Thomas Gerrard (aviator)
Encyclopedia
Major Thomas Francis Netterville Gerrard was an English World War I flying ace
credited with 10 aerial victories. He died in a postwar equestrian accident.
E. L. Gerrard DSO
. The younger Gerrard joined the Royal Naval Air Service
in 1915.
flying boat from the port of Dover
. He was then transferred to "A" Squadron of the RNAS. While flying a Nieuport
fighter plane for them, he scored his first victory.
After a transfer to 1 Naval Squadron, Gerrard was assigned to fly Sopwith Triplane
s; he would score eight victories with them. On 5 December 1916, Flight Lieutenant Gerrard was appointed acting Flight Commander.
Gerrard won a Distinguished Service Cross for his exploits. The citation for it ran in The London Gazette of 20 July 1917:
During a brief posting with 208 Squadron, he used a Sopwith Camel
to down his tenth victim.
On 30 May 1918, Captain Gerrard was promoted to temporary major.
On 1 January 1921, he was promoted to flight lieutenant. On 5 March 1921, he hosted a reunion dinner for 209 Squadron, with 47 attendees. On 29 June 1921, he attended the third annual reunion of RNAS veterans of Dunkirk Station. Gerrard also participated in the Hendon Air Show in 1921, flying a Sopwith Snipe
.
On 21 October 1922, he transferred from the Central Flying School (Inland Area) to the No. 5 Flying Training School (Inland Area).
On 23 February 1923, Gerrard transferred to No. 1 Squadron RAF in Iraq.
Subsequent to that, he was stationed in India. He fell from a polo pony
there in 1923; the fall proved fatal. The date of his death is given as 14 July 1923; locale remains unknown.
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
credited with 10 aerial victories. He died in a postwar equestrian accident.
Early life
Thomas Francis Netterville Gerrard was the son of Brigadier GeneralBrigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
E. L. Gerrard DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
. The younger Gerrard joined the Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
in 1915.
World War I
Gerrard first flew a FBAFranco-British Aviation
Franco-British Aviation was an aircraft manufacturer of the early 20th century, headquartered in London and with its production facilities around Paris. It was established in 1913 by Louis Schreck and André Beaumont and during World War I produced large numbers of small flying boats for the navies...
flying boat from the port of Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
. He was then transferred to "A" Squadron of the RNAS. While flying a Nieuport
Nieuport
Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars.-Beginnings:...
fighter plane for them, he scored his first victory.
After a transfer to 1 Naval Squadron, Gerrard was assigned to fly Sopwith Triplane
Sopwith Triplane
The Sopwith Triplane was a British single seat fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War. Pilots nicknamed it the Tripehound or simply the Tripe. The Triplane became operational with the Royal Naval Air Service in early 1917 and was...
s; he would score eight victories with them. On 5 December 1916, Flight Lieutenant Gerrard was appointed acting Flight Commander.
Gerrard won a Distinguished Service Cross for his exploits. The citation for it ran in The London Gazette of 20 July 1917:
During a brief posting with 208 Squadron, he used a Sopwith Camel
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
to down his tenth victim.
On 30 May 1918, Captain Gerrard was promoted to temporary major.
Post World War I
On 22 April 1919,Gerrard relinquished his posting as acting major and reverted to the rank of captain. On 1 August 1919, he granted a permanent commission as lieutenant during RAF's reorganization.On 1 January 1921, he was promoted to flight lieutenant. On 5 March 1921, he hosted a reunion dinner for 209 Squadron, with 47 attendees. On 29 June 1921, he attended the third annual reunion of RNAS veterans of Dunkirk Station. Gerrard also participated in the Hendon Air Show in 1921, flying a Sopwith Snipe
Sopwith Snipe
The Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe was a British single-seat biplane fighter of the Royal Air Force . It was designed and built by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War, and came into squadron service a few weeks before the end of that conflict, in late 1918.The Snipe was not a fast aircraft...
.
On 21 October 1922, he transferred from the Central Flying School (Inland Area) to the No. 5 Flying Training School (Inland Area).
On 23 February 1923, Gerrard transferred to No. 1 Squadron RAF in Iraq.
