Edward 'Mick' Mannock

I am greatly disturbed that this website dosen't truely have the facts straight when it comes to Mick. Mick had 73 or 74 kills to his name not the minor amount of 61. He was Britains top scoring aces but this website that I have found very helpful in other matters has put him not even close to where he was. While his father was stationed in India he got an infection in his left eye so that he was practical blind in that eye. I would be very happy if the website would give him the right number he brought down and the honor he deserves.

INCOMING!

*Dives for his bunker and straps on his mask*

He Ginger, isn't it about time for another dosis of your ranting accusations of this forum being pro-German?

[Graeme]

Sarah

The figure of 61 quoted here is based upon the information in Above The Trenches which gives details of this number of claims. Mannock believed his total was at least 4 (and possibly 7)more than his "official" total (official in the sense of numbers quoted in medal citations) and Grid Caldwell reckoned Mannock had 69 victories at the time of his death.

I don't think anyone would dispute the enormous respect accorded Mannock by those who served with him and the fact that he got the VC, DSO and 2 Bars, MC and Bar shows official recognition of his achievements.

Let's not forget that the number of victories is not the absolute measure of a pilot's worth, simply a convenient assessment of his ability to do his job. Once he got over his shakey start Mannock became a patrol (and later squadron) leader almost without equal, moulding the men under his command into a fighting team. And that's how he should be remembered, not the best killer the British had.

VBR

Graeme

[Billy_Bishop]

I already got enough pokers in the fire without getting involved in this one. Suffice it to say, all the evidence that exists says Mannock has 61 "official" victories. But, he was probably one of the better leaders the RAF had in WWI.

VBR,

Al Lowe

[Ginger.]

I seem to have struck a raw nerve there J.What's up?Got your jackboots on the wrong feet?

Sarah,
At the time Mick was gazetted for his VC in 1919, his official score was 50.
The total 73 seems to have sprung from a claim by his close friend Ira "Taffy" Jones, that Mick phoned him the day before his death and stated that he "Now had the same total as Bishop"....Hardly the best evidence.
The present number of 61 is the best calculation made on surviving records and correlations made by the authors of Above the Trenches...my guess is that it probably falls between the two.
The only inaccuracy in his biog here is that it states his mother was English...She wasn't, she was Irish, born in Ballincollig, County Cork.
As for him being blind in one eye, that is doubtful. He may have had a slight defect in it, but it wasn't blindness. He took some debris in his good eye while landing one day, he was taken off combat duties but continued to fly training missions...Hardly possible to do that if he had only one working eye methinks!
HTH
Regards
Paul

Sarah: I think Graeme's reply went to the heart of the matter and was very well said.
DD

[Barrett]

As before, boys and girls: (Harmonica tone--hmmmmm.) One more time:

"Every kill is a victory but not every victory is a kill!"

Mick Mannock was credited with about 38 destroyed; Bishop 55, etc, etc, etc, etc,

My my, Ginger. Since you started it, I must ask you, are we suffering from selective amnesia now?

The two highest scoring aces of WW1: MvR and Udet. BOMBS AWAY!