Selden Long

Major Selden Herbert Long (6 October 1895 - 12 December 1952), was an English flying ace during the First World War. He was credited with nine confirmed aerial victories. He was also noted for the audacity of his trench strafing missions–an early form of close air support.

Early service and award of the Military Cross
Long was the son of Major General Sidney Selden Long. He was educated at the United Services College at Windsor. He served originally in the Durham Light Infantry before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps in 1914. Before ever scoring an aerial victory, he won the Military Cross (gazetted on 29 October 1915). The citation to the MC tells the tale:

"For conspicuous gallantry on several occasions, notably the following: —

"On 10 September 1915, he went out to attack an observation balloon shed with a 100-lb. bomb, but, being heavily fired at by an anti-aircraft battery, he silenced the guns with this bomb and returned for another one, with which he attacked the balloon. He only narrowly missed it as it was being deflated beside the shed.

"On 23 September he made two determined attacks on trains from 500 feet, breaking the rails in two places. On the first occasion he returned to the attack three times, and finally climbed to 1,000 feet in order to make better use of his bomb sight; on the second occasion he made most of his return journey at 1,000 feet in order better to examine villages, roads, etc.

"On 25 September he attacked a train at 500 feet under heavy rifle fire, and damaged the line. Late in the afternoon of 25 September he heard that trains were moving at 25 miles distance, and, in spite of darkness and bad weather, he volunteered to attack them. Heavy rain prevented his reaching them, so he turned to attack Peronne station, descending to 500 feet and coming under heavy anti-aircraft gun fire. This fire prevented his reaching the station, but he climbed to 1,500 feet and attacked a "Rocket" battery, silencing one of its guns."

Aerial victories
It would be almost another year before Selden Long scored his first aerial win, using one of 29 Squadron's DH.2s to drive a Fokker Eindekker down out of control. Three months later, on 16 November, flying a DH.2 for 24 Squadron, he captured a Roland C.II at Beaulencourt. There followed a string of four victories in December; on the 11th, teamed with Eric Pashley, Chester Stairs Duffus and another pilot, he destroyed an Albatros D.I; on the 20th, he and Kelvin Crawford set an Albatros D.II aflame; the 26th and 27th saw "out of control" victories.

On 25 January 1917, Captain Long torched an LVG two-seater from FA(A) 216; its crew, Leutnants Gunter Kallenbach and Ernst Erdmann, leaped to their deaths. Two days later, the two-seater falling before Long's guns belonged to FA(A) 233, and the men killed were Vizefeldwebel Willy Lang and Leutnant Kurt Brandt. Long would score once more, on 6 March 1917. Six days later, Selden Herbert Long was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. He had been mentioned in dispatches five times.

Post World War I
After war's end, Long stayed in to fly Sopwith Pups in 46 Squadron. He then moved on to command 111 Squadron in the Middle East. His book of memoirs, In the Blue, came out in 1920. Long left the Royal Air Force with the rank of major.

Selden Herbert Long died on 12 December 1952.

Recommended reading

 * In the Blue: On Active Service Series by Selden Herbert Long. John Lane, 1920.