Captain Eliot Millar King earned this Distinguished Flying Cross while piloting Short seaplanes with the RAF’s 64th (Naval) Wing based at Port Said, Egypt during World War One. Flying in more than 60 sorties, he was involved in bombing, ship escort and submarine search. Eliot, already well known in Taranaki as the son of rural magnate, Newton King, earned the respect of many during his military service. His pilot’s log book, which is also held at Puke Ariki, details a bombing raid on the 23 January 1917, when his “machine [was] hit several times by rifle fire, one shot hitting my observer in four places, with fatal results.” Just five days later he was back in the air on a recognisance mission. A testimonial from his commanding officer in 1919 described Eliot as “an extremely efficient seaplane pilot and an energetic and capable officer.” He returned to Taranaki after the war and rejoined the family business.
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