[BIOGRAPHY]
A boyhood member of the Greenock Boy's Brigade (see named silver medal at left) and while comparatively young at the age of 17, Devlin joined the Territorials in his native town as a bugler and was included in the unit shooting team. He then left this country and went to British Guiana where he was employed in the analytical branch of their sugar industry.
On the outbreak of WWI Mr Devlin was keen to join the colours and linked up with the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders where he was known as HARRY DEVLIN. He served in "C" Coy of 1/5th A&SH with whom he did valuable work as a gymnastics instructor.
As a young lieutenant he had a reputation as a talented tennis player and was not unfamiliar with boxing.
He later secured a commission in the Royal Flying Corp and successfully undertook pilot training. His original and very scarce RFC wings and an officers' cap badge are included in the grouping.
He was Killed-in-Action on 19th September 1917 while at the controls of a No. 9 Sqd RE.8 [B5012] during a combat near Langemark (BOESINGHE) while on an artillery support observation sortie during the action for control of The Menin Road Ridge:
[THE MEDAL & MINIATURE OF MR H DEVLIN SENIOR, HARRY's FATHER]
Lt Henry Little Devlin (Pilot) (27) was the Son of:
141. SGT/ LIEUT. H. DEVLIN, A & S Hhrs & ANNE D. DEVLIN (nee' Davidson) of:
Victoria Place, 32 Kelly Street, Greenock.
Also killed during the combat was Devlin's Observer,
2/Lt Frederick Adam Wright, (24)
(Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry) att: RFC
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Wright, of 49, Co-operative St., Derby.
[ERWIN BOHME]
The kill was claimed by Erwin Bohme, Jasta 2, at 10.47am 19.9.1917. THE 14th VICTIM of FAMOUS GERMAN ACE, ERWIN BOHME, the Commanding Officer of Jasta 2 who while flying an army support sortie in an Albatross on 28th October 1916 famously collided with the aircraft of non other than OSWALD BOELCKE the famous aviator who virtually pioneered the rules and techniques of air fighting. Boelcke who was the mentor and tutor of Baron Manfred Von Richthofen was killed, and it's well known that Richthofen never actually got over the death of his closest friend.
Henry is buried and commemorated with eternal honour at MENDINGHEM MILITARY CEMETERY, Belguim. Grave Reference V. D. 36.
His grave epitaph reads: "THY WILL BE DONE"
An exceptionally important casualty assembly involving a famous German Ace and two of our courageous RFC officers which took place at the very dawn of air fighting over the battlefields of France.
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