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Flt. Lt. Alan Jerrard V.C.

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Flight Lieutenant Alan Jerrard born 3rd December 1897 died 14th May 1968 Born in Lewisham he moved in 1902 with his family to Sutton Coldfield where his father Mr H. Gerrand was from 1902 till 1926 headmaster of Bishop Vesey's Grammar School
His citation in " The London Gazette "reads as follows:
"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. 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. 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.
He was 20 years old, and a lieutenant in the 66 Squadron Royal Flying Corps during the First World War when the above deed took place for which he was awarded the VC .He later achieved the rank of Flight Lieutenant.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Air Force Museum (Hendon, England)
Mr. Alan Jerrard died at Lyme Regis in 1968, aged 70 his ashes are interred at Hillingdon Uxbridge
 
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Capt. W.E. Johns, of Biggles fame, also described the exploit of 30th March 1918 which won Lt. Jerrard the Victoria Cross when he was with 66 Squadron R.F.C. on the Italian Front. It follows the official citation quite closely whilst providing something of the professional writer's sense of drama:

" On March 30th he was out on patrol with two other officers when he saw a hostile formation of five machines. He attacked at once with such determination that one fell in flames, although he had to follow it to within a hundred feet of the ground in order to complete its destruction. Glancing round he saw that he had descended near an enemy aerodrome, from which no less than nineteen machines were preparing to take off, but instead of hurrying from such a dangerous vicinity, he turned and attacked the aerodrome and the hostile machines from a height of only fifty feet. He swooped on the first enemy machine to leave the ground and it crashed to destruction. But several of the other machines were soon in the air, and while he was fully occupied with them he saw one of the pilots of his patrol was in difficulties. Without hesitation he raced to his assistance, and regardless of the streams of bullets that converged on him from all sides, he succeeded in driving the attackers away from his comrade, shooting one of them down out of control. This was his third victory within a few minutes. Fresh enemy machines continued to take off from the aerodrome, but still this very brave pilot was undaunted, and he attacked them one after another, only retreating - still engaging five enemy machines - when ordered to do so by his patrol leader. Although wounded, he turned repeatedly and attacked single-handedly the pursuing machines until he was finally overwhelmed by numbers and driven to the ground."​
Alan Jerrard was not the first former pupil of Sutton Coldfield's Bishop Vesey's Grammar School to win the V.C. in the Great War. Charles George Bonner was born in 1884 at Shuttington, Warwickshire and was at the School between 1893 and 1898. In 1917 he was Lt. Bonner, First Lieutenant on a Q ship, HMS Dunraven. On August 8th of that year the ship was engaged by an enemy submarine in the Bay of Biscay and as a result of his bravery during the ensuing battle he was subsequently awarded a V.C.

The citation includes the following comment:
".....for distinguished bravery throughout the engagement and particularly for remaining at his post in charge of his gun's crew, although the ship was being shelled and on fire and he was stationed immediately over the after-magazine, which must inevitably explode if he waited, thereby making certain of the destruction of the U-boat, had not by the worst of luck an explosion blown the gun's crew into the air just as the submarine came clear of the smoke into range".

Charles Bonner survived the incident, later becoming a RN captain and living until 1951. There is a headstone in his memory in Aldridge cemetery.

(Main source: A History of Bishop Vesey's Grammar School - The Twentieth Century by Kerry Osbourne - Published by Sadler House, Sutton Coldfield, 2001 - ISBN 0-9516216-1-0).

I recall from many years ago a plaque within the School commemorating Jerrard's award, but do not remember anything similar for Bonner.

The School was no doubt typical of its type, its Roll of Honour showing 64 ex-pupils who lost their lives in the Great War including three, all Second Lieutenants, on the first day of the Somme, 1st July 1916.
(Source: Pro Patria Mores by Dave Phillips, 1999).

Chris
 
Interesting what you say about Bonner…. Chris as he won the D.S.C. for action that was highly secret and also said of at the time “ Someday the full story of these heroic deeds will be know”
Bonner won his V.C. along with two others on August 8th 1917…
Then Lieutenant C.G.Bonner D.S.C. R.N.R. on the British Ship Dunraven disguised as a merchant ship encountered a German Submarine and allowed the enemy to come closer and followed their carefully rehearsed plan of panic and abandoning the ship as the ship was being shelled …a terrible explosion killed some of the men who stayed behind but the survivors stayed at their posts till the submarine thought it was not in any danger and among the exploding cordite and shells the men managed to torpedo the submarine and were rescued from the sinking ship by Destroyers who came speeding to the rescue
Below......... Pic of Bonner and Jerrand
 
Tomorrow Sunday 4th May I will be at Galley Common just up a bit from Furnace End supporting my son and the Great War Society to raise money for repairing their War Memorial one of the men who lived their was another V.C. holder a chap named Beesley ( Check the web out )
I will also be doing a photo shoot for a book cover ...
Event is free after 1'oclock
Lots to see WW1 and worth a visit it is at the Disabled Riding School Valley Rd Galley Common

P.S Just learned that the Lottery fund has got involved so the War Memorial will be saved ............
Please dont think about things ....Do It
 
I should have said its just through Coleshill on the way to Tamworth or Atherstone and to all those who know ...just past where they have Furnace End car boot ....
 
His ashes are interned in Uxbridge & Hillingdon Cemetery. If anyone wants a picture of the Memorial, just PM me.

Terry
 
Thanks for your interest, Telbert. If at all possible and in order to help the public record which this thread represents it would be very useful if you could post a pic of the memorial here.

Chris
 
Thanks very much for that, Telbert.

On the original photograph are the two bottom lines decipherable? In particular, date of death/age/other comment?

Chris
 
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