Francis Casey
Francis Dominic Casey, was an Irish flying ace of the Royal Naval Air Service during the First World War, credited with nine aerial victories. He received the Distinguished Service Cross before his death during a test flight in 1917.
Early life
Francis Dominic Casey was born in Clonmel, County Tipperary, the youngest son of Maurice J. Casey and Agnes M. Casey, and was educated at St. George's College, Weybridge.First World War
In August 1914, when the First World War broke out, Casey was working for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company. On 25 May 1915 he was granted a temporary commission as a sub-lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve, and on 30 May he was posted to for duty with the Royal Naval Air Service. On 27 May 1916 Casey's Royal Naval Reserve commission was cancelled, and the following day he was re-commissioned as a probationary flight sub-lieutenant in the Royal Naval Air Service. On 3 August 1916 he was confirmed in his rank of flight sub-lieutenant, with seniority from 28 May.Casey served in No. 2 Wing, and was eventually posted to No. 3 Squadron to fly the Sopwith Pup single-seat fighter. He gained his first aerial victory on 17 March 1917, driving down out of control a Halberstadt D.II fighter over Bapaume. On 1 April Casey was promoted to flight lieutenant, and gained his second victory a week later, driving down an Albatros D.III fighter on 8 April. He then gained seven more victories, six of them D.III fighters, in only twelve days, from 21 April to 2 May. On 12 May he received a mention in despatches, and on 22 June was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. His citation read:
Appointed to the acting rank of flight commander, Casey died in a flying accident during a test flight on 11 August 1917. He is buried in Adinkerke Military Cemetery in De Panne, West Flanders, Belgium.
List of aerial victories
| No. | Date/Time | Aircraft/ Serial No. | Opponent | Result | Location | Notes |
| 1 | 17 March 1917 @ 1040 hours | Sopwith Pup | Halberstadt D.II | Driven down out of control | North-east of Bapaume | |
| 2 | 8 April 1917 @ 1500 hours | Sopwith Pup | Albatros D.III | Driven down out of control | North-east of Pronville | |
| 3 | 21 April 1917 @ 1730 hours | Sopwith Pup | Albatros D.III | Destroyed | Hendecourt | |
| 4 | 21 April 1917 @ 1730 hours | Sopwith Pup | Albatros D.III | Driven down out of control | Hendecourt | |
| 5 | 23 April 1917 @ 1730 hours | Sopwith Pup | Albatros D.III | Driven down out of control | Cagnicourt | |
| 6 | 24 April 1917 @ 1650 hours | Sopwith Pup | DFW reconnaissance aircraft | Captured | Morchies—Louverval | Victory shared with Flight Lieutenant Herbert Travers and Flight Sub-Lieutenant John Joseph Malone. |
| 7 | 26 April 1917 @ 1915 hours | Sopwith Pup | Albatros D.III | Driven down out of control | Cambrai | |
| 8 | 29 April 1917 @ 1100 hours | Sopwith Pup | Albatros D.III | Set afire; destroyed | Between Bantouzelle and Cambrai | |
| 9 | 2 May 1917 @ 1120 hours | Sopwith Pup | Albatros D.III | Driven down out of control | Mœuvres |