Royal Flying Corps 33 Squadron
Died 24th December 1916 – age 23.
Lt. Brophy lived in Ottawa, Canada and was born on 4th September 1893.
He is remembered in the 1917 Ottawa Collegiate Institute Yearbook, which states that he had an enviable record in football, hockey, and baseball.
When he went to McGill University, he played full-back for the University’s football team. We also know he liked to row and was keen on athletics.
He wrote many letters home, and there is more about his life in Peter Bradshaw’s book: “Gainsborough’s War Story – Book 4”.
He enlisted in October 1915 and served with the Canadian Engineers, later transferring to the R.F.C. He learned to fly on flying boards and gained his pilot’s certificate flying a Maurice Farman Biplane at the Military School, Birmingham, on 17th January 1916. He graduated as a Flying Officer on 23rd April 1916.
Lt. Brophy served on the Western Front and was injured when he crashed on landing in France on 14th August 1916. He was taking part in home defence duties when he was killed in a flying accident at Hibaldstow.
He was flying at around 5,000 feet, around 4.30 pm, when his plane became unmanageable and spun back to earth, killing him instantly.” The Court of Inquiry said” Accident caused by lower part main plane being pulled out of position owing to the unusual strain of the very sharp loops made by the pilot – causing the front-main spar of that plane to be pulled out of its socket and that from this moment the machine was uncontrollable.”
Lt. Brophy was the first R.F.C. airman to be buried in the General Cemetery.
