The Victoria Cross Flight

Billy Bishop took off before 4:00 am on 2 June, 1917, a morning of cloud and rain, and headed toward Cambrai to a German areodrome.

He dived on the field in the first light of dawn and fired toward the tent hangars. Four Albatross pilots tried to take off to get at him. Bishop shot one of them up as it's wheels left the ground. He turned back over the field and fired at a second one. He missed, but the pilot crashed anyway.

The other two Albatross took off in opposite directions, one of them flying away, one of them scraping with Bishop before being shot down over a near field.

Billy Bishop was awarded the Victoria Cross for his "Dawn Attack". (See painting below)

The Victoria Cross is in recognition of most exceptional bravery displayed in presence of the enemy.