Captain Eric Douglas Cummings (13 April 1896 – 27 October 1979) was an Australian World War I flying ace credited with nine aerial victories while flying for the Australian Flying Corps. Postwar, he was an integral part of fund-raising campaigns to care for his fellow Australian military veterans. He then served in the Royal Air Force reserves until reactivated for service during World War II. Early life Cummings was born to Doctor and Mrs. H. L. Cummings in Franklin, Tasmania, Australia on 13 April 1896. He had a brother, Roy, who would serve in the Australian Flying Corps with him. Cummings (serial number 1026) enlisted in the 2nd Signal Company, Australian Imperial Force on 27 October 1914, giving his profession as cart driver and claiming 15 months prior service in C Company, 93rd Regiment of the militia. He embarked for departure from Australia in December 1914; he was in the 15th Battalion as a bugler. He served in the Gallipoli Campaign before transferring to aviation. World War I aviation service Cummings was assigned to train at the flying school at RAF Shawbury. He completed all phases of his training in three weeks, and was posted to No. 2 Squadron AFC. Although he had yet to score an aerial victory, his rise through the ranks was rapid, and he was appointed Flight Commander on 17 October 1916. He subsequently liaised with Rene Fonck in operations against Manfred von Richthofen's Flying Circus. Details of Cummings' service over the next year and a half are missing. By May 1918, however, he was assigned to 2 Squadron AFC as a Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a pilot. On 3 May 1918, he scored his first aerial victory. His brother Roy mailed home a copy of orders describing the action; this was reprinted in The (Hobart) Mercury in the Cummings' native Tasmania. The reprint gives a vivid description of early aerial warfare: "Lieutenant E. D. Cummings...attacked a...triplane, and fired a burst from both guns into it. The enemy aircraft immediately went down in a spin, followed by Lieutenant Cummings, still firing. The enemy aircraft then turned on its back, and finally crashed....At this point Lieutenant Cummings was attacked by four...triplanes, who shot away his elevator controls, instrument board, petrol and oil tanks; his machine went down almost out of control, but he managed to keep it out of a spin until it...crashed. His safety-belt broke, and he