Gerald Gordon Bell

Gerald Gordon Bell
Nickname(s) Gerry
Born 1890
Hamilton, Ontario
Died 17 January 1989
Allegiance  United Kingdom[1]
Service/branch Royal Flying Corps, Royal Canadian Air Force
Years of service 1936-1961
Rank Captain
Unit No. 17, 22, & No. 47 Squadron RFC, No. 150 Squadron RAF
Awards The Legion of Honor, Croix de Guerre, Distinguished Flying Cross

Gerald Gordon Bell DFC (11 June 1890 - Unknown date) was a Canadian First World War flying ace, officially credited with 16 victories.[2]

During 1917 Bell flew as an observer/gunner with No. 22 Squadron, claiming 3 victories. After training as a pilot, Bell was sent to Greece to fly scouts with 47 Squadron and 150 Sqn.

List of aerial victories

No. Date/time Aircraft Foe Result Location Notes
1 8 April 1917 @ 0700 hours Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2b serial number A5454 Albatros D.III Destroyed Regny Pilot: A W Beale. Victory shared with Llewelyn Davies, Carleton Main Clement, and 8 other pilots.
2 3 May 1917 @ 1730 hours Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2b s/n A855 Albatros D.III Destroyed Pilot: E A H Ward
3 29 July 1917 @ 0650 hours Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2b Two-seater reconnaissance plane Destroyed Tortequesne Pilot: E A H Ward
4 13 April 1918 @ 0730 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n B692 Albatros D.III Destroyed 1500 yards south of Brajkovic Victory shared with Charles D. B. Green
5 13 May 1918 @ 0800 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n B695 Albatros D.III Destroyed Livanovo Victory shared with Acheson Goulding
6 15 May 1918 @ 0530 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n B28 Albatros D.V Destroyed Hudova Victory shared with Frederick Travers
7 1 June 1918 @ 1505 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n B692 Siemens-Schuckert D.III Destroyed Casandale
8 15 June 1918 @ 0915 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n B692 Albatros D.V Destroyed Marinopolje Victory shared with Leslie Hamilton, another pilot
9 18 June 1918 @ 0750 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n B692 Albatros D.V Destroyed North of Paljorca Victory shared with Acheson Goulding
10 23 June 1918 @ 0745 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n B6925 Albatros D.V Destroyed Hill 5401-Rupel Pass Victory shared with Leslie Hamilton
11 9 July 1918 @ 0800 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n B6945 Rumpler reconnaissance plane Destroyed Angista, Greece
12 19 July 1918 @ 0800 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n B692 Albatros D.V Destroyed West of Livanova aerodrome Victory shared with Arthur Jarvis, two other pilots
13 5 August 1918 @ 0815 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n D3945 Siemens-Schuckert D.III Destroyed 3000 yards northwest of Hudova Shared victory
14 15 August 1918 @ 1200 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n D3945 LVG reconnaissance plane Destroyed Seres Uesnik
15 21 August 1918 @ 0910 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n D3945 LVG reconnaissance plane Destroyed Gerejik-Derbent
16 18 September 1918 @ 0630 hours Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a s/n D3945 Fokker fighter Destroyed Karali
[3]

Text of citations

Distinguished Flying Cross

"Lieut. (T./Capt.) Gerald Gordon Bell (E. Ontario R.). This officer has had numerous engagements with hostile aircraft, invariably displaying marked gallantry and leadership of a high order, notably on the 1st of June, when he, accompanied by another pilot, attacked a formation of twelve enemy scouts; he shot down one in flames and drove down others out of control, only breaking off the engagement when all his ammunition had been expended."

References

  1. Canadian airmen were required to complete an Attestation Paper in which they declared an oath of allegiance to King George the Fifth and agreed to serve in any arm of the service for the duration of the war between Great Britain and Germany. aerodrome.com
  2. "WWI Aces of Canada: Gerald Bell". www.theaerodrome.com. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
  3. http://www.theaerodrome.com/aces/canada/bell4.php Retrieved 23 July 2011.



This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, April 27, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.