Gerard Crole

Who was Gerard Crole?

Captain Gerard Bruce Crole was a Scottish international rugby union and cricket player. He was also a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories. He was born on 7 June 1894 and died on 31 March 1965.

Crole earned his Bachelor of Arts at Oxford University before World War I started. He joined the Dragoon Guards in 1914. After transfer to the Royal Flying Corps, he was assigned to 40 Squadron in 1917, to fly Nieuports. He scored his first victory on 25 June 1917, and wrapped up his string of wins with his fifth on 23 August 1917. Two months later, he was shot down but survived; he sat out the war as a prisoner at Holzminden prisoner-of-war camp in Germany.

He was capped four times for Scotland in 1920. He also played for Oxford University RFC. His half brother Phipps Turnbull also gained a six caps for Scotland in 1901-2, and played for Edinburgh Academicals.

He also played for the Scotland national cricket team.

His everyday occupation was as a solicitor. He also served as an Officer in the Sudan Political Service. On retirement from the SPS he was a schoolmaster. He died in 1965, and is commemorated on the Bremner Memorial at Greyfriar's Churchyard in Edinburgh, Scotland.