Victoria Cross awards

[Silky]

Evening all.

With reference to Ball, McCudden, Mannock and Mcleod (pardon the alliteration) can someone point me in the right direction so that I can view the VC award citations for these chaps. I need to ascertain the dates on which the awards were made (not the dates of the deeds that led to the awards). I have looked at a few of the VC websites but could not see the citation dates anywhere.

Thanks

[stevedrew]

Silky,

I recently was sifting through my research material, and came across the VC citations for Lt Alan Jerrard and 2nd Lt McLeod.

Taken directly from the London Gazette, Tuesday 30th April, 1918 (but I believe this was in a supplement issued on 1st May if I remember correctly). To locate an original copy, go to the biggest Library in your vicinity (State Library, National Library etc. as the local library may not have all the issues of the London Gazette that you require). Find the date of the AWARDING of the VC (possibly from the VC website). Ask the library for the London Gazette for THAT DATE. They will be bound in hundreds of volumes, and if you request a certain date, they should understand that (for instance) it will be in, say, the London Gazette that contains the date you seek.

I quote:

"His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to award the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned Officers of the Royal Air Force for services displaying outstanding bravery:-

Lt Alan Jerrard, Royal Air Force (formerly of the South Staffordshire Regiment).

When on an offensive patrol with two other officers he attacked five enemy aeroplanes and shot one down in flames, following it down to within one hundred feet of the ground.
He then attacked an enemy aerodrome from a height of only fifty feet off the ground, and, engaging single-handed some nineteen machines, which were either landing or attempting to take off, succeeded in destroying one of them, which crashed on the aerodrome. A large number of machines then attacked him, and whilst thus fully occupied he observed that one of the pilots of his patrol was in difficulties. He went immediately to his assistance, regardless of his own personal safety, and destroyed a third enemy machine.
Fresh enemy aeroplanes continued to rise from the aerodrome, which he attacked one after another, and only retreated, still engaged with five enemy machines, when ordered to do so by his patrol leader. Although apparently wounded, this very gallant officer turned repeatedly, and attacked single-handed the pursuing machines, until he was eventually overwhelmed by numbers and driven to the ground. Lt Jerrard had greatly distinguished himself on four previous occasions, within a period of twenty-three days, in destroying enemy machines, displaying bravery and ability of the very highest order.

2nd Lt Alan Arnett McLeod, Royal Air Force.

Whilst flying with his observer (Lt W. Hammond, MC), attacking hostile formations by bombs and machine-gun fire, he was assailed at a height of 5,000 feet by eight enemy triplanes, which dived at him from all directions, firing from their front guns. By skilful manoeuvring he enabled his observer to fire bursts at each machine in turn, shooting three of them down out of control. By this time Lt McLeod had received five wounds, and whilst continuing the engagement a bullet penetrated his petrol tank and set the machine on fire.
He then climbed out on to the left bottom plane, controlling the machine from the side of the fuselage, and by side-slipping steeply kept the flames to one side, thus enabling the observer to continue firing until the ground was reached.
The observer had been wounded six times when the machine crashed in "No Man's Land", and 2nd Lt McLeod, notwithstanding his own wounds, dragged him away from the burning wreckage at great personal risk from heavy machine-gun fire from the enemy's lines. This very gallant pilot was again wounded by a bomb whilst engaged in this act of rescue, but he persevered until he had placed Lt Hammond in comparative safety, before falling himself from exhaustion and loss of blood."

End Quote.

Unbelievable bravery! Truly courageous.

I don't have the citations for Ball, Mannock, McCudden etc, but you will probably find that their awards were for continuous bravery over a lengthy period (I'm pretty sure Mannock's is like this), not individual acts of bravery.

Steve Drew

[MikeW]

Silky,

you don't need to go anywhere near a library, the London Gazette is searchable on-line:

London Gazette


Mike

[Barrett]

Silky, for future reference, you might post medal-related questions in that portion of the forum. While gongs are awarded to People, posting under Medals and Decorations makes it much easier to find the thread when any of us want to refer back and possibly add information.

[Silky]

Thanks very much Mike and Steve - I found what I needed in the London Gazette.

Barrett - point taken.