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Allied Air Forces Losses and Incidents Database.

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Data derived from many sources. Incorporates 125,000 entries from Aircrew Deaths 39-47 Database. Corrections/Additions welcomed via Helpdesk

NOTE ON DATES: IMPORTANT: For consistency, the Date is given as the date the mission TOOK OFF since the precise time of a loss is not always certain. Take Off date is unambigous and fixed in the official records, but obviously in those cases where the incident occurred before midnight UK time, then the Take Off Date will be the same as the Incident Date. Of course, most Bomber Command missions flew through midnight, therefore a Luftwaffe claim against a plane - or a locally generated crash report - may record the incident as occurring on the day following our Take Off Date. Bear this in mind when cross-referencing to our Luftwaffe Victories by Name/Date Database and other Luftwaffe sources. In some cases other sources may quote the date following our date, using locally generated reports as their source. To add to the potential for confusion, remember to take into account a Luftwaffe recorded date will be in local time, 1 hour ahead of UK time. When we discover a validated Incident Date we change our record if necessary.



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Thanks to Personnel of the Polish Air Force in Great Britain for supplementary data and images (marked with a chequerboard device) related to the Polish Air Force, and many images courtesy of our respected colleagues Wojtek Matusiak and Robert Gretzyngier. Other images from our own archives.
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Polish Air Force personnel have a supplementary database containing more information and many more entries. Check the following:
Personel Polskich Sił Powietrznych posiada dodatkową bazę danych zawierającą więcej informacji i wiele innych wpisów. Sprawdź następujące elementy:
Archiwum: PSP 1939 -1947 Database 17,000+ Polish Air Force Entries
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You searched for: “trench AND 65”

#Name* SORT (↑)First NamesTitleRankRAF Equivalent RankService No.BornNationalityRoleAwardsAir ForceCommandUnitDateofIncident *See Note SORT (↑)AircraftTypeSerialCodeVictories (Fighters)BaseTimeMission                        Incident                        FateCommemoratedPhoto (Click to Expand)Referring Database                        Notes                        Links/Archive Reports
1 Gilbert Humphrey TrenchS/L405301919-11-03 Revesby United KingdomBritishPilotDFC
RAFFighter Command504Sqn

601Sqn


1442 Flight

71Sqn (Eagle)

222Sqn (CO)

65Sqn (CO)

1942-05-02SpitfireBL372YT-Z5DebdenNon operational flightCrashed on take-offKilledSaffron Walden Cemetery, Essex - Compt. 41. Grave 17.


Courtesy IWM



Battle of Britain. Ace

Son of Comdr. W. R. Gilbert and Lady Beryl Groves, of Revesby Abbey, Lincolnshire.

Educated at Durnford School and was at Cheltenham College from January 1934 to July 1937. RAF on a short service commission in early December 1937.Ab-initio course at 7 E&RFTS, Desford on February 18th 1938, to No 1 RAF Depot, Uxbridge. To 9 FTS, Hullavington on March 5th. Pilots wings June 1st 1938. 73Sqn at Digby on September 17th. CFS, Upavon on October 23rd and qualified as an instructor on December 22nd 1938. To 504 Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force as Flying Instructor. On 3rd August 1940 he was posted from 9 FTS to 6 OTU, Sutton Bridge. Converting to Hurricanes joined 601 Squadron at Debden on the 16th. Gilbert shared in the destruction of a Ju87 on August 15th, shared a He111 on the 30th, destroyed a Me110 on the 31st and was himself shot down over the Thames Estuary, in Hurricane V7260. He baled out, unhurt. Destroyed a Me110 on September 4th. Two days later he was shot down by a Me109 over Mayfield. Again he baled out but this time he was wounded. He landed at Pembury and his Hurricane, V6647, crashed at Kippings Cross, near Pembury. April 1941 Gilbert 'B' Flight Commander. Temporarily attached to 1422 Flight at Heston for night sorties in a Hurricane, accompanying a Havoc in what were early tests on Turbinlite aircraft. Posted to 71 (Eagle) Squadron at Martlesham Heath on September 3rd 1941 as a Flight Commander. CO 222 Squadron at North Weald on November 1st and on December 23rd 1941 he moved to Debden CO 65 Squadron. When the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau made their Channel Dash on February 12th 1942, the squadron was involved in combat with the German fighter cover. Gilbert destroyed a Me109 and damaged another. On a Boston escort to Hazebrouck on April 12th, he shot down a Fw190.

Crashed on May 2nd 1942, attempting to take off from Debden in a Spitfire BL372 YT-Z with Flight Lieutenant David Gordon Ross the Controller on his lap. They were said to have been going to a party. Both men were killed.

DFC Citation (post-humous): 'This officer has been engaged on operational flying since August, 1940, and fought through the Battle of Britain. He has completed numerous operational sorties over enemy occupied territory and although he has been shot down and wounded, he has always displayed great keenness to engage the enemy. Since February, 1942, Squadron Leader Gilbert has participated in a number of operational sorties, including an attack on German battleships. In this operation he destroyed one enemy aircraft and damaged another. He has led his squadron, and occasionally the wing, with considerable success and his fine leadership and determination have been an inspiration to his pilots. Squadron Leader Gilbert has destroyed 5 enemy aircraft.'		Battle of Britain Database

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