Roy King (1894–1941) was a fighter ace in the Australian Flying Corps (AFC) during World War I. He was credited with twenty-six victories in aerial combat, making him the second most successful ace in the AFC after Harry Cobby, and the fourth highest-scoring Australian ace of the war. A civil pilot and engineer between the wars, he served in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) from 1939 until his death. King initially saw active service as a lighthorseman in Egypt in 1916. He transferred to the AFC as a mechanic in January 1917, and was commissioned that year as a pilot. Posted to No. 4 Squadron, he flew Sopwith Camels and Snipes on the Western Front. He scored seven of his victories in the Snipe, more than any other pilot. His exploits earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Distinguished Service Order, and a mention in despatches. Returning to Australia in 1919, King spent some years in civil aviation before co-founding a successful engineering business. He joined the RAAF following the outbreak of World War II and held several training commands, rising to the rank of group captain shortly before his sudden death in November 1941 aged forty-seven. (Full article...)
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