Louis Strange

Louis Arbon Strange DSO MC DFC OBE (1891-1966) was an early English aviator, World War I and World War II airman.

Louis Strange was born in Dorset and was educated at St Edward's School cite book|title=Recollections of an airman|last=Strange|first=L.A.|year=1989|page=13|publisher=Green Hill Books Lionel Leventhal Ltd|isbn=1-85367-043-X|] Oxford, joining the school's contingent of the Dorset Yeomanry. Afterwards he farmed 600 acres at Spettisbury in Dorset.

He had seen military aircraft and the airship Beta during the summer manoeuvres of 1912 and determined in May 1913 to become a pilot. He joined the Ewen School of flying at Hendon Aerodrome in July and gained his Royal Aero Club certificate, No. 575, on 5 August cite book|title=Flying Rebel|last=Hearn|first=Peter|year=1994|page=13|publisher=HMSO|isbn=0-11-290500-5|] , immediately applying for a commission in the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). In the latter part of 1913 and early 1914, Strange flew many hours from Hendon, instructing trainee pilots.

From early 1914 Strange competed in air races from Hendon and in 'bomb-dropping' and other competitions there. On 20 June he took part in a Hendon-Birmingham-Manchester and return air race at the controls of an 80 hp Gnome powered Bleriot monoplane, being first to arrive at Trafford Park Aerodrome (Manchester), where the Lord Mayor of Manchester greeted him. To reach Strange's hand, the portly man stood on a bracing wire to the landing gear, damaging it. On take-off to return south, the wire snapped, smashing the Bleriot's propellor and the machine was damaged, putting him out of the race cite book|title=Manchester's Early Airfields|last=Scholefield|first=R.A.|year=2004|page=213|publisher=Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society|issn=0950-4699|] .

His posting to the sixth course of instruction at the RFC's Central Flying School at Upavon Wiltshire came in May 1914. There he was retrained to fly more advanced and B.E.2b and B.E.8 military aircraft. In August 1914 he was despatched to join his first operational unit, No.5 Squadron RFC, based at Gosport Hants. On 15/16 August he flew his Farman aircraft via Dover and over the English Channel to Amiens and then to the unit's new base at Maubeuge France.

Strange's first armed encounter with the enemy came on 22 August when he flew his Farman aircraft against a patrolling German plane, but with inconclusive results. The next few days saw a general Allied retreat and the Squadron had to move base several times, whilst Stange and his fellow pilots continued their observation and light bombing sorties.

On 21 September 1915, Louis Strange was appointed to form and command No.23 Squadron RFC at Gosport Hampshire. He was promoted to Major on 5 November, the day he married his wife, Marjorie. By the end of the year the squadron was fully trained and departed for the war front in late January, Strange remaining in the UK, using his valuable experience in a number of important pilot training posts.

During the 1920s and 1930s, Strange flew many types of civil aircraft and was a director of Simmonds Aircraft Ltd and the Whitney Straight Corporationcite book|title=Flying Rebel|last=Hearn|first=Peter|year=1994|page=91|publisher=HMSO|isbn=0-11-290500-5|] . He also again competed in UK air races.

Strange served in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II commanding several important operational flying units and reaching the level of Wing Commander and retiring from the service in June 1945.

He returned again to farming but continued his links with civil aviation. He bought an Auster Taylorcraft Plus D light aircraft and flew it in the 1950 Daily Express Challenge Air Trophy at the age of fifty-nine, being the oldest of the seventy-six competitors.

References

* Strange, Louis A, "Recollections of an airman", John Hamilton Ltd, London, 1933. Facsimile reprint by Greenhill Books, Simon Leventhal Ltd, London, 1989, ISBN 1-85367-043-X
* Hearn, Peter "Flying Rebel : the story of Louis Strange", HMSO, London, 1994, ISBN 0-11-290500-5
* Scholefield, R.A., "Manchester's Early Airfields", Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, Manchester, 2004, ISSN 0950-4699