When discussing the subject of military heroes, there are certain names that shouldn't go unrecognized although they may not have the household recognition that some of the generals' names receive. Albert Ball is just such a name. He served during World War I as a fighter pilot for the British and received a Victoria Cross for his service. He had an impressive 21 victories during his service, the most of any British fighter at the time of his death. At that point, only the German fighter pilot Manfred Von Richthofen had more victories on record.
Ball was born in August of 1896 and showed only average scholastic abilities, however he always had a natural interest in mechanical things. He joined up with the 7th Battalion, the Sherwood Foresters, when the Great War broke out. It wasn't long before he was able to transfer to the Royal Flying Corps and began to showcase his aggressive flying style, which was encouraged by his commanding officers. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1916 for his impressive flying techniques.
Ball was something of a loner both on the ground and in the air. He preferred the freedom of flying solo operations and had a "lone wolf" mentality. He thought of his missions as "hunting" where he would stalk down the target from beneath and bring it down. His style was extremely successful. When he was not in the air he had a cabin to himself and spent time tending a garden and playing the violin. Ball was shot down during a mission on May 7th of 1917 and was killed. The circumstances of the event are somewhat hazy, as the Germans claimed his demise was at the hands of accomplished German pilot Lothar Von Richthofen, although there is some question as to the validity of that claim. The loss of Ball's life on that mission earned him the Victoria Cross, which is now on display in the Sherwood Foresters Museum in Nottingham, England.
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