Edmund Tempest

Flight Lieutenant Edmund Roger Tempest MC, DFC (30 October 1894 – 17 December 1921) was a British First World War flying ace credited with 17 aerial victories.[1]

Edmund Roger Tempest
Born	30 October 1894 Ackworth, Yorkshire, England
Died	17 December 1921 (aged 27) Baghdad, Iraq
Buried	North Gate War Cemetery, Baghdad
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army Royal Air Force
Years of service	1914–1921
Rank	Flight Lieutenant
Unit	King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry No. 6 Squadron RFC No. 15 Squadron RFC No. 29 Squadron RFC No. 64 Squadron RFC/RAF No. 216 Squadron RAF
Battles/wars	World War I  • Western Front
Awards	Military Cross Distinguished Flying Cross

Early life and family background

Edmund Tempest was born at the family estate of Ackworth Grange, in Ackworth, Yorkshire, the son of Wilfrid Francis Tempest, a member of the notable recusant Tempest family, and his second wife Florence Helen O'Rourke. (Wilfrid had a total of 15 children from two marriages).[2][3][4] Tempest was educated at The Oratory School in Edgbaston. In 1912 he and his brother, Wulstan Joseph Tempest, moved to Perdue, Saskatchewan, to farm, but returned to England to enlist on the outbreak of the war.[5]

World War I

Tempest was commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant on 30 November 1914,[6] to serve in the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. On 18 August 1915 he was granted Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificate No. 1604 after soloing a Maurice Farman biplane at the Military School in Birmingham,[7] and on 3 November he was appointed a flying officer in the Royal Flying Corps, transferred to the General List.[8]

He served in No. 6, No. 15, and No. 29 Squadrons,[1] receiving promotion to lieutenant on 1 April 1916.[9] He was posted to No. 64 Squadron in July 1917,[1] being appointed a flight commander with the acting rank of captain on the 30th.[10]

Tempest gained his first aerial victory on 30 November 1917 flying an Airco DH.5 single-seat fighter, by driving down out of control an Albatros D.V. His squadron was re-equipped with the S.E.5a fighter in early 1918, and Tempest shot down five enemy aircraft in March. On 1 April 1918, the Royal Flying Corps was merged with the Royal Naval Air Service to form the Royal Air Force, and his unit became No. 64 Squadron RAF. Tempest destroyed two more aircraft that month, then two more in May, also being awarded the Military Cross on the 13th. He accounted for one enemy aircraft in June, and another in July, and finally five in August, before being posted back to England, where on 2 November he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.[1]

Of his brothers, Major Wilfred Norman Tempest, 2nd Battalion (attached 9th Battalion), King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, was killed in action on 26 September 1916, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial,[11] while Major Wulstan Joseph Tempest also served in the KOYLI and Royal Flying Corps, shooting down Zeppelin L.31 over Potters Bar on 1 October 1916 while serving in No. 39 (Home Defence) Squadron. He was subsequently awarded the Military Cross and the Distinguished Service Order.[12][13]

List of aerial victories

Combat record[1]

