, Albatros 25- 4-17 Bishop promoted to Captain and given command of C Flight. 29- 4-17 V: Albatros 30- 4-17 Vs: 2 2-Seaters 2- 5-17 Vs: 2 2-Seaters 4- 5-17 V: 2-seater 7- 5-17 Vs: Albatros (green and red), Albatros (red) 7- 5-17 Bishop returns to England for leave. 22- 5-17 Bishop returns from leave. 26- 5-17 Bishop Awarded Military Cross (M.C.). 27- 5-17 V: Albatros 27- 5-17 V: Aviatik 2-Seater (red and yellow) 31- 5-17 V: Albatros 2- 6-17 Vs: 3 Albatroses 8- 6-17 V: Albatros (red) 18- 6-17 Bishop Awarded D.S.O. 24- 6-17 V: Albatros 25- 6-17 V: Albatros 26- 6-17 Vs: 2 Albatroses 28- 6-17 V: Albatros 6- 7-17 Canadian House of Commons passes Compulsory Military Service Bill. 10- 7-17 V: Albatros (bright green) 12- 7-17 V: Albatros (green and yellow) 17- 7-17 Vs: 2 Albatroses 20- 7-17 V: Albatros 28- 7-17 Vs: 2 Albatroses 28- 7-17 Last day Bishop flies a Nieuport 17 (31 Victories so far) 5- 8-17 Vs: 2 Albatroses 6- 8-17 V: Albatros 8- 8-17 Canadian Conscription Bill passes its third reading in Senate. 9- 8-17 V: 2-Seater 11- 8-17 Bishop Awarded V.C. 13- 8-17 V: Albatros (silver), Albatros 15- 8-17 V: Albatros 15- 8-17 Canadian troops capture Hill 70, dominating Lens. 16- 8-17 V: Aviatik 2-Seater, Albatros (total 47 Victories in 60 Sqn) 28- 8-17 Bishop TO BE CHIEF INSTRUCTOR, SCHOOL OF AERIAL GUNNERY & TO BE TEMP. MAJOR WHILST SO EMPLOYED GRADED AS SQDN. COMMANDER from FLIGHT COMDR. 1- 9-17 Bishop Trans. to Home Estab. RFC & posted to C.C.R.D. 25- 9-17 Bishop Awarded Bar to D.S.O. 6-11-17 Passchendale captured by Canadians. 17-12-17 Coalition government of Sir Robert Borden is returned and conscription confirmed in Canada. 25-12-17 (Christmas Day) 13- 3-18 Bishop TO BE SQDN. COMDR. FROM A CHIEF INSTR. (GRADED AS A SQDN. COMDR.) SCHOOLS OF AERIAL GUNNERY, AND TO RETAIN HIS TEMP. RANK WHILST SO EMPLOYED. 22- 5-18 Bishop Assigned/Posted to No. 85 Sqn 22- 5-18 Baron von Richtofen, ranking German flier, killed. 27- 5-18 V: 2-Seater 28- 5-18 Vs: 2 Albatroses 30- 5-18 Vs: 2-Seater, 2 Albatroses 31- 5-18 Vs: 2 Pfalzes 1- 6-18 V: Pfalz (black) 2- 6-18 V: Pfalz (black, white tail) 4- 6-18 Vs: 2 Albatroses 15- 6-18 V: Pfalz 16- 6-18 Vs: 2 Pfalzes 17- 7-18 Vs: 2 2-Seaters, Albatros 18- 7-18 Vs: 2 Albatroses (natural wood fuselages) 19- 7-18 Vs: 4 Pfalzes, 2-Seater (total 72 Victories, 25 in 85 Sqn) 3- 8-18 Bishop Awarded D.F.C. 5- 8-18 Bishop with seniority from 28-8-17 CEASES TO BE SECONDED FOR DUTY WITH RAF 5- 8-18 Bishop TO BE TEMP. LIEUT-COLONEL, CANADIAN CAVALRY 5- 8-18 Bishop APPOINTED G.S.O. 1st Grade, General Staff 5- 8-18 Bishop RELINQUISHES HIS COMMISSION IN RAF ON CEASING TO BE EMPLOYED 5- 8-18 Bishop Attached to H.Q., O.M.F. of C. (Gen. Staff) 15- 8-18 Canadians capture Damery and Parvillers, northwest of Roye. 3-10-18 Bishop Proceeded on duty to Canada 2-11-18 Bishop Awarded Croix de Guerre "with Palme" 2-11-18 Bishop Awarded Croix de Chevalier, Legion of Honor 10-11-18 Canadians take Monst in irresistable advance. 11-11-18 Germany surrenders; armistice takes effect at 11 A.M. 17-11-18 Bishop Returned from Canada 2-12-18 Bishop RELINQUISHES APPT. G.S.O. 1st Grade 3-12-18 Bishop T.O.S., NO. 2 D.D., Toronto 7-12-18 Bishop S.O.S., O.M.F. OF C., on transfer to C.E.F. in Canada, upon cessation of hostilities 31-12-18 Bishop S.O.S., C.E.F. in Canada, on General Demobilization Shortly after Bishop's arrival in England the sight of an aeroplane moved him to transfer to the RFC as an observer. He went to France in January 1916 and continued as an observer in R.E.7s until May, When he returned to England to have a knee injury tended following an earlier crash-landing In France. He was sent home to Canada to convalesce, But returned to England that October for pilot training. The following month he moved to CFS at Upavon and, despite having no apparent aptitude for flying, was awarded his wings. After several postings in England Bishop arrived back in France in March 1917 to fly Nieuport scouts with 60 squadron, based at Filescamp. After an inauspicious start, during which he crash-landed, Bishop scored his first victory when, on March 25, 1917, he brought down an Albatros DIII. Bishop's career as a fighter pilot now took an upturn--- so much so that on April 25th he was promoted to Captain and took command of C Flight. By the end of the month he had at least 12 victories and was awarded the Military Cross. Bishop preferred to work alone. On June 2, 1917, flying his Nieuport, he paid an early morning visit to Estourmel. near Cambrai, where Albatros scouts were being prepared for flight. Bishop attacked the aircraft from about 200ft. and caused havoc, dispatching three aircraft on the ground and in the air as the German fighters took off to engage him. This one-man raid earned Bishop the Victoria cross and prompted Trenchard to describe the flight as " the greatest single show of the war." By the end of September 1917 Bishop had notched up 47 accredited victories and had added the DSO and a Bar to his VC and MC. He returned to Canada on leave and married Margaret Burden on October 17. On his return to England, he was promoted to Major and given command of 85 Squadron at Hounslow, equipped with Sopwith Dolphins. With a hand-picked team Bishop arrived at Petite Synthe in France in May 1918, re-equipped with the SE5a. There his personal score of victories mounted steadily, culminating in an extraordinary 15 minute action on June 19 when he polished off 4 Pfalz D III scouts and a two-seater. This amazing scrap took his total to a final tally of 72 confirmed victories. Shortly afterwards he received the Distinguished Flying Cross, for 25 victories in 12 days of combat. Returning to England in August, Bishop was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel. With the Armistace he was demobilized from the FAF and returned to Canada. in December 1918. Between the wars he was involved with private airlines and oil companies. With the coming of WWII has was made an Air Marshal and was director of Recruiting for the RCAF. After the war he returned to the oil business, retiring in 1952. He died peacefully in his sleep, at home, on September 11, 1956.