THE FINE EARLY GREAT WAR ROYAL FLYING CORPS GROUP TO A 5 SQUADRON FLIGHT COMMANDER WHO WHILST FLYING THE PROTOTYPE DH2 FIGHTER WAS KILLED IN ACTION ON 9 AUGUST 1915. CRASH LANDING BEHIND ENEMY LINES, THIS IMPORTANT NEW AIRCRAFT FELL INTO ENEMY HANDS. IN MAY 1915, HE HAD BEEN CREDITED WITH SHOOTING DOWN A GERMAN 2-SEATER ADDITIONALLY BEING MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES AFTER HIS DEATH

1914-15 STAR ‘CAPT. R. M. PIKE. R.F.C.’. BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS ‘CAPT. R. M. PIKE.’

Mentioned in Despatches 30 November 1915.

Robert Maxwell Pike was born at Kilnock House, Carlow, Ireland on 30 August 1886 and was educated at Harrow School. He joined the Royal Navy at Portsmouth in August 1902 and was commissioned Midshipman in March 1903, joining the cruiser Good Hope. However, despite being considered a promising officer he was declared medically unfit in December 1905 due to the onset of synovitis and in February 1907, he was invalided out of the Royal Navy. The outcome from the medical condition that cut short Pike's naval career, was the removal of a knee joint, a procedure that left him with a straight leg for life.

Pike returned to Ireland and during his time back there developed an interest in aviation and was probably involved with the work of his cousin John Rupert Lecky, who circa 1911-12 set about building a biplane along the lines of the Wright Flyer, which he attempted to fly and subsequently crash-landed in the field next to Ballykealey House. It was the first known attempt to fly a Wright Flyer plane in Ireland.

THE GREAT WAR

On the outbreak of the Great War in August 1914, Pike volunteered for service and was accepted into the Royal Flying Corps. Training at Brooklands, Surrey, taking Aero Certificate No. 905 on 21 September 1914, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on 1 October 1914. Joining 7 Squadron and then 16 Squadron, he was sent to France in April 1915 and was appointed to 5 Squadron based at St. Omer, the squadron operating with a mix of single seater scouts and 2-seater observation types such as the Martinsyde S1 and the Vickers FB5 ‘Gunbus’.

Pike was promoted to Lieutenant on 14 May 1915 and then to Temporary Captain and ‘B’ Flight Commander on 18 May 1915. His Commanding officers reporting:

“Pike did most excellent work and had a passion for bombing and photography, achieving excellent results by his pertinacity”.

On 25 May, Pike claimed shot down a German Aviatik two seater:

“2nd Lt R M Pike & 2nd Lt R V de Halpert, 5 Sqn, Aviatik C crashed ? Kerselaarhoek at 05:30 - Gerhard Nette (Kia) & Oblt Busso von Bulow (Kia), FA 12……………..

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Condition EF. Sold with copy service papers and other research. Also a Farming Society of Ireland Life Member's medal ‘Robt Lecky Esqr Member for Life’.

An extremely fine and somewhat important early war fighter pilots group.