Charles Sims (aviator)

Lieutenant Charles John Sims was an English World War I flying ace credited with nine aerial victories. His most notable victory saw him shoot down an enemy plane that crashed into another, giving Sims a second win. However, Sims' Distinguished Flying Cross was awarded for his courage in ground attack missions.

Early life
Charles John Sims was born in Bournemouth, England on 20 December 1899.

World War I
Sims was commissioned in the Royal Naval Air Service on 23 October 1917. He was assigned to 13 Naval Squadron (later 213 Squadron RAF). He was diligent in trench strafing and ground support missions. He also scored nine aerial victories between 9 July 1918 and war's end. His most notable wins were on 25 September, when one Fokker D.VII he downed spun into a second, taking it out also; and his triple win on 14 October. His final tally was a balloon and four German planes destroyed singlehanded, two enemy planes shared destroyed with other pilots, and two planes driven down out of control.

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, as announced by Flight magazine on 7 November 1918:

""In a recent raid on an aerodrome this officer at 200 ft. altitude bombed the objective, obtaining a direct hit. He then descended to about 50 ft. altitude and attacked some Fokker biplanes lined up outside the hangars. He is an officer of exceptional courage and ability, possessing remarkable powers of observation.""

Post World War I
Sims stayed in service postwar. On 1 August 1919, when the RAF reorganized for peacetime, Sims was granted a permanent commission as a lieutenant. On 1 January 1926, he was promoted from Flying Officer to Flight Lieutenant

The subsequent life of Charles John Sims remains unknown.