Ian Napier

Who was Ian Napier?

Captain Ian Patrick Robert Napier MC was a World War I flying ace credited with twelve aerial victories.

On 2 September 1914, Napier was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the 9th Battalion, Princess Louise's Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. On 8 July 1915, he was appointed an aide-de-camp. On 8 February 1916, he was restored to the establishment of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. 9 February promoted Lieutenant. On 4 August 1916, he was simultaneously seconded to the Royal Flying Corps and appointed a Flying Officer.

Napier was assigned to 40 Squadron as a Nieuport pilot. He scored his first victory on 14 April 1917, in the destruction of an Albatros D.III. His second win came ten days later, when he helped Robert A. Little capture a DFW C.V. On 22 May 1917, Napier was promoted to Captain with seniority of 1 June 1916. Rather confusingly, on 5 June 1917 Napier was promoted from Flying Officer to Temporary Captain and Flight Commander.

Napier resumed his victory list after upgrading to a Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a. On 6 March 1918, he destroyed an Albatros D.V. A month later, he scored again. He then accumulated victories until 4 July 1918, when he scored his twelfth. His final tally was seven German planes destroyed, three driven down out of control, and two shared captures of DFW D.Vs.