Frank Ormond Soden

Frank Ormond "Mongoose" Soden DFC & Bar (3 November 1895 – 12 February 1961) was a First World War flying ace and RAF commander during the Second World War.

He served initially in the British Army as an infantry officer, before joining the Royal Flying Corps and transferring to the Royal Air Force on its creation. He remained in the RAF following the war, and went on to serve in Iraq and also as an RAF Station commander during the Second World War.

Early life and World War I service Soden was born in Petitcodiac, New Brunswick, Canada, but emigrated to England as a child in 1904. He was educated at Woodbridge School.

His career in the armed forces began with the Inns of Court Regiment Officer Training Corps, from which he was commissioned into the South Staffordshire Regiment as second lieutenant in 1914. He first entered a theatre of war on 14 July 1915. He was first attached to the Royal Flying Corps in 1916,

His career as a fighter ace began in No. 60 Squadron RFC, when flying a Nieuport 17 to claim an Albatros D.III down 'out of control' on 25 June 1917. Beginning with his third victory on 17 September 1917, he was flying the new Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a. He was not credited with the destruction of an enemy aircraft until his fourth claim, on 20 September. He became an ace with the first of two victories the morning of 21 September 1917, sending down an Albatros DV out of control. In the afternoon, he was credited with the destruction of a second enemy craft, shared with two other 60 Squadron pilots. He was given command of a flight on 5 December 1917, and given temporary promotion to captain.

He accumulated victories at a steady pace, downing from one to four Germans per month through February 1918.

He achieved his most notable victory on 9 January 1918, over Max, Ritter von Müller. Müller, whose victory tally was 36, had downed no fewer than five British aces. Accompanied by Captain Robert Chidlaw-Roberts, Soden set Müller's Albatros D.V on fire in the air near Moorslede, Belgium. Müller exited the flaming biplane and fell to his death.

On 5 February, Soden scored a double, bringing his total to 16.

The main part of the war over, in 1919 Soden volunteered to join the British expedition to Murmansk, part of Allied efforts to support White Russian forces. His first role was in the Waziristan Campaign.

Soden was promoted squadron leader on 12 December 1928, he then took command of No. 111 (Fighter) Squadron at RAF Hornchurch. and group captain on 1 April 1939. During this period he had also commanded No. 7 (Bomber) Squadron and No. 3 Armament Training Camp at RAF Sutton Bridge. He later served in the Middle East, as airfield commander at RAF Castel Benito, and commanding Operational Training Units. married Wanda Holden and emigrated to Kenya. There, in 1953, during the Mau Mau Uprising he saw off an attempt by 20 armed Mau Mau to raid his house near Timau.