Desmond Fitzgibbon  Flight Lieutenant Desmond Fitzgerald Fitzgibbon (b. 1 November 1890) was a British flying ace who served in the Royal Naval Air Service during World War I, and was credited with eight aerial victories. He returned to serve in the RAF for a few years in the early 1920s, and again during World War II. Desmond Fitzgerald Fitzgibbon was born in Hampstead, London, on 1 November 1890, the younger son of Gerald FitzGibbon and Margaret Mary (née Matthews) of "The Lodge", Steele's Road, Hampstead. Fitzgibbon joined the Royal Naval Air Service on 28 May 1916. He received Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate No. 3529 after flying a Maurice Farman biplane at Royal Naval Air Station Cranwell, on 14 August 1916, and was promoted from probationary flight sub-lieutenant to flight sub-lieutenant on 11 October 1916, with seniority backdated to his date of enlistment. Fitzgibbon was eventually posted to No. 3 Wing RNAS, based at Luxeuil-les-Bains Aerodrome, in March 1917. The unit had been created the previous year to carry out strategic bombing raids, and equipped with the Sopwith 1½ Strutter Type 9700 light bomber, but was now in the process of being run down, as its aircraft were rendered obsolete by the introduction of the Handley Page 0/100 twin-engined heavy bomber. Fitzgibbon arrived in time to take part in its final mission, a raid on Freiburg on 14 April 1917. As part of "B" Flight, he dropped his bombs on the target in the face of heavy enemy anti-aircraft fire, observing several fires on the ground. However, while heading home engine problems reduced his speed, and he lost contact with the rest of the wing, finally crossing the lines alone and landing at Ochey. No. 3 Wing was then disbanded. Fitzgibbon was one of five pilots assigned to "C" Flight of No. 10 Squadron RNAS in early 1917, being posted there on 5 May; the four Canadians in the flight with him all became casualties or were transferred. He scored his first two victories (both shared) on 5 June 1917, flying a Sopwith Triplane. Two further victories followed on 15 June, and his fifth on the 25th. On 27 August he was appointed an acting flight-lieutenant, with seniority from 3 August.