9 ▁in ▁London ▁— ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁in ▁Dur ham ) ▁was ▁a ▁pilot ▁who ▁joined ▁the ▁Royal ▁Naval ▁Air ▁Service ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 7 . ▁He ▁went ▁to ▁France , ▁Italy ▁and ▁later ▁over ▁Turkey . ▁His ▁flying ▁career ▁ended ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁land ▁behind ▁enemy ▁lines ▁in ▁Russia ▁and ▁was ▁taken ▁as ▁a ▁prisoner ▁of ▁war ▁and ▁held ▁for ▁ 1 0 ▁months ▁in ▁Moscow . ▁He ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Dist ingu ished ▁F lying ▁Cross ▁( DF C ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 9 . ▁His ▁cousin , ▁Jack ▁Mant le , ▁was ▁a ▁recip ient ▁of ▁the ▁Victoria ▁Cross . ▁ ▁Service ▁history ▁ ▁Mant le ▁volunte ered ▁for ▁service ▁with ▁the ▁Royal ▁Naval ▁Air ▁Service ▁( R N AS ) ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁but ▁this ▁was ▁merged ▁with ▁the ▁Royal ▁F lying ▁Corps ▁( R FC ) ▁on ▁ 1 ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁to ▁form ▁the ▁world ' s ▁first ▁independent ▁air ▁force , ▁the ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁second ▁lieutenant ▁on ▁prob ation ▁the ▁day ▁the ▁R AF ▁was ▁formed . ▁His ▁service ▁record ▁indicates ▁that ▁from ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 6 ▁to ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁he ▁had ▁been ▁working ▁as ▁a ▁bro ker ' s ▁cl erk ▁at ▁the ▁firm ▁of ▁J ▁Am is ▁on ▁Min cing ▁Lane ▁in ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁London . ▁ ▁It