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The RAF Chronicle
5 September

On This Day, 1940: On 5 September 1940, Bromide jamming was used operationally against German navigation beams, marking the practical beginning of…

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Aircrew

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

10 Profiles
Featured Aircrew

Flight Lieutenant

Alan Jerrard

VC MiD Bronze Medal of Military Valour (Italy) Order of St Anna 3rd Class (Russia)
3 December 1897 14 May 1968 aged 70

Alan Jerrard VC was a First World War fighter pilot whose action over Italy made him one of the earliest figures linked to RAF history.

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Nationality British
Service British Army; Royal Flying Corps; Royal Air Force
Years served 1916-1933
Era First World War

Aircrew · 10 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

Robert Stanford Tuck

Air Vice-Marshal

DSO DFC and Two Bars AFC 1 July 1916–5 May 1987
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Aircrew

Thomas Mottershead

Sergeant

VC DCM 17 January 1892–12 January 1917

The RAF Chronicle

An independent publication exploring the history of the Royal Air Force and British military aviation. Not affiliated with Ministry of Defence.

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