Henry Garnet Forrest

Captain Henry Garnet Forrest (5 December 1895 – ca. 1950) was an Australian-born aviator who served in both the Royal Flying Corps and the Australian Flying Corps. While serving with the latter air service, he was credited with 11 aerial victories.

Early life
Henry Garnet Forrest was born on 5 December 1895 in Brunswick, Melbourne, Australia. His father was Robert Forrest; he signed the enlistment papers granting permission for his son's enlistment. The younger Forrest was working as a cook when he enlisted on 19 February 1915, and swore he was a British subject.

Infantry service
Forrest originally served as a Quartermaster Sergeant with the Australian Imperial Force's 23rd Infantry Battalion. He sailed from Australia on HMAT Euripides on 10 May 1915. After some time spent in Egypt, the 23rd Battalion shipped out to Gallipoli, whence it landed on the night of 4–5 September 1915.

After his return from Gallipoli to Egypt, Forrest was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 46th Battalion on 12 March 1916. He shipped out for service on the Western Front on 2 June 1916. Forrest led a daring trench raid in the Hollandscheschuur Salient in September 1916; this gained him a mention in despatches and an Italian Silver Medal of Military Valor.

Aerial service
During Bloody April 1917, Forrest transferred to the Australian Flying Corps. On 25 May 1917, he was awarded the Italian Silver Medal of Military Valor. He served successively in 32 Squadron and 43 Squadron of the RFC until he was wounded in action on 6 August 1917 and removed from combat. In November 1917, he would return to combat as a Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a pilot in 2 Squadron AFC.

On 22 February 1918, Forrest was promoted to captain. Forrest began his string of aerial victories on 22 March 1918, when he drove down a German two-seater reconnaissance plane out of control, followed by the destruction of two Albatros D.V fighters over Bullecourt. The next day, he set a German recon plane afire northeast of Bapaume. A week later, he drove down another recon plane over Le Quesnel to become an ace.

On 2 April 1918, he and Roby Lewis Manuel destroyed a German recon plane southeast of Demuin. On the 12th, he destroyed one singlehanded over Vieille-Chapelle. On 9 May, he sent down a DFW recon plane out of control On 1 June 1918, he destroyed a Fokker Triplane over Chuignes. The following day, in two morning dogfights, he sent a Pfalz D.III out of control near Estrées, and another over Albert. His ending tally amounted to six enemy planes destroyed, including the one shared with Manuel, and five more driven down out of control.

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 2 July 1918. He was also returned to Home Establishment in England during July. His DFC was gazetted on 3 August 1918. Its citation read:

''His leadership of patrols has been characterised by great dash and determination whether on high or low work. He has displayed skill in manoeuvring and boldness in attacking superior numbers.''

He was admitted to Cobham Hall on 5 September 1918. He was sent home sick on HT Marathon, departing England on 6 November and arriving back in Melbourne on New Year's Day 1919.

Post World War I
Forrest was discharged from the AIF on 23 February 1919.

On 16 March 1920, he was one of the returned military veterans honored by the Order of Druids at a banquet; he was granted a certificate in recognition of his service.

Forrest is noted in newspaper notes of social and sporting events in the Broken Hill area throughout the 1920s–40s; he served as secretary of the local tennis club, for instance.

On 30 December 1947, he is noted as a pallbearer at a friend's funeral. On 31 May 1951, the death of his widow Cora was noted.