Born 15 NOV 1890 Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, the son of John H. Bonnell. He enlisted in the Canadian Field Artillery, C.E.F., after World War 1 began, and served as a Gunner with service number 41253, later incorporated into the British "Imperial Army," and in France as of 1 Aug 1915. Interested in aviation, he took flight lessons and he qualified as a pilot (Royal Aero Club (RAC) Certificate # 2658 (18th March 1916) at Shoreham, England. The RAC record lists him as a 2nd Lieutenant, Royal Field Artillery, and lists his citizenship as "British" (as Canadians would have been considered at that time). Posted to 32nd Squadron Royal Flying Corps on 15 July 1916. He flew the D.H.2 and on 22 October 1916 engaged and destroyed a German Two-Seater. The destruction of this machine was confirmed by the 67th A.A. Battery. It was the only credit for bringing down an enemy aircraft during his time with the RFC. On 11 December 1916 he was promoted to Flight Commander with a temporary Captain Rank. 24 April 1917 was assigned as acting Squadron Commander with the rank of temporary Major. In June 1917 he was sent to Canada to train American flyers entering the was with the United States Air Service (USAS) and was promoted to the full rank of Captain. In November 1917 he promoted to Major and made a Squadron Commander in Canada. On 1 January 1918 he accepted commission as Major in the USAS and took Command of 17th Aero Squadron in Texas and then took Command of the 147th Aero Squadron in France. He was an American citizen in the postwar years and served in World War II with the United States Army Air Forces--as a Lieutenant Colonel. He died in 1962, at New Haven, Connecticut (according to the Connecticut Death Index, the Social Security Death Index, and the U.S. Veterans' Gravesites listing).
Submitted by:
Daniel C. Williamson
Lieutenant Colonel, Retired U.S.A.
Aviation Lead - Doughboy M.I.A.
www.doughboymia.org