Arthur Vigers

Who was Arthur Vigers?

Captain Arthur Whitehair Vigers was a World War I flying ace credited with 14 aerial victories. He was the third ranking of the 27 aces who flew the Sopwith Dolphin.

Vigers first served in the Signals Service, being both Mentioned in Dispatches and awarded a Military Cross in late 1915. He was seconded as an aerial observer to 15 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps on 12 May 1917. Later in 1917, he was trained as a pilot. In April 1918, as the Royal Air Force was formed from the RFC and RNAS, Vigers was assigned to 87 Squadron to fly the new Sopwith Dolphin. On 3 June 1918, he scored his first victories, destroying a Fokker Dr.I triplane and driving an Albatros D.III down out of control over Herbécourt. On 10 August, he became an ace by destroying two Fokker D.VIIs and knocking a third one out of control over Misery, France. Vigers continued to score, and emerged from August with eight victories, and as the C Flight Commander. By 23 September 1918, his tally stood at six enemy planes destroyed, eight driven down out of control. Notably, only two of his triumphs were over two-seater reconnaissance planes; he had a dozen wins over fighters. He would not score again, though he remained with 87 Squadron past war's end, into 1919.