Albert Ball Statue

About

If you're visiting Nottingham's historic Nottingham Castle, then you have a perfect opportunity to pay tribute to one of the City's heroes from times gone by. Albert Ball was a WWI pilot, who answered the call of his Country in 1914 when Britain declared war on Germany. At the age of 18, Albert was taking to the skies to fight the enemy. He had a natural ability for flying aircraft and in 1915 he paid for flying lessons out of his own money so that he could join the Royal Flying Corps.

Albert recorded 44 victories against Germany, and it is believed that there were many more that were not recorded. During his military career, Albert was awarded the Military Cross and the Distinguished Service Order and two bars and was the first member of the British Army to receive this recognition he later became a triple DSO - the first person to ever achieve such a feat. He was also made an Honourary Freeman of Nottingham.

Albert Ball's final flight was in May 1917, when he was part of a flying patrol. He crashed and died at the scene, although the cause of his crash has never been truly identified. After his death, Albert received the Victoria Cross, and the medal was presented to his family officially by King George V in Nottingham's Old Market Square in July of the same year.

The statue is a fitting tribute to Nottingham's flying hero, and he has gone down in folklore as one of Nottingham's true heroes. The statue was erected in 1921 and has stood in the Castle grounds ever since.

If you want to find out more on Captain Albert Ball as well as other military heroes from Nottingham then visit our War Heroes page.