George Gardiner (RAF officer)

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George Cecil Gardiner
Born(1892-03-28)28 March 1892
Poona, India
Died30 July 1940(1940-07-30) (aged 48)
Helmieh, Egypt
Buried
Cairo War Memorial Cemetery
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army
Royal Air Force
Years of servicec.1906–1940
RankGroup Captain
Unit
Commands heldNo. 216 Squadron RAF
RAF Helwan
Battles/warsWorld War I
Iraqi Revolt
World War II
AwardsDistinguished Service Order
Distinguished Flying Cross
Legion of Honour
Croix de guerre

Group Captain George Cecil Gardiner DSO, DFC (28 March 1892 – 30 July 1940) was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories.[1]

Background and early life[edit]

Gardiner was born in Poona, India, the son of Colour Sergeant Charles Gardiner of the Worcestershire Regiment,[2] and Beatrice Gardiner (née Delahay).[3] He attended the Duke of York's Royal Military School in Dover, Kent, from 1901 until 1906, then joined the Army.

World War I[edit]

Gardiner was serving as a corporal in the 16th (The Queen's) Lancers when on 10 September 1915 he was commissioned as a second lieutenant "for service in the field" in the Royal Irish Regiment.[4] On 21 May 1916 he was seconded for service with the Machine Gun Corps,[5] and on 6 October he was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, being appointed a flying officer (observer) on 15 December.[6] He served with No. 14 Squadron RFC in the Middle East,[7] before training as a pilot, and he was appointed a flying officer on 24 June 1917.[8] On 1 July he was promoted to lieutenant,[9] and was assigned to No. 47 Squadron RFC, serving on the Macedonian front. He gained his first victory there on 1 October, over Beles, flying a B.E.12, by driving down an Albatros C out of control.[1] He was wounded in action later in October, but soon returned to flying[2] as he was credited with destroying an Albatros D.III in November, while flying a DH.2.[1] Gardiner gained this victory while repelling an attack, and even though his gun jammed on the fourth shot, infantry below belatedly confirmed the kill.[7]

On 1 April 1918 the Army's Royal Flying Corps was merged with the Royal Naval Air Service to form the Royal Air Force, and the same day Gardiner was one of a number of pilots from No. 47 and No. 17 Squadrons transferred to form a new unit, No. 150 Squadron RAF, based at Salonika.[2] On 3 June, in the King's birthday honours list, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross,[10] and on the 6th, now flying a Sopwith Camel, he gained his third victory, accounting for another Albatros D.III over Mravinca. He then destroyed an Albatros D.V on 12 June, near Pardovica, and another Albatros C east of Cestovo on 25 June, to gain "ace" status. On 28 June he was appointed acting captain,[11] and gained his sixth and final victory on 3 September, with another Albatros D.V destroyed west of Cerniste.[1]

Inter-war career[edit]

Gardiner remained in the RAF post-war, being appointed an acting captain for a second time on 1 May 1919,[12] and being made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, and receiving the Croix de guerre, from France.[2][3] He was promoted from flying officer to flight lieutenant on 1 January 1922,[13] while serving with No. 84 Squadron in Iraq. He then returned to the UK, and was posted as a supernumerary officer at the RAF Depot (Inland Area) on 31 March 1922.[14] On 27 August he was posted to the Headquarters of No. 7 Group (Inland Area) for personnel staff duties.[15] Gardiner was then assigned to No. 2 Flying Training School at RAF Duxford on 1 March 1924.[16] On 28 July 1927 he was assigned to the Air Ministry to serve in the Directorate of Training,[17] and between 5 July and 10 October 1928 he was seconded for duty in Estonia.[18][19] After a short time at the RAF Depot at RAF Uxbridge,[20] he returned to the Air Ministry Directorate of Training on 21 December 1928.[21]

Gardiner was promoted to squadron leader on 14 May 1930,[22] and on 2 January 1931 was posted to No. 55 Squadron based at RAF Hinaidi in Iraq.[23] On 23 June he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order "in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in Iraq".[24] Gardiner was posted to No. 4 Flying Training School at RAF Abu Sueir in Egypt, as Chief Flying Instructor, on 23 October 1934,[25] and also served as an instructor at RAF Hendon in 1935.[26] In June 1936 he was selected for retention on the active list up to the age of 48, which would be in 1940.[27] On 1 January 1937 he was promoted to wing commander,[28] and on the 11th was appointed commander of No. 216 (Bomber Transport) Squadron based at Heliopolis.[29]

World War II[edit]

Gardiner was promoted to group captain on 1 March 1940,[30] but "died on active service"[31] at Helmieh Hospital[2] on 30 July 1940 while serving as station commander at RAF Helwan, and was buried at the Cairo War Memorial Cemetery.[3] He was survived by his wife Kathleen August Lyle Gardiner of Tiverton, Devon.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "George Cecil Gardiner". The Aerodrome. 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Cockerill, A. W. (2011). "1940 George Cecil Gardiner DSO, DFC". Duke of York's School. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  3. ^ a b c "Gardiner, George Cecil". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 2015. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  4. ^ "No. 29335". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 October 1915. p. 10371.
  5. ^ "No. 29874". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 December 1916. p. 12454.
  6. ^ "No. 29976". The London Gazette. 9 March 1917. p. 2383.
  7. ^ a b Shores, Christopher F.; Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell F. (1990). Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915-1920. London, UK: Grub Street. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.
  8. ^ "No. 30225". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 August 1917. p. 8169.
  9. ^ "No. 30444". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 December 1917. p. 13461.
  10. ^ "No. 30722". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 May 1918. p. 6519.
  11. ^ "No. 30808". The London Gazette. 23 July 1918. p. 8627.
  12. ^ "No. 31527". The London Gazette. 29 August 1919. p. 10894.
  13. ^ "New Year Honours". Flight. XIV (680): 12. 5 January 1922. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  14. ^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XIV (699): 289. 18 May 1922. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  15. ^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XIV (713): 489. 24 August 1922. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  16. ^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XVI (796): 183. 27 March 1924. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  17. ^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XIX (972): 571. 11 August 1927. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  18. ^ "No. 33404". The London Gazette. 17 June 1928. p. 4823.
  19. ^ "No. 33458". The London Gazette. 18 January 1929. p. 466.
  20. ^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XX (1035): 943. 25 October 1928. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  21. ^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XXI (1046): 35. 10 January 1929. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  22. ^ "No. 33605". The London Gazette. 13 May 1930. p. 2966.
  23. ^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XXIII (1152): 87. 23 January 1931. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  24. ^ "No. 33728". The London Gazette. 23 June 1931. p. 4079.
  25. ^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XXVI (1350): 1179. 8 November 1934. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  26. ^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XXVII (1363): 154. 7 February 1935. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  27. ^ "Extensions of Service". Flight. XXIX (1433): 636. 11 June 1936. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  28. ^ "No. 34356". The London Gazette. 1 January 1937. p. 17.
  29. ^ "Royal Air Force: Appointments". Flight. XXXI (1468): 144. 11 February 1937. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
  30. ^ "No. 34810". The London Gazette. 12 March 1940. p. 1472.
  31. ^ "Royal Air Force: Casualties". Flight. XXXVIII (1652): 156. 22 August 1940. Retrieved 3 January 2015.
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