They called him a gentleman of the skies – a British First World War fighter ace who maintained the utmost respect for his adversary. Through brilliant flying and extraordinary gallantry, Captain Gerald Gibbs downed a succession of German aircraft to become one of the most successful pilots of his generation. But he always treated enemy airmen as equals, even when he had them in his gunsights. Now the full extent of his chivalry has emerged in a newly-discovered 96-year-old fan-mail letter from two grateful Germans. Captain Gerald Gibbs (left), took this picture along with his observer (far right) and two German pilots (centre) after taking them prisoner. He treated the men to dinner, and two weeks later they sent him fan mail . The observer and his pilot wrote to Capt Gibbs after he spared their lives when he crippled their aircraft’s engine but then allowed them to land safely behind British lines in March 1918. He landed himself and was photographed with the pair before treating them to lunch in the officers’ mess and handing them over – ‘rather sadly’ as he wrote at the time – to a prison escort. The following month the observer, Lt Robert Walther, wrote by hand to their 21-year-old captor asking for some autographed photos as ‘a reminder of the brave and quixotic adversary in aerial combat’. It was signed ‘with chummy German airman greetings’ and wished him ‘much luck’. It is unclear if Capt Gibbs supplied a signed photo but he did drop a letter over enemy lines to say the airmen were safe. Lt Walther’s note was discovered in the leaves of a wartime scrapbook kept by Capt Gibbs, who also served in the Second World War and ended his career in the RAF as Air Marshal Sir Gerald Gibbs. Captain Gerald Gibbs forced a German plane to land and captured two airmen, but he treated them as equals . In the note (pictured) the two captives asked Captain Gibbs for a singed photograph to remember him by, before wishing him 'much luck' and singing off 'with chummy German airman greetings' Captain Gibbs was known as a formidable pilot during the First World War. He shot down ten enemy planes, and was awarded the Military Cross three times for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty . Mr Gibbs went on to serve as Deputy Air Chief Marshal during the Second World War, and then as a test pilot he helped introduce De Hallivand Vampire jet fighters to the RAF in the Fifties (left, right a collection of his photos) Mr Gibbs was awarded a total 15 medals during his time with the RAF. From top left to bottom right, they are: Knight of the British Empire with breast star, Citation of the Indian Empire, Military Cross, with second and third bar, British War Medal, British Victory Medal, General Service 1918-1962 Medal, 1939-1945 Star, Burma Star, Defence Medal, War Medal, Jubilee 1935 Medal, Coronation 1953 Medal, French Legion of Honor medal, French Croix De Guerre medal . The note from the two German airmen was found among a notebook kept by Captain Gibbs which was passed down through generations of his family before being auctioned . It was passed down through his family and is now being sold with the officer’s impressive set of 15 medals. Also included is various memorabilia, plus his snapshot of the two captured Germans. The single lot is tipped to sell for £18,000 at a September 19 auction by London-based Dix Noonan Webb. Capt Gibbs was credited with ten ‘kills’ during the Mesopotamia campaign in the Middle East. He was shot down twice and received the Military Cross three times in six months of 1918. The first was for driving two German aircraft into the ground on two separate occasions. The second was for bombing a German aerodrome from 100ft before firing 200 rounds into the hangars from just 20ft, then heading off in pursuit of enemy aircraft. The third was for capturing the armed German reconnaissance plane and its two crew on March 20, 1918. Capt Gibbs, who came from South Norwood, near Croydon, gained an Army commission in 1915 but transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in 1917. He died in 1992, aged 96.
Captain Gerald Gibbs forced German plane to land and captured two airmen .
Took picture with them, gave them dinner and handed them over to guards .
Two weeks later got a note asking for signed picture to remember him by .
Pilots wished him 'much luck... with chummy German airman greetings'
Gibbs went on to become Deputy Air Chief Marshal during World War Two .
In 37 years  he went from fighting in biplanes to testing new jet fighters .
