List of RAF aircrew in the Battle of Britain (G–K)

The following is a list of pilots and other aircrew who flew during the Battle of Britain, and were awarded the Battle of Britain ClaspThe MOD to the 1939–45 Star by flying at least one authorised operational sortie with an eligible unit of the Royal Air Force or Fleet Air Arm during the period from 0001 hours on 10 July to 2359 hours 31 October 1940.

History

In 1942, the Air Ministry made the decision to compile a list from records of the names of pilots who had lost their lives as a result of the fighting during the Battle of BritainThis was initially regarded as being from 8 August to 31 October 1940; however, the dates were later amended to also include those who lost their lives between 10 July and 7 August. for the purpose of building a national memorial. This became the Battle of Britain Chapel at Westminster Abbey, which was unveiled by King George VI on 10 July 1947.Ramsay 1989, p.253. The Roll of Honour within the Chapel contains the names of 1,497 pilots and aircrew killed or mortally wounded during the Battle.The Royal Air Force Chapel, Westminster Abbey RAF media files. Retrieved on 15 April 2009.

Nothing was done officially, however, to define the qualifications for the classification of a Battle of Britain airman until 9 November 1960. AMO N850, published by the Air Ministry, stated for the first time the requirements for the awarding of the Battle of Britain Star, and listed the 71 units which were deemed to have been under the control of RAF Fighter Command.Ramsay 1989, p.254.

In 1955 Flt Lt John Holloway, a serving RAF officer, began a personal challenge to compile a complete list of "The Few". After fourteen years of research Flt Lt Holloway had 2,946 names on the list. Of these airmen, 537 were killed during the Battle or later died of wounds received.

The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust, founded by Geoffrey Page, raised funds for the construction of the Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne near Folkestone in Kent. The Memorial, unveiled by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother on 9 July 1993, shares the site with the Christopher Foxley-Norris Memorial Wall on which a complete list of "The Few" is engraved.Home page The Battle of Britain Memorial Trust. Retrieved on 15 April 2009.

More recently, the Battle of Britain Monument on the Victoria Embankment in London was unveiled on 18 September 2005 by Their Royal Highnesses the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall. The idea for the monument was conceived by the Battle of Britain Historical Society which then set about raising funds for its construction. The outside of the monument is lined with bronze plaques listing all the Allied airmen who took part in the Battle.Battle of Britain London Monument – project history Retrieved on 15 April 2009.

G NameRankNationalitySqn during BattleAwardsNotesGabszewicz, Aleksander KlemensFg OffPOL607 SqnVM V & IV, KW***, DSO, DFCDied 1983Gadd, James EdwardSgtBR611 SqnGage, Douglas HughPlt OffBR602 SqnMIA 6 June 1941Gallus, Pawel PiotrSgtPOL3 & 303 SqnsVM, KW**, DFCGamblen, Douglas RobertFg OffBR41 SqnMIA 29 July 1940 over Dover. Remembered on Panel 5 of the Runnymede MemorialGane, Sidney RussellPlt OffBR248 SqnKIA 20 October 1940 (Pilot)Gant, ErnestSgtBR236 SqnGardiner, Fredrick ThomasFg OffBR610 SqnDFCGardiner, Eric CecilSgtBR219 SqnKIA 30 October 1940 (Air Gunner)Beaufighter R2065 crashed into trees near Balcombe Place, Balcombe; Gardiner and pilot Fg Off K W Worsdell both killedGardiner, William NairnSgtBR3 SqnGardner, Bernard George DerrySgtBR610 SqnKIA 28 June 1941 (Pilot). Buried in Hollybrook Cemetery, Southampton.Gard'ner, John RushtonPlt OffNZListed as British141 SqnDied 6 May 2011, New Zealand.Notice of death of John Rushton Gard'ner Gardner, Peter MelvillPlt OffBR32 SqnDied 23 May 1984Peter Melvill Gardner profile Gardner, Richard Exton "Jimmy"Sub Lt (FAA)BR242 SqnGarfield, Walter JamesSgtBR248 SqnKIA 13 September 1940 (Pilot)Garrad, Anthony Hugh HamiltonPlt OffBR248 SqnMIA 3 November 1940Garside, GeoffreySgtBR236 SqnGarton, Geoffrey WilliamSgtBR73 SqnDied November 1976Garvey, Leonard ArthurSgtBR41 SqnBorn Aston, Warwickshire, 1914. (Pilot) KIA 30 October 1940 near Canterbury, aged 26; son of Andrew J. & Sarah A. Garvey of Erdington, Birmingham; buried in Section 56, Grave 10373 of Witton Cemetery, Birmingham.Garvin, George DesmondSqn LdrBR264 Sqn (CO)Gash, Fredrick "Fred"SgtBR264 SqnGaskell, Richard StuartPlt OffBR264 SqnGaunce, Lionel Manley "Elmer"Flt LtCAN615 SqnDFCBorn Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, 20 September 1915 MIA 19 November 1941, aged 25; remembered on Panel 28 of the Runnymede Memorial; mountain in Jasper National Park, Canada, has been named for him.