PFF Posted 16 November , 2007 Share Posted 16 November , 2007 What airman {Allied or German} was the most decorated pilot in the War? Albert Ball or James McCudden vs the Red Baron? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo Posted 16 November , 2007 Share Posted 16 November , 2007 In the British Empire, I think that Mick Mannock had the most British gallantry awards with 7: VC, DSO & 2 bars, MC & 2 bars. William Barker, however, had more in total as he had 3 foreign medals in addition to his 6 British ones; VC, DSO & bar, MC & 2 bars, the Medaglia al Valore Militare d'Argento (Italian Silver Medal for Valor) twice & the French Croix de Guerre. I don't know very much about the gallantry awards of other countries but the leading website on WWI in the air is The Aerodrome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Roberts Posted 17 November , 2007 Share Posted 17 November , 2007 I can't think of a British Empire pilot more highly decorated than Mannock - but his CWGC entry, gives just one bar to his MC, and notes that his VC and all his DSOs were gazetted after his death. McCudden had one bar to his DSO, but an MM in addition to his MC and bar. Beauchamp-Proctor was awarded the VC, DSO, MC and bar, and DFC Don't forget to consider the French and Italian aces - Guynemer and Nungessor had whole chestfuls of medals. But, it is not always easy to compare the medals of different nationalities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo Posted 17 November , 2007 Share Posted 17 November , 2007 Mannock only had one bar to his MC, I misread his entry on the Aerodrome website. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted 17 November , 2007 Share Posted 17 November , 2007 How about the great Canadian ace Major William Barker; VC, DSO and bar, MC and two bars, Croix de Guerre (France) and Medaglio d'Argento (Italy). As far as I know, he was the most decorated Canadian in the Great War. Gareth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 17 November , 2007 Share Posted 17 November , 2007 I think Barker is regarded as the most decorated pilot, probably "soldier" of the Great War but I would go with McCudden although I admit a bias towards him. I am not sure about the justification of including Barker's Italian awards. McCudden: VC, two DSOs, two MCs, MM and a Croix de Guerre awarded when Jimmy was still an NCO for his work as an observer/gunner. McCudden's fighting record is also more impressive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will O'Brien Posted 17 November , 2007 Share Posted 17 November , 2007 I think Barker is regarded as the most decorated pilot, probably "soldier" of the Great War but I would go with McCudden although I admit a bias towards him. I am not sure about the justification of including Barker's Italian awards. McCudden: VC, two DSOs, two MCs, MM and a Croix de Guerre awarded when Jimmy was still an NCO for his work as an observer/gunner. McCudden's fighting record is also more impressive. Jon..........Playing devil's advocate, how would you quantify or determine the relative merits of Barker's Italian awards & McCudden's French one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted 17 November , 2007 Share Posted 17 November , 2007 I recall reading that one of Barker's Italian awards involved his work in dropping an Italian spy behind enemy lines.He flew an Italian twin-engine bomber, a type he had virtually no experience on,and this was a night mission. It was a well-deserved gong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Saunders Posted 17 November , 2007 Share Posted 17 November , 2007 Jon..........Playing devil's advocate, how would you quantify or determine the relative merits of Barker's Italian awards & McCudden's French one. Because I was wrong. I hadnt previously heard of any British squadrons serving on the Italian Front and assumed this was a random award, whereas I knew McCudden had worked tirelessly on the Western Front. A bit of reading and I find out Barker did serve on the Italian Front. Regards, Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Pegum Posted 23 November , 2007 Share Posted 23 November , 2007 Jonathan, you sent me a P.M about the three McCudden brothers appearing on the Great War Memorial in Leighlinbridge, Co. Carlow, Ireland. I can't send a message to you because your box is full! The inscription on the memorial itself can be seen below. A book about the Carlow Great War dead by Paul Maguire says that William was born in Green Lane, Carlow, in 1864. He was a Sergeant (regiment not stated), Amelia's maiden name was Byford, and they lived in Brompton Training Barracks, Kent. I think the compilers of the list could not resist including a V.C., even though the link with Carlow was tenuous! Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 23 November , 2007 Share Posted 23 November , 2007 but I would go with McCudden although I admit a bias towards him. McCudden: VC, two DSOs, two MCs, MM and a Croix de Guerre awarded when Jimmy was still an NCO for his work as an observer/gunner. McCudden's fighting record is also more impressive. I agree but then again like Jonathan, I'm a little biased because he was a Kent (Gillingham) man... I know his name appears on the following Kent civic tributes - 1. Brompton civic war memorial, Gillingham, Kent 2. Sheerness civic war memorial, Isle of Sheppy, Kent 3. Family plot in Chatham (Maidstone Road) Cemetery, Kent This website lists all 3 of these memorials with good photos (PDF reports)- http://www.kentfallen.com/Vc%20register.html His fathers regiment was the Royal Engineers which might explain why young Jimmy enlisted into them at Brompton. His mother was born in Chatham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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