Aircrew

Profiles of aircrew who served with the Royal Air Force and its predecessor services.

9 Profiles
Featured Aircrew

Wing Commander

Guy Gibson

VC DSO & Bar DFC & Bar
12 August 1918 Distinguished Service Order & Bar

Guy Gibson led 617 Squadron on Operation Chastise, but his wider RAF career spanned 177 operations across Bomber and Fighter Command.

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Nationality British
Service DSO awarded November 1942 for leadership of No. 106 Squadron. Bar awarded March 1943 for continued outstanding service on bomber operations.
Years served 1936 - 1944
Operations flown 177+
Era Second World War

Aircrew · 9 profiles

Aircrew

Alan Jerrard

Flight Lieutenant

VC MiD Bronze Medal of Military Valour (Italy) 3 December 1897–14 May 1968
Aircrew

Douglas Bader

Group Captain

Knight Bachelor CBE DSO & Bar 21 February 1910–5 September 1982
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Aircrew

Frank Whittle

Air Commodore

OM KBE CB 1 June 1907–8 August 1996
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Aircrew

George Walton Holden

Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar (DFC)

Wing Commander By February 1943 he held the Distinguished Flying Cross and was awarded a Bar while serving with 102 Squadron; the published citation referred to a sortie in January 1943 in which, despite severe icing, engine failure and difficulty in controlling the aircraft, he pressed on to bomb his target successfully.
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Aircrew

Guy Gibson

Wing Commander

VC DSO & Bar DFC & Bar 12 August 1918–Distinguished Service Order & Bar
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Aircrew

James McCudden

Major

VC DSO and Bar MC and Bar 28 March 1895–9 July 1918
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Aircrew

John Alexander Cruickshank

Flight Lieutenant

VC AE 20 May 1920–9 August 2025
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Aircrew

Leonard Cheshire

Distinguished Service Order (DSO and Two Bars)

other Awarded for gallantry and distinguished service in bomber operations; awarded early in his operational career, with later Bars recognising further sustained leadership on operations.–Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
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Aircrew

Thomas Mottershead

Sergeant

VC DCM 17 January 1892–12 January 1917