Arthur Bradfield Fairclough

Arthur Bradfield Fairclough (25 July 1896 – 9 December 1968) was a Canadian First World War flying ace, officially credited with 19 aerial victories.

Early life and background Fairclough was born in Toronto, the son of Leonard and Ettie (née Carter) Fairclough,

Military service On 7 February 1916 Fairclough was commissioned as a lieutenant in the 2nd Regiment, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada. He sailed for England on 26 September, and on 6 October was placed on the General List, assigned to the Canadian Machine Gun Corps, and posted to the Canadian Training Depot. After completing his training at the Canadian Machine Gun School on 23 December, he was posted to the Canadian Machine Gun Depot on 31 January 1917. and appointed a flying officer the following day. He was posted to No. 49 Squadron, then a training unit, serving as an instructor there from 28 August, and also briefly served in No. 40 and No. 56 Training Squadrons in October and November.

Fairclough was transferred to No. 23 Squadron RAF on 4 May and appointed a flight commander with the temporary rank of captain. Between 29 June and 5 July he gained five more victories, to bring his total to nineteen.

On 14 April 1919 Lieutenant (Honorary Captain) Fairclough relinquished his Royal Air Force commission on ceasing to be employed. and the following day was struck off the strength of the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

List of aerial victories +Combat record No.Date/timeAircraft/Serial No.OpponentResultLocationNotesNo. 19 Squadron RFC/RAF1 6 December 1917@ 15:42 SPAD S.VII(A6836) C Driven down 'out of control' East of Roeselare Shared with Captain Oliver Bryson, Lieutenant R. G. Holt & Second Lieutenant Eric Olivier.2 8 December 1917@ 13:35 SPAD S.VII(B3528) Rumpler C Driven down 'out of control' Tenbreilen-Wervik Shared with Captains Oliver Bryson & G. W. Taylor.3 18 December 1917@ 10:35 SPAD S.VII(B3528) C Driven down 'out of control' Comines Shared with Captain Oliver Bryson.4 18 December 1917@ 12:50 SPAD S.VII(A6795) Albatros D.V Destroyed Gheluvelt 5 19 December 1917@ 08:05 SPAD S.VII(A6805) C Driven down 'out of control' East of Hooglede 6 19 December 1917@ 11:30 SPAD S.VII(B3528) C Destroyed West of Passchendaele Shared with Captain Oliver Bryson.7 22 December 1917@ 14:20 SPAD S.VII(A6802) Albatros D.III Destroyed in flames South of Le Quesnoy Shared with Major Albert D. Carter, Captains Oliver Bryson & G. W. Taylor, Lieutenants E. J. Blyth & H. E. Galer, and Second Lieutenant Eric Olivier.8 29 December 1917@ 10:10 SPAD S.VII(A6802) Albatros D.V Driven down 'out of control' Houthulst Forest 9 29 December 1917@ 10:15 Albatros D.V Destroyed in flames 10 17 March 1918@ 12:15 Sopwith Dolphin(C3940) Albatros D.V Destroyed in flames North East of Menen Shared with Second Lieutenant Eric Olivier.11 23 March 1918@ 15:40 Sopwith Dolphin(C3940) C Destroyed in flames East of Lille Shared with Captain John Leacroft.12 22 April 1918@ 10:30 Sopwith Dolphin(C3796) Albatros D.V Driven down 'out of control' Bois du Biez 13 23 April 1918@ 18:20 Sopwith Dolphin(C3796) Pfalz D.III Driven down 'out of control' North of La Bassée 14 2 May 1918@ 17:45 Sopwith Dolphin(C3796) Albatros D.V Destroyed in flames South of Armentières Shared with Lieutenant Arthur Blake.No. 23 Squadron RAF15 29 June 1918@ 10:30 Sopwith Dolphin(C8070) Fokker D.VII Destroyed in flames Hangard Shared with Lieutenants A. P. Pehrson, C. C. A. Sherwood, Harold A. White, Bentley, Adam and MacPherson.16 29 June 1918@ 18:30 Sopwith Dolphin(C8070) Fokker D.VII Driven down 'out of control' Hangard 17 1 July 1918@ 20:40 Sopwith Dolphin(D3669) Albatros D.V Destroyed Hangest 18 4 July 1918@ 10:20 Sopwith Dolphin(C8074) Pfalz D.III Destroyed Hamel 19 5 July 1918@ 10:30 Sopwith Dolphin(D3669) Rumpler C Destroyed in flames South East of Mézières Shared with Lieutenant A. B. Sinclair.