Who's Who: Louis Bennett Jr.
Updated - Sunday, 13 October, 2002

Louis Bennett served with the Royal Flying Corps for a period of nine days until his death in 1918, specialising during this brief time as a 'balloon buster'; in total he scored some 12 victories.

Bennett, an American, chose to interrupt his studies at Yale University in order to enlist with the British Royal Flying Corps in Canada.

Having travelled to the battlefields of the Western Front in August 1918 Bennett's career as an ace was but brief; yet in the nine days from 16-24 August he amassed no fewer than 12 'kills', a remarkable total for such a short period.

On the day of his death, 24 August 1918, Bennett had succeeded in bringing down two German observation balloons.  On the same mission however his aircraft was strafed from the ground by anti-aircraft artillery, consequently bursting into flames.  Captured following the crash he was quickly given medical treatment; he nevertheless died from his injuries.

A "salient" is a battle line that projects into territory nominally held by enemy forces.

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