Herbert Bellerby


Herbert Bellerby was a Royal Flying Corps pilot of World War I. He is mainly known for being the second kill of Manfred von Richthofen, AKA The Red Baron, over Cambrai Road, near Bapaume.

Life and career

Bellerby was born second of three sons in Doncaster, England, to Henry Thomas and Mary Eleanor Bellerby. On 25 September 1914, whilst his brothers joined the Westminster Dragoons, he enlisted in the City of London Yeomanry. He later transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, and after training joined 27 Squadron. On 23 September 1916, whilst flying an flying a Martinsyde G.100 elephant plane, he and five other planes broke off from 27 Squadron on an offensive patrol over Cambrai. The Third Battle of the Somme was being fought below them when five German planes, including Richthofen who was flying an Albatros D.II, attacked Bellerby's formation, all of which were shot down. Richthofen personally killed Bellerby, whose body was found in his crash site on ground. Richthofen supposedly shot a total of around 400 rounds at Bellerby. He is commemorated on the Arras Flying Services Memorial.
Further biographical information is available on the Bancroft's School Honours Board