Edwin A. Clear

Lieutenant Edwin Arnold Clear MC was an English World War I flying ace credited with twelve aerial victories. Most unusually for a Royal Air Force ace of the era, all of his victories involved destruction of the enemy aircraft. After World War I, he would continue in military service until 1935, when health issues forced his honourable resignation.

World War I
Clear originally joined the Royal Flying Corps at the same time as his younger brother Harold, being issued consecutive service numbers (Harold later became a prisoner of War after being shot down behind the German lines). Edwin spent 20 months in Egypt as a vehicle mechanic. He was then accepted for pilot training. He began his training before departing Egypt, at both Heliopolis and Aboukir. He was then returned to England for further training at the Central Flying School. He was commissioned in September 1917, and assigned to 84 Squadron in France the following month as a Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a pilot.

His first aerial success came on 29 January 1918, when he set a German observation plane afire in midair. After a lull, he destroyed another two-seater on 10 March 1918. Five days later, he shot down his first enemy fighter, an Albatros D.V. Then, on 17 March 1918, he was engaged in a dogfight when two of his opponents collided with one another; Clear was credited with both and became an ace. He finished out March with a victory on the 30th.

On 12 April 1918, Clear shot down an enemy plane on both morning and evening patrols. On the 25th, he downed two more German planes within ten minutes. After a month's lapse, he destroyed another Albatros D.V for his final victory on 28 May 1918. In June 1918, he was removed from combat duty and returned to England to train as an instructor. He was rewarded with a Military Cross for his efforts.

Post World War I
Clear remained in the nascent Royal Air Force. He remained on flight duty, and was charged for courtmartial for flying under a bridge. On 3 May 1919, he escaped from confinement, "borrowed" a SE.5a from Shotwick, and took off. He got lost, and landed on the Isle of Man. After discovering his location, he took off again to impress bystanders with his aerobatics. When his engine cut out, he crashed on the present site of Ronaldsway Airport. He suffered minor injuries, was re-arrested, and returned to his duty station at Chester on 8 May 1919. He denied the original incident but freely admitted taking the aircraft. He faced a court martial at Chester in July 1919. Remarkably his sentence was only to lose his seniority in rank, although the Advocate General did later discuss and confirm that he could have his pay docked to pay for the loss of the aircraft. Despite these infractions, Clear was granted a probationary commission as a Flying Officer on 31 July 1923; he was confirmed in this rank on 31 January 1924.

On 31 July 1932, Clear was transferred from Class A to Class C within the RAF Reserves. Health problems forced his resignation as of 16 January 1935; he was allowed to retain his rank.

In the early 1930s Clear's mental health began to deteriorate, resulting in him eventually being admitted to the Bethlem Royal Hospital, where he died in 1960.

Honours and awards
Text of citation for award of the Military Cross:


 * T./2nd Lt. Edward Arnold Clear, Gen. List, R.F.C.


 * "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. During an encounter between one of our patrols and nine enemy machines, he observed an enemy triplane which was about to attack his patrol leader from the rear. He at once dived to the attack, firing on the enemy machine, which turned to avoid him and collided with an enemy scout. The two enemy machines crashed to earth locked together. On the following day, during an engagement between 12 of our machines and about 30 enemy scouts, he attacked an enemy triplane which he observed beneath him. He dived after it, and, following it down, eventually destroyed it. He has destroyed seven enemy machines, and has proved himself a most enterprising and courageous pilot."