of control" victories; from here on out, the record shows destruction after destruction of the enemy. His June string would only run to 13 June, but in that time, he would destroy four balloons, an observation two-seater and a fighter. Only one fighter went down out of control. On 22 June, he was awarded the Military Cross. July would pass without incident. On 3 August, he was granted one of the first ever Distinguished Flying Crosses. The break in his victory string lasted almost a month, as he went on home leave and helped a recruitment drive for the RAF. On 8 August, he returned and resumed with tally number 29, another balloon. On 9 August, Beauchamp-Proctor was leading No. 84 Squadron on a patrol over their base at Bertangles, with Boudwin and six-foot-four tall, fellow South African Hugh Saunders as wingmen. The threesome got involved in a heated engagement at 2:00 pm, that involved them in combat against Fokker D.VII fighters of JG I, led that day by the future Nazi Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring. Unsuccessful at increasing his total that day, Beauchamp-Proctor would claim an additional 14 aircraft, and end the month with his claims list extended to 43. One memorable day was 22 August; he attacked a line of six enemy balloon over the British 3rd Corps front. He set the first one afire with his machine guns and forced the other five to the ground, the observers taking to their parachutes. His 15 victories for August would include five balloons, all destroyed, and two more two-seater planes. He was now up to 43 victories. His September claims would be all balloons—four of them. In the first few days of October, he would destroy three more balloons and three Fokker D.VII fighters, one of which burned. Another D.VII spun down out of control. On 8 October, he was hit by ground fire and wounded in the arm, ending his front line service. Beauchamp-Proctor's victory total was 54; two (and one shared) captured enemy aircraft, 13 (and three shared) balloons destroyed, 15 (and one shared) aircraft destroyed, and 15 (and one shared) aircraft 'out of control'. His 16 balloons downed made him the leading British Empire balloon buster. On 2 November, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, followed by the Victoria Cross on 30 November. He scored all of his 54 victories in the SE5, becoming the most