List of Victoria Cross recipients of the Royal Air Force facts for kids
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest award for bravery in the United Kingdom. It is given to members of the armed forces from some Commonwealth countries. This award is for showing amazing courage "in the face of the enemy." It is the most important medal someone can receive. Anyone in the military, no matter their rank, can earn it. Even civilians working with the military can get it. The British monarch gives the award to the person at Buckingham Palace. The VC is just as important as the George Cross. The George Cross is for bravery when not facing the enemy. So far, the VC has been given out 1356 times to 1353 different people.
The ribbon for the Victoria Cross is a deep red color. It is about 38 millimeters (1.5 inches) wide. When the award was first created in 1856, army members got a red ribbon. Navy members received a blue ribbon. But this changed after the Royal Air Force (RAF) was formed in 1918. In 1920, King George V decided that all VC recipients would have a red ribbon. Those who had the blue navy ribbon had to switch it for a red one.
RAF Heroes: Victoria Cross Recipients
A total of 26 brave people serving in the Royal Air Force (RAF) have received the Victoria Cross. This includes those from the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. They earned this award for their heroic actions. Airmen from the First World War who served in the Royal Flying Corps (13 awards) or the Royal Naval Air Service (2 awards) are not on this list. You can find them on the Royal Navy VC list.
Most of the RAF Victoria Crosses were given during the Second World War. Many of these awards went to aircrew from Bomber Command. Only one was given to someone from Fighter Command. Air force members from other Commonwealth countries who served under RAF command also earned VCs. These include three from the Royal New Zealand Air Force, two from the Royal Australian Air Force, two from the Royal Canadian Air Force, and one from the South African Air Force. Also, two Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm airmen won the VC in the Second World War. One of them was from the Royal Canadian Navy.
All 26 people who won the VC while in the RAF were aircrew. This means they flew the planes. No RAF ground staff or officers have won the VC while serving in the RAF. However, Group Captain F H Kirby did win the VC. He was an RAF equipment officer. But he won his VC during the Second Boer War when he was a corporal in the Royal Engineers. No RAF personnel have received the Victoria Cross since the end of the Second World War.
Victoria Cross Recipients in the Royal Air Force
This color and the * mean the Victoria Cross was given after the person died
| Name | Unit | Date of action | Conflict | Place of action | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward Mannock | No. 74 Squadron and No. 85 Squadron |
17 June 1918 to 26 July 1918* |
First World War | Western Front | |
| Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor | No. 84 Squadron | 8 August 1918 to 8 October 1918 |
First World War | Western Front | |
| Ferdinand West | No. 8 Squadron | 10 August 1918 | First World War | Near Ham and Hombleux, France | |
| William Barker | No. 201 Squadron (attached) | 27 October 1918 | First World War | Over the Forêt de Mormal, France | |
| Donald Garland | No. 12 Squadron | 12 May 1940* | Second World War | Over the Albert Canal, Belgium | |
| Thomas Gray | No. 12 Squadron | 12 May 1940* | Second World War | Over the Albert Canal, Belgium | |
| Roderick Learoyd | No. 49 Squadron | 12 August 1940 | Second World War | Over the Dortmund-Ems Canal, Germany | |
| James Nicolson | No. 249 Squadron | 16 August 1940 | Second World War | Near Southampton, England | |
| John Hannah | No. 83 Squadron | 15 September 1940 | Second World War | Over Antwerp, Belgium | |
| Kenneth Campbell | No. 22 Squadron | 6 April 1941* | Second World War | Over Brest Harbour, France | |
| Hughie Edwards | No. 105 Squadron | 4 July 1941 | Second World War | Over the port of Bremen, Germany | |
| Arthur Scarf | No. 62 Squadron | 9 December 1941* | Second World War | Over and on return from Singora, Thailand | |
| John Nettleton | No. 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron | 17 April 1942 | Second World War | On the outward flight and over Augsburg, Germany | |
| Leslie Manser | No. 50 Squadron | 30 May 1942 to 31 May 1942* |
Second World War | Over and attempting to return from Cologne, Germany | |
| Hugh Malcolm | No. 18 Squadron | 4 December 1942* | Second World War | Near Chougui, Tunisia | |
| Guy Gibson | No. 617 Squadron | 16 May 1943 to 17 May 1943 |
Second World War | Over the Möhne and Eder dams, Germany | |
| Arthur Aaron | No. 218 Squadron | 12 August 1943* | Second World War | Over Turin, Italy and on the return flight to Bone, North Africa | |
| William Reid | No. 61 Squadron | 3 November 1943 | Second World War | On the outward flight and over and returning from Düsseldorf, Germany | |
| Cyril Barton | No. 578 Squadron | 30 March 1944* | Second World War | On the outward flight and over and returning from Nuremberg, Germany | |
| Norman Jackson | No. 106 Squadron | 26 April 1944 to 27 April 1944 |
Second World War | Attempting to return from Schweinfurt, Germany | |
| John Cruickshank | No. 210 Squadron | 17 July 1944 to 18 July 1944 |
Second World War | North Atlantic | |
| Ian Bazalgette | No. 635 Squadron | 4 August 1944* | Second World War | Over Trossy St. Maximin and flying to Senantes, France | |
| Leonard Cheshire | Several bomber squadrons | 1940 to 1944 | Second World War | Western Europe | |
| David Lord | No. 271 Squadron | 19 September 1944* | Second World War | Over Arnhem, Holland | |
| Robert Palmer | No. 109 Squadron | 23 December 1944* | Second World War | Over Cologne, Germany | |
| George Thompson | No. 9 Squadron | 1 January 1945* | Second World War | Over the Dortmund-Ems Canal, Germany |
