For Valour: Lieutenant Alan Jerrard, Royal Air Force VC, MVB

3 December 1897 – 14 May 1968

March 30, 1918, over Italy

Lieutenant Jerrard has the distinction of being the only member of the RFC/RAF to have been awarded a VC on the Italian Front, where British and Italian armies were facing Austro-Hungarian forces.
 Jerrard’s personal VC (RAF Museum 80D551)

Lieutenant Jerrard was a member of 66 Squadron based at San Pietro-in-Gu, just north of Gossa. On 30 March, 1918, he and two other pilots flew an offensive patrol towards Austrian lines; Jerrard was in Sopwith Camel B5648.

Sopwith Camel with unknown RFC officers (RAF Museum X003-2602/1544)

THE LONDON GAZETTE WEDNESDAY, 1 MAY, 1918

‘His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to award the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned Officer of the Royal Air Force, for services displaying outstanding bravery: — Lt. Alan Jerrard, Royal Air Force (formerly of the South Staffordshire Regiment).

Sopwith Camel in flight (RAF Museum X003-2602/15886)

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 from 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.

Restored Sopwith Camel at RAF Museum London circa 2014

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.

Jerrard captured by Austrian troops after crashing (RAF Museum PC/71/19/28/4)

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.’

Image reference: (RAF Museum X004-7598/021)

The exact circumstances of the combats for which the VC were awarded are contentious: the British and Austrian records differing markedly. A comprehensive analysis may be found in Bowyer’s ‘For Valour’, a copy of which is held by the RAF Museum’s Reading Room in London (see Bibliography).

At the end of the action, Jerrard was finally shot down and captured, spending the remainder of the war as a PoW. After repatriation, he resumed an RAF career but in 1933 was forced by ill health to retire.

He was cremated at the Exeter & Devon Crematorium, Exeter; his ashes were interred at Uxbridge and Hillingdon Cemetery, Middlesex, where his name is incorporated into a family headstone.

Jerrard family grave
(Author via The War Graves Photographic Project www.twgpp.org)

His VC is held by the Royal Air Force Museum. The decoration ‘M.V.B.’ is the Italian Medaglia al Valore di Bronzo (Medal for Valour, Bronze).

Credits:

• Citation: London Gazette 1 May 1918
• Additional biographical details: For Valour: The Air VCs Chaz Bowyer, Grub Street Publishing.
• Grave photo: Author via The War Graves Photographic Project (www.twgpp.org)