Henry Coyle Rath

Lieutenant Henry Coyle Rath DFC was a Canadian World War I flying ace credited with twelve aerial victories.

Early life Henry Coyle Rath was born on 12 November 1898 to Maggie and Thomas Rath. Henry Rath was born in Hastings, Ontario, Canada. He was working as a hardware clerk in Tweed, Ontario prior to his enlistment in the military. He was assigned to 29 Squadron on 5 June 1918 as a Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a pilot.

He scored his first victory on 28 July, helping fellow ace Robert Holme drive down a German two-seater reconnaissance plane out of control. Three days later, they again cooperated, destroying a similar plane; Rath also drove down a third recon plane in the same dogfight. After driving down a fourth recce craft on 1 August, Rath became an ace on 8 August. In conjunction with fellow aces Claude Melnot Wilson, Arthur Reed, and a couple of other pilots, Rath destroyed a Hannover reconnaissance craft.

Honours and awards Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)

Lieut. Henry Coyle Rath. (FRANCE)

A bold and resolute fighter in the air who has six enemy aeroplanes to his credit. On 14 October he, with three other machines, engaged a large number of enemy scouts; five were shot down, Lieut. Rath destroying two.

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