This fragment from a German anti-aircraft shell ripped into the rigging of Lieutenant Harold Molyneux's SE5A aircraft during a flight in August 1918. Anti-aircraft fire was a constant danger, especially for planes flying low-level ground-support missions. Molyneux transferred into the Royal Flying Corps after recovering from a head wound received at Vimy Ridge. He scored five aerial victories in late 1918, making him an air ace, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his effectiveness in shooting down enemy aircraft, flying low-level patrols, and strafing missions.
Shrapnel Fragment
CWM 19770308-002
Canada and the First World War
