Henry Biziou
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2017}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Henry Biziou
| image = Henry Arthur Richard Biziou.jpg
| caption = Henry Arthur Richard Biziou
| nickname = "Weegee"
| birth_date = {{birth date|1894|09|18|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Farnborough, Hampshire, England
| death_date = {{death date and age|1919|07|14|1894|09|18|df=yes}}
| death_place = Farnborough, Hampshire, England
| placeofburial = Aldershot Military Cemetery, Hampshire, England
| allegiance = United Kingdom
| branch = Royal Navy
British Army
Royal Air Force
| serviceyears = 1914–1919
| servicenumber =
| rank = Captain
| unit = No. 42 Squadron RFC
No. 87 Squadron RAF
| commands =
| battles = First World War
| awards = Distinguished Flying Cross
| relations =
| laterwork =
}}
Captain Henry Arthur Richard Biziou, {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100|DFC}} (18 September 1894 – 14 July 1919) was a British flying ace of the First World War, credited with eight aerial victories. After serving successively in the Royal Navy and the British Army, he transferred to the Royal Air Force. After service as an observer, he trained as a fighter pilot and subsequently won his victories. He survived the war, only to die in a midair collision.
Early life
Biziou was born on 18 September 1894.Shores et.al. (1990), p.78. He would become known as "Weegee" in later life.{{cite web |url= http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/england/biziou.php |title=Henry Arthur Richard Biziou |work=theaerodrome.com |year=2014 |accessdate=3 September 2014}}
First World War
File:Henry Biziou Grave.jpg.]]
Biziou joined the Royal Navy as a mechanic on 29 October 1914.Royal Navy Form 1671 – Henry Arthur Richard Biziou He was later commissioned and transferred to the infantry; Petty Officer Biziou, formerly of the Royal Naval Armoured Car Division, was promoted to temporary second lieutenant in the Infantry on 24 February 1916.{{London Gazette |issue=29552 |date=18 April 1916 |page=4030 |nolink=yes }}
Biziou served in the 6th (Service) Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment at Gallipoli, Egypt and France. He was still with the regiment when, on 31 May 1916, he was posted to the army's General List as a temporary second lieutenant to meet wartime needs.{{London Gazette |issue=29600 |date=30 May 1916 |page=5326 |nolink=yes }}
Biziou began duty as an aerial observer,{{London Gazette |issue=29976 |date=9 March 1917 |page=2382 |nolink=yes }} probably with No. 42 Squadron, on 6 October 1916, and was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps General List on 23 November 1916. On 1 April 1917, he was promoted to temporary lieutenant.{{London Gazette |issue=30458 |date=4 January 1918 |page=343 |supp=y |nolink=yes }}
Biziou then trained as a pilot, including the course at the School of Special Flying at Gosport. He was then posted to No. 87 Squadron and landed in France in April 1918. He flew a Sopwith Dolphin, and scored the squadron's first victory on 6 May. Over time, he ran off a tally of two reconnaissance planes and five fighters destroyed, and another fighter driven down out of control by 22 September.Shores et.al. (1990), p.78-79. In the midst of this string of victories, Biziou was promoted to temporary captain on 2 July.{{London Gazette |issue=30803 |date=19 July 1918 |page=8504 |nolink=yes }}
The Distinguished Flying Cross he had won for his exploits was gazetted on 3 December 1918, reading:
{{quote|Lieutenant (Acting-Captain) Henry Arthur Richard Biziou.
A most successful leader of marked gallantry. During recent operations he has destroyed four enemy aeroplanes and driven down one out of control; two of these he accounted for in one engagement on 15 September with a number of Fokker biplanes. In addition he has driven down a hostile balloon.{{London Gazette |issue=13363 |date=5 December 1918 |page=4470 |city=e }}}}
Later life and death
Biziou remained in the Royal Air Force after the war, and was stationed at RAF Farnborough. He was killed on 14 July 1919 in a flying accident at Farnborough, when his S.E.5 collided in mid-air with an Avro 504 killing him and the pilot and mechanic of the other aircraft.{{cite journal |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1919/1919%20-%200976.html |title=Triple Fatality at Farnborough |issue=30 |volume=IX |page=978 |journal=Flight |date=24 July 1919 |accessdate=18 August 2014}} He is buried in Aldershot Military Cemetery.{{cite web |url= http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/359140/BIZIOU,%20HENRY%20ARTHUR%20RICHARD |title=Biziou, Henry Arthur Richard |work=Commonwealth War Graves Commission |year=2014 |accessdate=3 September 2014}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book |first1=Christopher F. |last1=Shores |first2=Norman |last2=Franks |authorlink2=Norman Franks |first3=Russell |last3=Guest |title=Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920 |location=London, UK |publisher=Grub Street |year=1990 |isbn=0-948817-19-4 }}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Biziou, Henry}}
Category:Royal Air Force officers
Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
Category:Royal Navy personnel of World War I
Category:British Army General List officers
Category:Military personnel from Hampshire
Category:British Army personnel of World War I
Category:Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in England
Category:Burials at Aldershot Military Cemetery
Category:British World War I flying aces
Category:Green Howards soldiers