Patrick Anthony Langan-Byrne

Patrick Anthony Langan Byrne
Born	1895 Clogherhead, County Louth, Ireland, United Kingdom
Died	16 October 1916 (aged 20–21)
Commemorated at	Arras Flying Services Memorial, Pas de Calais, France
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army
Years of service	1914–1916
Rank	Second Lieutenant
Unit	30th Brigade, RFA No. 24 Squadron RFC
Battles / wars	World War I  • Western Front
Awards	Distinguished Service Order

Second Lieutenant Patrick Anthony Langan Byrne DSO (1895 – 16 October 1916) was an Irish flying ace of the First World War credited with ten aerial victories.

Early life and education

Byrne was born in Clogherhead, County Louth, the son of Dr. and Mrs. J. V. Byrne. He was educated at Clongowes.

World War I

Langan-Byrne was commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery on 9 October 1914, serving in 129th Battery, 30th Brigade. He was later seconded to the Royal Flying Corps, in which he was appointed a flying officer on 4 August 1916.

Langan-Byrne flew an Airco DH-2 such as this for all of his victories.

Langan-Byrne began his victories on 31 August 1916, when he used Airco DH.2 No. 6011 to force an enemy aircraft to land. Three days later, he drove a German fighter aircraft down out of control for his second win. On 15 September, he switched to DH.2 No. 7911 and shot down another German fighter in flames. The next day, Byrne destroyed a Fokker D.II. Then, between 21 and 28 September, he ran off a string of five "forced to land" victories. His being shot down by four Germans on 23 September did not seem to daunt him.

He was appointed a flight commander with the temporary rank of captain on 14 October just prior to his last victory on the morning of 16 October. That afternoon he was airborne for his second sortie of the day. He led "B" Flight right for Oswald Boelcke, commander of Jasta 2, who promptly killed him for the German ace's 34th victory. Langan-Byrne's grave site is unknown, though it is known he was buried. His Officer Commanding, Major Lanoe Hawker, lamented, "He was such a nice lad, as well as the best officer I have ever met." As a flying casualty of the Western Front with no known grave he is commemorated at the Arras Flying Services Memorial.

Having scored all of his 10 victories in the Airco DH.2, he's the most successful pilot in the type.

List of aerial victories

See also: Aerial victory standards of World War I

Combat record

No.	Date/Time	Aircraft/ Serial No.	Opponent	Result	Location
1	31 August 1916 @ c.1800	DH.2 (6010)	Enemy aircraft	Forced to land	North of Bapaume
2	2 September 1916 @ 1935	DH.2 (6010)	Single-seat fighter	Out of control	Beaulencourt
3	15 September 1916 @ 0830	DH.2 (7911)	Single-seat fighter	Destroyed in flames	North-east of Morval
4	16 September 1916 @ 1900	DH.2 (7911)	Fokker D.II	Destroyed	Achiet
5	21 September 1916 @ 1745	DH.2 (7911)	LVG two-seater	Forced to land	North of Miraumont
6	22 September 1916 @ 1140	DH.2 (7911)	Enemy aircraft	Forced to land	Vélu
7	22 September 1916 @ 1800	DH.2 (7911)	Rumpler two-seater	Forced to land	Grandcourt
8	23 September 1916 @ 0815	DH.2 (7911)	Rumpler two-seater	Forced to land	East of Combles
9	28 September 1916 @ 1710	DH.2 (A2538)	LVG two-seater	Forced to land	Rocquigny
10	16 October 1916 @ 1030	DH.2 (5925)	Albatros D.I	Forced to land	Biefvillers

Honours and awards

Distinguished Service Order

Second Lieutenant Patrick Anthony Langan-Byrne, Royal Artillery and Royal Flying Corps.

"For conspicuous skill and gallantry. He has shown great pluck in attacking hostile machines, often against large odds. He has accounted for several. On one occasion, with two other machines, he attacked seventeen enemy machines, shot down one in flames and forced another to land."

Bibliography

• Guttman, Jon (2009). Pusher Aces of World War I. illustrated by Harry Dempsey. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-417-6.
• Shores, Christopher; Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell (1990). Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920. London: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.