Thomas "Teddy" Gerrard was born on 13th August 1897 in Selangor, Malaysia. He became an outstanding and well known fighter pilot of his day. Having learnt to fly at RNAS Hendon he was awarded his Royal Aero Club aviators' certificate (Cert.No.1180) on 11th April 1915. He was awarded the DSC for recognition of his services during a flight on 4th June 1917 in the rank of Flight Commander, the citation reads.. "In recognition of his services during an air fight on June 4th, 1917. This officer led his flight against fifteen to twenty hostile aeroplanes, and alone had ten engagements with these machines. He attacked one and fired 60 rounds into the cockpit at pointblank range, the enemy machine rolling over and over for 3,000 ft. and then falling vertically out of control. He then attacked another enemy machine which had dived on to one of our machines from behind, and with the help of a scout he shot it down, the enemy being seen to crash to the ground. Another hostile scout was then attacked by this ground. Another hostile scout was then attacked by this pilot end on and received a long burst at very close range. The enemy going down in a spin, but apparently righting himself lower down. During the last encounter Flight-Cdr. Gerrard's machine was riddled with bullets, but by fine piloting he landed safely, although all but his lateral controls were shot away and his machine damaged to such an extent as to require return to depot for complete rebuilding. This officer has now destroyed at least seven hostile aircraft. He was on active service in France and Belgium from April to September 1916, and during that period performed much valuable work." He later transferred to the newly created RAF in 1918 and in total he was credited with ten "kills" with all the units he flew with; nine of the ten were as a pilot of the Sopwith Tri-plane. He sadly died in a polo accident in 1921 and was only twenty four years old.