Robert A. Little

Robert Alexander Little
Studio portrait of Robert A. Little
Nickname(s)	"Rikki"
Born	19 July 1895 Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia
Died	27 May 1918(1918-05-27) (aged 22) Nœux, France
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Naval Air Service Royal Air Force
Years of service	1916–18
Rank	Captain
Unit	No. 8 Squadron RNAS (1916–17) No. 203 Squadron RAF (1918)
Battles/wars	World War I Western Front
Awards	Distinguished Service Order & Bar Distinguished Service Cross & Bar Mentioned in Despatches Croix de guerre (France)

Robert Alexander Little, DSO & Bar, DSC & Bar (19 July 1895 – 27 May 1918), a World War I fighter pilot, is generally regarded as the most successful Australian flying ace, with an official tally of forty-seven victories. Born in Victoria, he travelled to England in 1915 and learned to fly at his own expense before joining the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). Posted to the Western Front in June 1916, he flew Sopwith Pups, Triplanes and Camels with No. 8 Squadron RNAS, achieving thirty-eight victories within a year and earning the Distinguished Service Order and Bar, the Distinguished Service Cross and Bar, and the French Croix de guerre. Rested in July 1917, he volunteered to return to the front in March 1918 and scored a further nine victories with No. 3 Squadron RNAS (later No. 203 Squadron RAF) before he was killed in action on the night of 27 May, aged twenty-two.