Guy Wareing

Captain Guy Wilbraham Wareing DFC (23 July 1899 – 27 October 1918) was a British World War I flying ace credited with nine aerial victories.^[1]

Wareing was born in Latchford, Warrington, Lancashire, the son of Frederick William Wareing, an engineer, and his wife Jessie Mary.^[2][3]

On 30 August 1917 he was commissioned from cadet to temporary second lieutenant (on probation) on the General List to serve in the Royal Flying Corps,^[4] being confirmed in his rank and appointed a flying officer on 14 February 1918.^[5]

Wareing was posted to No. 29 Squadron RAF in June 1918 to fly the S.E.5a single-seat fighter. He gained his first victory on 12 August, destroying a Pfalz D.III fighter over Ploegsteert, Belgium. After destroying two reconnaissance aircraft and driving another down out of control, Wareing became both an ace and a balloon buster by destroying an observation balloon over Gheluvelt on 7 September 1918. He then sent a Fokker D.VII down in flames, and destroyed three more balloons, two of them on two separate sorties on 29 September.^[1] He was appointed a temporary captain on 7 October 1918.^[6]

On 27 October 1918 Wareing was killed when he was shot down by a Fokker D.VII flown by Leutnant Josef Raesch of Jasta 43.^[1] He is buried in the churchyard of Église Sainte-Marie-Madeleine, Rumillies, Tournai, Hainaut, Belgium,^[2] where his is the only Commonwealth War Grave.^[7]

Wareing's award of the Distinguished Flying Cross was gazetted posthumously on 3 December 1918. His citation read:

Lieutenant Guy Wilbraham Wareing.

"A bold and courageous airman who has destroyed four enemy aeroplanes and shot down in flames a hostile balloon. He is conspicuous for zeal and devotion to duty."^[8]

• Shores, Christopher F.; Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell F. (1990). Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.