List of Victoria Cross recipients of the Royal Air Force facts for kids
The Victoria Cross (VC) is a military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of armed forces of some Commonwealth countries and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other postnominals and medals. It can be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and civilians under military command, and is presented to the recipient by the British monarch during an investiture held at Buckingham Palace. It is the joint highest award for bravery in the United Kingdom with the George Cross, which is the equivalent honour for valour not "in the face of the enemy". The VC has been awarded on 1356 occasions to 1353 individual recipients.
The ribbon is crimson, 38 mm (1.5 inches) wide. The original (1856) specification for the award stated that the ribbon should be red for army recipients and blue for naval ones. However the dark blue ribbon was abolished soon after the formation of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918. On 22 May 1920 King George V signed a warrant that stated all recipients would now receive a red ribbon and the living recipients of the naval version were required to exchange their ribbons for the new colour.
There have been a total of 26 recipients of the VC who were serving in the Royal Air Force, including the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, at the time of their valiant deed or deeds. First World War VCs awarded to airmen in the Royal Flying Corps (13 in total) and the Royal Naval Air Service (2 in total) are not listed below, see the RN page for the RNAS recipients. The vast majority of air force VCs awarded in a single conflict were for the Second World War, with the majority being won by Bomber Command aircrew and only one going to Fighter Command. Second World War dominion air force personnel under RAF command are not listed below. Their tally is as follows: Royal New Zealand Air Force (3 awards), Royal Australian Air Force (2 awards), Royal Canadian Air Force (2 awards), South African Air Force (1 award). Additionally, two Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm airmen won the VC during the Second World War, one of whom was attached from the Royal Canadian Navy.
All of the 26 men who won the VC while serving in the RAF were aircrew. Although no RAF ground branch officers or tradesmen have ever won the VC while serving in the RAF, Group Captain F H Kirby, who was an RAF equipment officer, won the VC for his actions during the Second Boer War when he was a corporal in the Royal Engineers. No RAF personnel have been awarded the VC since the end of the Second World War.
Recipients
This along with the * indicates that the Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously
| 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 |
Andrew c. Mynarski 419 Sq 12 June 1944 Second World War France