Subsequent to that, he was stationed in India. He fell from a polo pony
Polo pony
A polo pony is the term used for a horse used in the game of polo. They may be of any breed or combination of breeds, though many have a significant amount of Thoroughbred breeding. They are called "ponies", but that is in reference to their agile type rather than their size...
there in 1923; the fall proved fatal. The date of his death is given as 14 July 1923; locale remains unknown.
Reference
- Franks, NormanNorman FranksNorman Leslie Robert Franks is an English writer who specialises in aviation books on the pilots and squadrons of World Wars I and II.-Biography:...
Sopwith Triplane Aces of World War 1: Volume 62 of Aircraft of the Aces. Osprey Publishing, 2004. ISBN 184176728X, 9781841767284
List of aerial victories
| No. | Date/time | Aircraft | Foe | Result | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 July 1916 @ 1405 hours | Nieuport Nieuport Nieuport, later Nieuport-Delage, was a French aeroplane company that primarily built racing aircraft before World War I and fighter aircraft during World War I and between the wars.-Beginnings:... fighter |
Fokker Eindekker Fokker E.I |-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Boyne, Walter J. The Smithsonian Book of Flight for Young People. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1988. ISBN 0-689-31422-1.... |
Driven down out of control | Vicinity of Ostend Ostend Ostend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast.... , Belgium |
|
| 2 | 14 April 1917 @ 0820 hours | Sopwith Triplane Sopwith Triplane The Sopwith Triplane was a British single seat fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War. Pilots nicknamed it the Tripehound or simply the Tripe. The Triplane became operational with the Royal Naval Air Service in early 1917 and was... serial number N5440 |
Enemy aircraft | Driven down out of control | Epinoy Épinoy Épinoy is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming village situated southeast of Arras at the junction of the N43 and D21 roads.-Population:-Places of interest:* Traces of an old castle.... , France |
|
| 3 | 24 April 1917 @ 1115 hours | Sopwith Triplane s/n N5440 | Albatros D.III Albatros D.III The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service and the Austro-Hungarian Air Service during World War I. The D.III was flown by many top German aces, including Manfred von Richthofen, Ernst Udet, Erich Löwenhardt, Kurt Wolff, and Karl Emil Schäfer... fighter |
Destroyed | Noyelles, France | |
| 4 | 24 April 1917 @ 1120 hours | Sopwith Triplane s/n N5440 | Albatros D.III | Driven down out of control | South of Wancourt Wancourt Wancourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Wancourt is situated some southeast of Arras, at the junction of the D33 and the D34E roads... , France |
|
| 5 | 29 April 1917 @ 1110 hours | Sopwith Triplane s/n N5440 | Albatros D.III | Driven down out of control | Epinoy | |
| 6 | 19 May 1917 @ 1945 hours | Sopwith Triplane s/n N5440 | Albatros D.III | Driven down out of control | Henin-Lietard | |
| 7 | 4 June 1917 @ 0750 hours | Sopwith Triplane s/n N5440 | Albatros D.III | Driven down out of control | Moorslede Moorslede Moorslede is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Dadizele and Moorslede proper. On 1 January 2006, Moorslede had a total population of 10,618... -Menen Menen Menen is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Menen proper and the towns of Lauwe and Rekkem. The city is situated on the French/Belgian border. On January 1, 2006, Menen had a total population of 32,413... , Belgium |
|
| 8 | 4 June 1917 @ 0800 hours | Sopwith Triplane s/n N5440 | Albatros D.III | Destroyed | Mooreslede-Menen | Victory shared with ace Philip Fullard |
| 9 | 7 June 1917 @ 0600 hours | Sopwith Triplane s/n N6291 | Albatros D.III | Destroyed | Ypres Ypres Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote... , Belgium |
|
| 10 | 6 April 1918 @ 1130 hours | Sopwith Camel Sopwith Camel The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult... s/n B7196 |
Fokker Triplane Fokker Dr.I The Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker was a World War I fighter aircraft built by Fokker-Flugzeugwerke. The Dr.I saw widespread service in the spring of 1918... fighter |
Driven down out of control | Lens Lens -Optics:*Lens , an optical element which converges or diverges light**Lens , a part of the eye**Corrective lens for correction of human vision***Contact lens, placed on the cornea of the eye**Photographic lens, a lens designed for use on a camera... |
Victory shared with aces Wilfred Sneath, Gerald Cooper |