Heading Style
Graham Pitchfork refl ects on the
courageous actions of Great War pilot
Gilbert InsallVICTORIA CROSS GILBERT INSALL
the Distinguished Conduct Medal
for ‘most conspicuous bravery,
skill and determination’. However,
at the time of the announcement
the two men were being held in
German captivity. On December
14, their FB5 was attacked during
a routine patrol and forced down
over enemy territory. Both men
had been wounded, and Insall
spent several months in hospital
before being released to a prisoner
of war camp.
He was determined to escape
and upon his first attempt in 1916
was recaptured after five days.
Later he got out through a tunnel
but was recaptured in the Black
Forest. Finally, on August 28,
1917 he and two companions
managed to escape from a camp
at Strohn and after nine days
they crossed into neutral Dutch
territory and freedom. He was
awarded the Military Cross for his
escaping activities.
Soon after his return, Insall
received his Victoria Cross from
King George V. He returned to
flying duties with No.50 Squadron
based at Bekesbourne.
He remained in the post-war
RAF and served in Iraq where he
commanded No.70 Squadron and
saw action against the Akhwan,
a nomadic Saudi army, in the
Southern Desert actions. He later
commanded No.35 Squadron
and the RAF station at Upavon.
In May 1934 he was put in charge
of RAF Kenley.
He served throughout World War
Two and retired as a group captain
in July 1935. He died on February
17, 1972, aged 77.For For For
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B
orn and educated in Paris,
Gilbert Insall enlisted in the
Royal Fusiliers as a private
soldier in September 1914. He
transferred to the Royal Flying
Corps in March 1915 as a second44 FLYPAST August 2018
lieutenant (on probation). After
completing his training as a pilot,
he left for France in July and joined
No.11 Squadron.
The unit was equipped with the
two-seat Vickers FB5. Insall’s
gung-ho spirit was soon in
evidence and he engaged several
hostile aircraft. On November 7,
1915, with Air Mechanic T Donald
as his observer/gunner, he set off
on a fighting patrol across enemy
lines. He sighted an Aviatak two-
seater and engaged it with Donald
firing a full drum of bullets from
close range. The enemy aircraft
dived into cloud with Insall in
pursuit and, as the two aircraft
emerged, Insall continued his
assault forcing the Aviatak to land
in a field near Arras.
Insall circled the aircraft and,
ignoring the barrage of German
guns, he dropped an incendiary
bomb on the grounded aircraft
before heading west, leaving it
wreathed in smoke. His aircraft
was hit several times and
damaged, but Insall managed
to land near a wood 500
yards after crossing Allied
lines. Remaining with their
aircraft, the two men came
under heavy shell fire. As
darkness fell, they erected
a screen and set to work by
torch light to salvage their
aircraft. Having repaired
the machine overnight,
Insall flew them back to
base at dawn.
On December 23 it was
announced that Insall had
been awarded the Victoria
Cross and Donald received