SHOLTO DOUGLAS (A. W. BEAUCHAMP-PROCTOR COMBAT REPORT)

SHOLTO DOUGLAS (A. W. BEAUCHAMP-PROCTOR COMBAT REPORT)
SHOLTO DOUGLAS (1893 - 1969) Marshall of the R.A.F. After serving as a squadron commander during the First World War, he became Director of Staff Duties and then Assistant Chief of the Air Staff at the Air Ministry. During World War II, he served as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Fighter Command and Air Officer Commanding in Chief of RAF Middle East Command where he advocated Operation Accolade, a planned British amphibious assault on Rhodes and the Dodecanese Islands in the Aegean Sea. Very rare World War I-date D.S. as Commanding Major of the 84 Squadron, 1p. large 4to., [France], Sep. 24, 1918, a 'Combats in the Air' report in which A.W.B. Proctor, Captain, documents an attack on an enemy balloon which would become his 48th 'kill'. South African ace Capt. A. W. BEAUCHAMP-PROCTOR (1894-1921), a member of the RFC, was a recipient of the Victoria Cross who accumulated 54 'kills' by war's end, and was later killed himself in a training accident. In part: '...Observing an enemy kite balloon just West of Crevecoeur, I decided to attack, but was forestalled by four Camels. The enemy kite balloon went down in flames, but within 20 minutes I observed another kite balloon put up just South of the first one. As the enemy evidently attached great importance to the observations obtained from this kite balloon, I decided to destroy the kite balloon. Diving down to within 100 yards, I opened fire with both guns, and poured a full drum of Buckingham into the kite balloon, which burst into flames as I zoomed past...'. Signed by Douglas at the bottom as Major and Commander of 84 Squadron. Several file holes, lightly toned, else very good.