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| Name: |
Gerald Pilditch |
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| Country: |
South Africa |
| Rank: |
Lieutenant |
| Service: |
Royal Flying Corps
Royal Air Force |
| Units: |
73 |
| Victories: |
5 |
| Born: |
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| Place of Birth: |
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| Died: |
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| Place of Death: |
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On the afternoon of 11 June 1918, American pilot J. H. Ackermann was wounded in a fight with six Fokker D.VIIs. Attempting to escape, he struggled desperately to evade the three enemy planes on his tail. Observing Ackermann's dilemma, Gerald Pilditch intervened with his Sopwith Camel, shooting down one of the Fokkers and driving off the other two. |
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| Military Cross (MC) |
T./2nd Lt. Gerald Pilditch, Gen. List and
R.F.C.
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He engaged the enemy massed ready for an attack from a height of 300 feet, using up all his ammunition and scattering the enemy in all directions, inflicting very heavy casualties. Previously to this he had dived and fired on a hostile battery until he had silenced it, and had also destroyed an enemy triplane and a two-seater machine. His work has been of the highest order, and he has shown the greatest courage and energy in attacking ground targets.
Supplement to the London Gazette, 22 June 1918 (30761/7420) |
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| Victories |
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Date |
Time |
Unit |
Aircraft |
Opponent |
Location |
| 1 |
22 Mar 1918 |
1510 |
73 |
Sopwith Camel (B2396) |
Fokker DR.I (OOC) |
Marteville |
| 2 |
24 Mar 1918 |
1045 |
73 |
Sopwith Camel (B2396) |
LVG C (DES) |
Vermand |
| 3 |
11 Apr 1918 |
1910 |
73 |
Sopwith Camel (D6462) |
Albatros D.V (OOC) |
Villers-Bret'x |
| 4 |
21 May 1918 |
1910 |
73 |
Sopwith Camel (D6462) |
Fokker DR.I (OOC) |
Fleurbaix |
| 5 |
11 Jun 1918 |
1350 |
73 |
Sopwith Camel (D6572) |
Fokker D.VII (DES) |
Rollot |
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