Henry Petre

Henry Aloysius Petre
Henry Aloysius Petre
	Henry Petre at Central Flying School, 1914
Nickname(s)	"Peter the Monk"
Born	12 June 1884; Ingatestone, Essex, England
Died	24 April 1962 (aged 77); London, England
Allegiance	Australia; United Kingdom
Service/branch	Australian Military Forces; Royal Air Force
Years of service	1912–19
Rank	Major
Unit	No. 15 Squadron RFC (1917)
Commands held	Central Flying School (1913–15); Mesopotamian Half Flight (1915); No. 30 Squadron RFC (1915–16); No. 5 Squadron AFC (1917–18); No. 75 Squadron RAF (1918–19)
Battles/wars	World War I Middle Eastern theatre Mesopotamian campaign; Battle of Es Sinn; Battle of Ctesiphon; Siege of Kut; ; European theatre;
Awards	Distinguished Service Order; Military Cross; Mentioned in Despatches (4)
Relations	Kay Petre (wife)
Other work	Solicitor

Henry Aloysius Petre, DSO, MC (12 June 1884 – 24 April 1962) was an English solicitor who became Australia's first military aviator and a founding member of the Australian Flying Corps, the predecessor of the Royal Australian Air Force. Born in Essex, Petre forsook his early legal career to pursue an interest in aviation, building his own aeroplane and gaining employment as an aircraft designer and pilot. In 1912, he answered the Australian Defence Department's call for pilots to form an aviation school, and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Australian Military Forces. The following year, he chose the site of the country's first air base at Point Cook, Victoria, and established its inaugural training institution, the Central Flying School, with Eric Harrison.

Shortly after the outbreak of World War I, Petre was appointed commander of the Mesopotamian Half Flight, the first unit of the newly formed Australian Flying Corps to see active service. He led the Half Flight through the Battles of Es Sinn and Ctesiphon, and the siege of Kut. His actions in the Middle East earned him the Distinguished Service Order, the Military Cross, and four mentions in despatches. Transferring to the Royal Air Force as a major in 1918, he commanded No. 75 Squadron before retiring from the military the following year. Petre resumed his legal practice in England, and continued to fly recreationally until his death in 1962, aged seventy-seven. He was married to racing driver Kay Petre.