Alan Rice-Oxley

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Alan Rice-Oxley
Birth name Alan Rice Oxley
Born 1898
Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, England
Died 21 July 1961 (aged 62–63)
Buried
St Mary Magdalene churchyard, Loders, Dorset, England
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Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Royal Air Force
Years of service 1914–1921
Rank Lieutenant
Unit <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
Battles/wars First World War
 • Western Front
 • Italian Front
Awards Distinguished Flying Cross
Other work Police officer, North Borneo
Farmer, Dorset

Lieutenant Alan Rice-Oxley (1898 – 21 July 1961) was a British pilot during World War I. He became a flying ace in 1918, credited with six aerial victories.[1]

Early life

He was born as Alan Rice Oxley in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire in 1898. He was educated at Watford Grammar School for Boys, which he attended between January 1908 and July 1914.[2]

Military career

File:Sopwith Camel 45 Squadron Italy P00046.083.jpg
Sopwith Camels of No. 45 Squadron RFC at an airfield in Italy, December 1917.

Rice-Oxley first served as a private in the 21st (County of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (1st Surrey Rifles), until 5 February 1915 when he was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 4th Battalion, The King's (Shropshire Light Infantry).[3]

He was seconded for duty with the Royal Flying Corps,[4] and appointed a flying officer on 10 September 1916.[5] He trained as a pilot and initially served with No. 15 Squadron in France, tasked with artillery-spotting and reconnaissance.[6] He was wounded in action during the Battle of the Somme in October 1916,[7] and after recuperating became a fighter pilot. He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 July 1917.[8] Subsequently, in 1918 he joined the Sopwith Camel equipped No. 45 Squadron on the Italian Front. He recorded his first victories in a combat on 12 July 1918. Piloting Camel D8240, he and Captain Cedric Howell engaged a formation of between ten and fifteen Austro-Hungarian aircraft in proximity to the town of Feltre. In the ensuing dogfight Rice-Oxley destroyed two of the enemy, and for his conduct in this action was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.[1] Over the course of the following three days, he destroyed another enemy aircraft and drove a further two down out of control.[6] On 16 August he was appointed a flight commander with the temporary rank of captain,[9] and achieved his sixth and final victory on 22 August.[6]

Rice-Oxley was transferred to the RAF's unemployed list on 26 March 1919,[10] and relinquished his commission in the King's Shropshire Light Infantry on 30 September 1921.[11]

Later life

Rice-Oxley joined the North Borneo Armed Constabulary, attaining the position of Commissioner of Police.[12] On 12 November 1936 he officially changed his name from Alan Rice Oxley to Alan Rice-Oxley by deed poll.[13] From 1942–1945 he was interned by the Japanese as a civilian internee at Batu Lintang camp near Kuching, Sarawak.[12] Post-war, he returned to Britain and was working as a farmer at Uploders, Dorset, when he died on 21 July 1961.[14] He is buried in the churchyard of St. Mary Magdalene, Loders, Dorset.[15]

Honours and awards

Distinguished Flying Cross
Lt. Alan Rice-Oxley (Shrops. L.I.).
"In company with another machine this officer attacked an enemy formation of fifteen aeroplanes, and promptly destroyed two of them. He then repeatedly attacked the remaining thirteen machines, who were crowding on his companion, and the battle ended in the destruction of six of the enemy and one driven down out of control. Two days afterwards he destroyed two more enemy aircraft. The gallantry displayed by this officer, and that of his companion, Capt. C. E. Howell, in attacking fifteen machines, was of the very highest order."[16]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Watford Grammar School (2002), p. 44.
  3. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29059. p. 1198. 2 February 1915.
  4. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 29772. p. 9564. 3 October 1916.
  5. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29773. p. 9636. 3 October 1916.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Shores, Franks & Guest (1990), p. 319.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30217. p. 7978. 3 August 1917.
  9. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 30898. p. 10786. 13 September 1918.
  10. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 31279. p. 4575. 8 April 1919.
  11. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 32552. p. 10348. 16 December 1921.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 34345. p. 7787. 1 December 1936.
  14. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 42597. p. 1276. 13 February 1962.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30989. p. 12971. 1 November 1918.
Bibliography
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