They called him a gentleman of the skies – a British First World War fighter ace who maintained the utmost respect for his adversary. Through brilliant flying and extraordinary gallantry, Captain Gerald Gibbs downed a succession of German aircraft to become one of the most successful pilots of his generation. But he always treated enemy airmen as equals, even when he had them in his gunsights. Now the full extent of his chivalry has emerged in a newly-discovered 96-year-old fan-mail letter from two grateful Germans. Captain Gerald Gibbs (left), took this picture along with his observer (far right) and two German pilots (centre) after taking them prisoner. He treated the men to dinner, and two weeks later they sent him fan mail . The observer and his pilot wrote to Capt Gibbs after he spared their lives when he crippled their aircraft’s engine but then allowed them to land safely behind British lines in March 1918. He landed himself and was photographed with the pair before treating them to lunch in the officers’ mess and handing them over – ‘rather sadly’ as he wrote at the time – to a prison escort. The following month the observer, Lt Robert Walther, wrote by hand to their 21-year-old captor asking for some autographed photos as ‘a reminder of the brave and quixotic adversary in aerial combat’. It was signed ‘with chummy German airman greetings’ and wished him ‘much luck’. It is unclear if Capt Gibbs supplied a signed photo but he did drop a letter over enemy lines to say the airmen were safe. Lt Walther’s note was discovered in the leaves of a wartime scrapbook kept by Capt Gibbs, who also served in the Second World War and ended his career in the RAF as Air Marshal Sir Gerald Gibbs. Captain Gerald Gibbs forced a German plane to land and captured two airmen, but he treated them as equals . In the note (pictured) the two captives asked Captain Gibbs for a singed photograph to remember him by, before wishing him 'much luck' and singing off 'with chummy German airman greetings' Captain Gibbs was known as a formidable pilot during the First World War. He shot down ten enemy planes, and was awarded the Military Cross three times for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty . Mr Gibbs went on to serve as Deputy Air Chief Marshal during the Second World War, and then as a test pilot he helped introduce De Hallivand Vampire jet fighters to the RAF in the Fifties (left, right a collection of his photos) Mr Gibbs was awarded a total 15 medals during his time with the RAF. From top left to bottom right, they are: Knight of the British Empire with breast star, Citation of the Indian Empire, Military Cross, with second and third bar, British War Medal, British Victory Medal, General Service 1918-1962 Medal, 1939-1945 Star, Burma Star, Defence Medal, War Medal, Jubilee 1935 Medal, Coronation 1953 Medal, French Legion of Honor medal, French Croix De Guerre medal . The note from the two German airmen was found among a notebook kept by Captain Gibbs which was passed down through generations of his family before being auctioned . It was passed down through his family and is now being sold with the officer’s impressive set of 15 medals. Also included is various memorabilia, plus his snapshot of the two captured Germans. The single lot is tipped to sell for £18,000 at a September 19 auction by London-based Dix Noonan Webb. Capt Gibbs was credited with ten ‘kills’ during the Mesopotamia campaign in the Middle East. He was shot down twice and received the Military Cross three times in six months of 1918. The first was for driving two German aircraft into the ground on two separate occasions. The second was for bombing a German aerodrome from 100ft before firing 200 rounds into the hangars from just 20ft, then heading off in pursuit of enemy aircraft. The third was for capturing the armed German reconnaissance plane and its two crew on March 20, 1918. Capt Gibbs, who came from South Norwood, near Croydon, gained an Army commission in 1915 but transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in 1917. He died in 1992, aged 96.
dinner, and two weeks later they sent him fan 21-year-old captor asking for some autographed chummy German airman greetings’ and wished him served in the Second World War and ended his Gibbs. Captain Gerald Gibbs forced a German plane to land and captured two airmen, but he treated them as equals . In the note (pictured) the two photograph to remember him by, before wishing him 'much luck' and singing off 'with chummy German gallantry and devotion to duty . Mr Gibbs went on to serve as Deputy Air Chief Marshal during the