Albert Ball, VC, DSO & double bar, MC, Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, Order of St. George (4th class) (August 14, 1896 - May 7, 1917) was an English First World War fighter pilot and recipient of the Victoria Cross. At the time of his death, he was the leading Allied ace with 44 victories and only trailed the Germans' top ace, Manfred Von Richthofen. He ended up tied for 11th place with Captain J. Gillmore in the top 20 World War One pilots in the British Empire.

On the evening of 7 May near Douai, eleven British aircraft from No. 56 Squadron RFC, including Albert Ball, encountered German fighters from Jasta 11. A running battle was fought in deteriorating visibility, and the aircraft became scattered. Both Lothar von Richthofen and Ball crashed behind German lines. Ball was killed, but von Richthofen survived and was credited by the Germans with shooting Ball down. There is however some doubt as to exactly what happened, especially as Lothar von Richthofen's victory claim was for a Sopwith Triplane rather than an S.E.5, as flown by Ball at this time (the two types are very unlikely to be confused). German propaganda of the time made great play of German aerial aces, and von Richthofen may even have been ordered to make the claim. It is just possible that Ball was not shot down at all, but became disoriented and lost control, a victim of a form of temporary vertigo, that has claimed other pilots since, or that he was shot down, but by a less famous German pilot. It is unlikely we will ever know for certain.

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Just as certainly as many other aces, A.Ball met his demise in a mayhemish game against certain squig herders. Not that the opposition had anything to do with his death...he blocked himself to kingdom come. Undead? Yep, sure.