Gilbert Stuart Martin Insall

Gilbert Stuart Martin Insall VC MC (May 14 1894-February 17 1972) was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Insall was 21 years old, and a Second Lieutenant in the 11 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 7 November 1915 near Achiet, France, Second Lieutenant Insall, on patrol in a Vickers F.B.5 Gunbus, engaged an enemy machine, forcing the other pilot to make a rough landing in a plowed field. Seeing the Germans scramble out preparing to fire, Insall dove to 500 ft and his gunner opened fire, whereupon the Germans fled. After dropping an incendiary bomb on the downed German aircraft, Insall flew through heavy fire at 2000 ft over enemy trenches. The Vickers' petrol tank was hit, but Insall brought the plane 500 ft back inside Allied lines for an emergency landing. After he and the gunner repaired the machine overnight, Insall flew them back to base at dawn.

Insall later achieved the rank of Group Captain.

After the War, Insall remained in the RAF and on a clear day in 1925 spotted a strange formation of pits in the ground below him. He took a photograph, and from this one photograph comes the rediscovery of the Bronze Age site now known as Woodhenge two miles from Stonehenge (Crawford, Air-Photography for Archaeologists 1929). In 1929 he similarly discovered Arminghall Henge.

Insall's headstone is in Nocton Churchyard, Lincolnshire. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Air Force Museum in Hendon.

Citation

"For most conspicuous bravery, skill and determination, on 7th November, 1915, in France. He was patrolling in a Vickers Fighting Machine, with First Class Air Mechanic T. H. Donald as gunner, when a German machine was sighted, pursued, and attacked near Achiet.

The German pilot led the Vickers machine over a rocket battery, but with great skill Lieutenant Insall dived and got to close range, when Donald fired a drum of cartridges into the German machine, stopping its engine. The German pilot then dived through a cloud, followed by Lieutenant Insall Fire was again opened, and the German machine was brought down heavily in a ploughed field 4 miles south-east of Arras.

On seeing the Germans scramble out of their machine and prepare to fire, Lieutenant Insall dived to 500 feet, thus enabling Donald to open heavy fire on them. The Germans then fled, one helping the other, who was apparently wounded. Other Germans then commenced heavy fire, but in spite of this, Lieutenant Insall turned again, and an incendiary bomb was dropped on the German machine, which was last seen wreathed in smoke. Lieutenant Insall then headed west in order to get back over the German trenches, but as he was at only 2,000 feet altitude he dived across them for greater speed, Donald firing into the trenches as he passed over.

The German fire, however, damaged the petrol tank, and, with great coolness, Lieutenant Insall landed under cover of a wood 500 yards inside our lines. The Germans fired some 150 shells at our machine on the ground, but without causing material damage. Much damage had, however, been caused by rifle fire, but during the night it was repaired behind screened lights, and at dawn Lieutenant Insall flew his machine home with First Class Air Mechanic T. H. Donald as a passenger."

(London Gazette - 22 December 1915)

References

*Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
*The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
*VCs of the First World War - Air VCs (P G Cooksley, 1999)

External links

* [http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/yorkshir.htm Location of grave and VC medal] "(South Yorkshire)"
* [http://www.magicnet.net/~westham/vc00B.html G.S.M. Insall]
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=8026595 Find-A-Grave]