Geoffrey Allard Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey " Sammy " Allard DFC , DFM & Bar was a British RAF flying ace of the Second World War . Allard scored 19 victories against enemy aircraft , as well as five shared kills , two probable kills during the war . Early life . Allard was born in York in September 1912 the son of Sydney Harold Allard and Elizabeth Allard ( née Higgins ) . He joined the RAF in 1929 , and served an apprenticeship at RAF Halton , qualifying as a LAC mechanic . He applied for pilot training in 1936 and became a Sergeant Pilot with No . 87 Squadron RAF in 1937 . He married Kathleen Minnie Ross in York in 1937 . In June 1938 he joined No . 85 Squadron RAF . Second World War . Flying the Hawker Hurricane , Allard saw action in the Battle of France , scoring around 8 kills . He was made a Flight Sergeant on 17 August 1940 ( with seniority from 15 August ) . Eight more kills were scored in the Battle of Britain between 24 August 1940 and 1 September 1940 . Recognised as one of the cream of The Few , Allard was selected by Fighter Command to have his portrait drawn by Cuthbert Orde , sitting for it on the same day that he was awarded a second Distinguished Flying Medal , 13 September 1940 . In October the Squadron was withdrawn to become a night - fighter unit . He was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross ( DFC ) the same month . On 6 December 1940 , Allard was promoted from Pilot Officer to Flying Officer . On 13 March 1941 , Allard was scheduled to take the newly promoted P / O Francis " Frank " Walker - Smith to RAF Ford to collect a version of the twin - engined Douglas Boston ( known to the RAF as the Douglas Havoc and used primarily for night - fighting duties ) . At the last moment New Zealand ace P / O William Henry " Ace " Hodgson ( who was reputed to have a girlfriend at RAF Ford ) hitched a lift . A loose gun inspection panel became dislodged and flew back jamming the rudder . This caused the aircraft to crash , killing all three occupants at Wimbish , close to RAF Debden . Allard and Walker - Smith had seen action together as part of the British Expeditionary Force ( based at Lille / Seclin , France ) in early 1940 and all three had success as Battle of Britain pilots . Allard is buried alongside Hodgson and Walker - Smith at the Saffron Walden Cemetery . Honours and awards . 13 September 1940 – 563859 Sergeant Geoffrey Allard DFM is awarded a bar to the Distinguished Flying Medal . 8 October 1940 – The Distinguished Flying Cross is awarded to Pilot Officer Geoffrey Allard , DFM , ( 44551 ) — " Between 30 August and 1 September 1940 , this officer destroyed seven enemy aircraft ; previously he had destroyed ten and shared in the destruction of others . He has displayed outstanding skill and courage in combat against the enemy . " On 12 March 2011 , a 70th anniversary commemorative event was staged at Carver Barracks – the old RAF Debden near Saffron Walden – which is 85 Squadron ' s World War II spiritual home . Relatives and friends of the three men who died on 13 March 1941 met at the Officers ' Mess . The event included a display by a Supermarine Spitfire from the Historical Aircraft Collection ( a last - minute substitute for the planned Hawker Hurricane flypast ) and a Memorial Service held in Wimbish Church , the parish church for RAF Debden . On 13 March 2011 , there was a ceremonial laying of wreaths on the graves of Allard , Hodgson and Walker - Smith in Radwinter Road Cemetery , Saffron Walden , and the official naming of a road in the town called " Allard Way " .