WHEN Flying, the new weekly paper of all things aviation, started up in England in 1938, amongst the articles and stories and photo features was an illustrative feature called “Heroes of the Air.” It was a full page illustration by S. Drigin of the events surrounding how the pictured Ace got their Victoria Cross along with a brief explanatory note. Today’s full page illustration is not an installment in that series, but rather tells the story of how Flight-Lieutenant G.E. Jackson won the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Russian born Serge Drigin became a successful illustrator in the UK in the 1920s with his work regularly appearing in such British magazines as The Detective Magazine, Modern Boy and Chums. He is probably best known for his startling covers for Scoops, Air Stories, War Stories, Fantasy and others in the 30s.

From the 30 July 1938 issue of Flying:

HIGH COURAGE ON THE FRONTIER

The Distinguished Flying Cross has been awarded to Flight-Lieutenant G.E. Jackson, of No.5 (Army Co-operation) Squadron (India), for gallantry in action on April 14th last. A party of about a hundred South Waziristan Scouts were cut off and surrounded by 500 tribesmen. With ammunition down to five rounds per man their desperate plight was noticed by Flight-Lieut. Jackson, who, flying low through a hail of bullets, dropped by parachute four loads of ammunition each of a thousand rounds to the besieged, who, however, would also need Very lights to repulse night attacks. Having no parachutes left, Flight-Lieut. Jackson improvised one from a tablecloth and string, and with this succeeded in getting a Very pistol and 40 cartridges to the Scouts, who were thus enabled to hold out until they were relieved. This spirit does more to win wars than all the ponderous perorations in Parliament.