Great Britain. A War Medal To Capt.mather, 3N Squadron, Rnas, Shot Down By Plm Recipient

A War Medal to Captain Arthur Stuart Mather, 3 Naval Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service (later Royal Air Force), Shot Down by Pour le Mérite Recipient Oberleutnant Adolf, Ritter von Tutschek, Jasta 12; (CAPT. A.S. MATHER. R.A.F.). Naming is officially impressed. Original ribbon, edge nicks, bruised, light contact, very fine.

Footnote: Arthur Stuart Mather was born on February 26, 1895. Flight Sub Lieutenant Mather was at Marieux in the Somme on the morning of May 1, 1917, when he was sent on a mission with "C" Flight of 3 Naval Squadron, Royal Naval Air Service, aboard Sopwith Pup (N6196). Three flights of 3 Naval Squadron took off at 9:00 a.m. on May 1, 1917, to escort the FE2bs of 18 Squadron on a reconnaissance to Cambrai. "B" Flight led by Breadner were the close escort. "A" Flight led by Casey were above them. "C" Flight led by Armstrong, were still higher at 12,000 feet, with Flight Sub Lieutenant Arthur Stuart Mather flying with this unit. There were lots of enemy aircraft about and "C" Flight were attacked soon after crossing the lines. Armstrong was sparring with a black Albatros Scout and another went to his aid. Together, they drove him down to 8,000 feet and there left him to pick up the FEs again. They were were miles ahead and "C" Flight could not catch up and eventually lost them completely because enemy aircraft were diverting their attention all the time. Breadner and "B" Flight were chased all the way back by fourteen enemy aircraft while Casey and "A" Flight picked up a wrong formation of FEs and could not be seen at all. When they arrived back at Marieux, there was much argument about this state of confusion which had prevailed. The FEs arrived home safely, but Fall with "B" Flight had been shot down by enemy aircraft. Flight Sub Lieutenant Arthur Stuart Mather, "C" Flight, was reported "missing" and was later confirmed as a Prisoner of War, having been shot down by Oberleutnant Adolf, Ritter von Tutschek of Jasta 12 for his third victory. Adolf, Ritter von Tutschek (May 16, 1891- March 15, 1918) was a professional soldier turned aviator who became a leading fighter ace with twenty-seven victories. As German air strategy turned towards concentrated air power, he was entrusted with one of the world's first fighter wings. In May 1917, he claimed a trio of Sopwith Pups of 3 Naval Squadron, RNAS shot down. On May 1st, he downed Flight Sub Lieutenant Arthur Stuart Mather, on May 4th it was Canadian Flight Sub-Lieutenant Harry Stephen Murton, while on May 11th, he claimed Flight Sub-Lieutenant Hubert Broad, his Sopwith Pup spinning uncontrollably and Broad shot through the mouth. Broad, however, recovered control of his Pup, landing at base and being hospitalized. Ritter von Tutsckek was a recipient of the Pour le Mérite, Royal House Order of Hohenzollern, Iron Cross and Military Order of Max Joseph.