No.	Date/Time	Aircraft/ Serial No.	Opponent	Result	Location	Notes
1	30 November 1917 @ 1520	D.H.5 (A9507)	Albatros D.V	Out of control	North-west of Bourlon Wood
2	8 March 1918 @ 1230	S.E.5a	Albatros D.V	Destroyed	Graincourt
3	17 March 1918 @ 1130--1135	S.E.5a	Pfalz D.III	Destroyed	Douai
4			Pfalz D.III	Out of control	Biache	Shared with Lieutenants J. F. T. Barrett & Charles Bissonette, and Second Lieutenants C. B. Stringer & K. G. P. Hendrie.
5	18 March 1918 @ 1235	S.E.5a	Albatros D.V	Out of control	Cambrai
6	22 March 1918 @ 1745	S.E.5a (C5392)	Pfalz D.III	Destroyed	Pronville
7	2 April 1918 @ 1835	S.E.5a (B74)	Albatros D.V	Destroyed in flames	Ervillers
8	23 April 1918 @ 1835	S.E.5a (B74)	Albatros D.V	Destroyed	Boiry-Notre-Dame
9	3 May 1918 @ 1645	S.E.5a (B74)	Pfalz D.III	Destroyed	Vitry-en-Artois
10	31 May 1918 @ 0625	S.E.5a (C1860)	Albatros D.V	Destroyed	North-west of Steenwerck
11	12 June 1918 @ 1230	S.E.5a (B74)	Albatros C	Destroyed in flames	Festubert
12	20 July 1918 @ 0925	S.E.5a	Rumpler C	Destroyed	Drocourt	Shared with Captain Philip Burge and Lieutenant W. R. Henderson.
13	10 August 1918 @ 0840	S.E.5a (B74)	Fokker D.VII	Destroyed	Roye
14	11 August 1918 @ 0815	S.E.5a (B74)	Fokker D.VII	Out of control	Roye	Shared with Captains T. St. P. Bunbury, A. F. Buck, & Charles Cudemore, and Lieutenants Thomas Rose & G. L. Wood.
15	11 August 1918 @ 1515	S.E.5a (B74)	Fokker D.VII	Destroyed	Roye
16	12 August 1918 @ 0715	S.E.5a	Fokker D.VII	Destroyed	Chaulnes
17	14 August 1918 @ 0910	S.E.5a	Type C	Out of control	North of Roye	Shared with Lieutenants Thomas Rose & G. L. Wood.

Post-war career and death

Tempest remained in the RAF after the war, being granted a permanent commission with the rank of captain on 1 August 1919.[14] He was serving as a flight lieutenant in No. 216 Squadron RAF, when on 17 December 1921 his Airco DH.10 crashed on take off at an aerodrome in West Baghdad. He died as a result of his injuries and is buried in North Gate War Cemetery, Baghdad.[15][16]

Honours and awards

Military Cross

Temporary Captain Edmund Roger Tempest, General List and Royal Flying Corps.

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He attacked a formation of seven enemy machines, firing on one from a distance of a few feet and destroying it. On another occasion with his patrol he engaged thirteen enemy machines. Though both his guns were out of action, he continued fighting for fifteen minutes in order to enable the rest of his patrol to keep up the fight. Having driven off the enemy, he brought his patrol back safely. He showed splendid courage and initiative."[17]

Distinguished Flying Cross

Captain Edmund Roger Tempest, MC.

"Since March last this officer has destroyed nine enemy machines. A daring and most capable officer, who never hesitates to engage the enemy. By brilliant leadership he achieves success with the minimum of loss.[18]

References

1. "Edmund Roger Tempest". The Aerodrome. 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
2. von Massenbach, Camilla (2007). "Flt. Lt Edmund Roger Tempest". genealogy.links.org. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
3. Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1929). Armorial Families : A Directory of Gentlemen of Coat-armour. II (7th ed.). London: Hurst & Blackett. p. 1908. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
4. "Ackworth Grange, Ackworth". British Listed Buildings. 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
5. "Wilfrid Francis Tempest of Ackworth Grange: Tempests of Broughton-in-Craven and Coleby, Co. Lincoln". docs.exdat.com. 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
6. "No. 29011". The London Gazette. 18 December 1914. p. 10822.
7. "Aviators' Certificates". Flight. VII (348): 630. 27 August 1915. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
8. "No. 29368". The London Gazette. 16 November 1915. pp. 11326–11327.
9. "No. 29579". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 May 1916. p. 4812.
10. "No. 30245". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 August 1917. p. 8652.
11. "Yorkshire - East Hardwick". Roll of Honour. 2005. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
12. "Et Cietera". The Tablet. 128 (3989): 24. 21 October 1916. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
13. "Zeppelin brought down over Potters Bar". Brookmans Park Newsletter. May 2003. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
14. "No. 31486". The London Gazette. 1 August 1919. p. 9867.
15. Cawsey, Richard (2016). "Fatal accidents to British aircraft overseas November 1918 – December 1929". rcawsey.co.uk. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
16. Barrass, M. B. (2015). "Casualties 1921". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 28 February 2016.
17. "No. 30681". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 May 1918. pp. 5703–5704.
18. "No. 30989". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 November 1918. p. 12974.