The Airmen's Stories - F/O G Fisher

Gerald Fisher was born in June 1918 in Brackley, Northamptonshire. He was the son of Lt. Colonel Julian Lawrence Fisher CMG DSO (1877-1953) and Dora Richmond Fisher (nee Brown 1880-1971).

His father was serving with the Royal Fusiliers on the 'Tibet Mission' 1903-4, led by Colonel Francis Younghusband. This was effectively an invasion of Tibet designed to deny the country to the Russians.

There were several battles against the poorly-armed Tibetans and Captain Fisher was awarded a DSO and a Mention in Dispatches.

He went on to serve with the Fusiliers in the Dardanelles campaign and was wounded in 1915.

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Gerald Fisher was educated at Stowe School before joining the RAF on a short service commission, he began his initial training at 13 E&RFTS White Waltham on 31st October 1938.

He moved on to 7 FTS Peterborough for No. 11 Course, which ran from 31st January to 28th August 1939.

Fisher was then posted to No. 1 School of Army Co-operation at Old Sarum for a course. On completion he joined 614 Squadron at Odiham on 7th October 1939.

He moved from 614 to 613 Squadron at Netherthorpe on 12th July 1940. Fisher volunteered for Fighter Command and arrived at 7 OTU Hawarden on 22nd August 1940. He converted to Spitfires and joined 602 Squadron at Westhampnett on 8th September.

Fisher claimed a Me109 probably destroyed on 26th September, shared a probable Ju88 on 12th October and destroyed a Me109 on the 29th.

He joined 610 Squadron at Acklington on 17th December 1940. 421 Flight at Hawkinge was renumbered 91 Squadron on 11th January 1941 and Fisher joined it about this time.

On 12th March he destroyed a Me109 and damaged another off Dungeness.

Fisher was released from the RAF in 1946 as a Squadron Leader.

He died in 1974 in St. Helier, Jersey.

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Gerald's older brother, Captain Walter Julian Fisher, was killed on 12th December 1940 serving with the 1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) at the Battle of Sidi Barrani.

He lies in Alamein War Cemetery.

Walter and his father are commemorated at St. Sepulchre-without-Newgate Church on Holborn Viaduct (below).

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