Alfred Williams Carter

Alfred Williams Carter DSC (29 April 1894 – 17 December 1986) was a Canadian First World War flying ace, officially credited with 17 victories.

The son of David and Martha Carter, Alfred Carter was born near Calgary and enlisted in December 1915 in Ontario, where he had been a University student. In 1916 he joined the Royal Naval Air Service and attended flight school in Florida.

Serving with 3 Wing, in June 1917 he was posted to No. 3 Naval Squadron and claimed 5 victories flying the Sopwith Pup. In June 1917 he was transferred to No. 10 Naval Squadron as a flight commander and he scored 4 more victories, now flying the Sopwith Triplane.

By November 1918, he had scored another 8 victories with the Sopwith Camel. His war time tally included 1 balloon, 1 aircraft captured, 4 and 1 shared destroyed, 9 and 1 shared 'out of control'.

After the war he worked for the Air Board until April 1922 and in 1923 he owned and operated an automobile dealership in Victoria, British Columbia.

He rejoined the RAF and served until 1953, becoming an Air Marshal and winning the OBE and MBE. He died on 17 December 1986.

Distinguished Service Cross
"Flt. Sub-Lieut. (act. Flt. Lieut.) Alfred Williams Carter, R.N.A.S.

This officer has at all times led his patrols with great courage, skill and pertinacity, often engaging superior numbers of hostile aircraft.

On 22 July 1917, he engaged, single-handed for half an hour, five enemy scouts which he prevented from carrying out a reconnaissance.

On 24 July 1917, with one other pilot, he attacked four enemy aircraft, one of which he drove down completely out of control."