Orders, Decorations and Medals

The Great War campaign awards to Major C. E. Foggin, Royal Air Force, pioneer aviator and Nieuport pilot with No. 1 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, later Major with 41 Squadron, killed in a motor accident in July 1918 when the car driven by the “Ace” and C.O. of 60 Squadron, Major Cyril Crowe, crashed into a tree when returning from a party at Dieppe

1914-15 Star (1730 Sjt. C. Foggin, R.F.C.); British War and Victory Medals (Major C. E. Foggin, R.A.F.) nearly extremely fine (3) £400-500

Cyril Edgar Foggin was born in 1892, son of William and Elizabeth Foggin, of South Gosforth, Newcastle-on-Tyne. He learnt to fly prior to the war at the Blackburn School, Hendon. In October 1912 he ordered a Blackburn Type D Monoplane which first flew in December 1912, in the hands of Harold Blackburn and was demonstrated by the company in the early part of 1913. Foggin himself first flew the plane on 24 March 1913, but seems to have sold it before the end of the year. Remarkably, this important early machine survives today, still flying, as part of the world famous Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden Park, Nr Biggleswade, Bedfordshire.

Foggin joined the Royal Flying Corps as a Sergeant at the outbreak of war, and was commissioned as Temporary Second Lieutenant in the R.F.C. on 28 September 1915. By April 1916 he is a Nieuport scout pilot with No. 1 Squadron, and on the 27th of that month his aircraft was shot up and damaged in a combat with an Albatros. The German was seen to be hit and probably driven down over Bailleul. Foggin, though blinded by splinters, managed to land safely. Foggin’s wounding was the first casualty in this type of aircraft.

He was appointed Flight Commander in November 1916, and in July 1918 joined No. 41 Squadron as Captain (Temporary Major). He was killed on 30 July 1918, when returning from a 13 Wing party at Dieppe. He was a passenger, along with a Captain Owen Scholte, M.C., in a car driven by Major Cyril Crowe, a 14 kill ace who had recently taken over command of No. 60 Squadron, after the death of Jimmy McCudden. Foggin and Scholte were both killed when the car crashed into a tree. They were both buried in St Riquier British Cemetery.