Earl Hand

Earl McNabb Hand
Nickname(s)	Handie
Born	10 March 1897 Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada
Died	19 March 1954 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Allegiance	George V of the British Empire
Service/branch	Flying service
Rank	Captain
Unit	No. 71 Squadron RFC, No. 73 Squadron RFC, No. 45 Squadron RAF,
Awards	Distinguished Flying Cross, French Croix de Guerre

Captain Earl McNabb Hand was a World War I flying ace credited with five confirmed aerial victories and two unconfirmed ones.

Hand began his victory roll while flying a Sopwith Camel for 45 Squadron. He tallied his first win when he drove an Albatros D.V down out of control at Langemark-Poelkapelle, Belgium on 15 November 1917. After 45 Squadron shifted from the Western Front to Italy, Hand had a couple of unconfirmed claims on 11 January 1918; he then scored four times between 30 January and 9 May 1918. A summary of his victories shows four destroyed enemy airplanes, one confirmed and two unconfirmed driven down out of control. On 1 June 1918, Hand was shot down by Austro-Hungarian ace Frank Linke-Crawford. Linke-Crawford hit the gas tank of Hand's Camel and set it afire; somehow, Hand survived both the flames and the impact of the crash. However, he was badly burned and taken prisoner.

Hand was repatriated in 1919 and returned to Canada. He became a magistrate. He also helped found the Toronto Flying Club.

References

Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920. Christopher F. Shores, Norman L. R. Franks, Russell Guest. Grub Street, 1990. ISBN 0-948817-19-4, ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.