Eric Brookes
Captain Eric Guy Brookes was a British World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.Biography
Brookes was commissioned as second lieutenant on 27 June 1917, attached to the Worcestershire Regiment. On 6 January 1918 he was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, and was posted to No. 65 Squadron, flying the Sopwith Camel.
His first victory came on 25 May, destroying an Albatros D.V over Albert. On 18 June he claimed a Fokker Dr.I set on fire and also an Albatros D.V driven down out of control while over Morcourt. On 2 July he drove down a Pfalz D.III at Bayonvillers, bringing his score to four. On 19 July Brookes was promoted to the temporary rank of captain while serving as a flight commander.
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 1 August, the citation reading:
Lieutenant Eric Guy Brookes.
Just after midday on 8 August, Brookes, and Lieutenants Joseph White, George Tod, F. Edsted, C. Tolley, and D. Oxley,
forced down two German Fokker D.VII fighters behind the Allied lines at Proyart, where they were captured. Brookes set off on another sortie later in the day and did not return. He was shot down north of Harbonnières, and is interred at the Heath Cemetery there.
