| Gerald Maxwell | |
| Birth Date: | 8 September 1895 |
| Birth Place: | Beauly, Inverness, Scotland |
| Death Place: | Winchester, Hampshire, England |
| Birth Name: | Gerald Joseph Constable Maxwell |
| Allegiance: | United Kingdom |
| Branch: | |
| Serviceyears: | 1914–1921 1939–1945 |
| Rank: | Wing Commander |
| Unit: | Lovat Scouts No. 56 Squadron RFC/RAF |
| Battles: | World War I Gallipoli campaign Western Front World War II |
| Awards: | Distinguished Flying Cross Military Cross Air Force Cross |
Gerald Joseph Constable Maxwell (8 September 1895 – 18 December 1959) was a British First World War flying ace credited with twenty-six aerial victories.[1]
Maxwell was born in Beauly near Inverness, Scotland, to the Honourable Bernard Constable-Maxwell (son of William Constable-Maxwell, 10th Lord Herries of Terregles) and the Honourable Alice Fraser (daughter of Simon Fraser, 13th Lord Lovat), both of whom were scions of notable Scottish recusant families. He was educated at Downside School.
Maxwell was commissioned in the Lovat Scouts on 4 August 1914 and fought at Gallipoli. He then served in Egypt before returning to the UK, where he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in September 1916. Maxwell completed final pilot training at Central Flying School, Upavon and joined No. 56 Squadron in London Colney in March 1917. He was attached to 'A' Flight, commanded by Captain Albert Ball, flying SE5 aircraft. In April 1917, Maxwell's squadron was sent to France and he achieved a victory on his first patrol.[2] Four days later he was hit by anti-aircraft fire and crashed unhurt.
On 26 July 1917, Maxwell was appointed a flight commander, by which time he had been credited with eight victories. He was awarded the Military Cross on 18 October and was posted back to the UK. After instructing at the School of Aerial Fighting at Turnberry, he returned to No. 56 Squadron, where in six weeks he claimed six more victories.
His confirmed 26 victories consisted of 12 enemy aircraft destroyed (including two shared wins), and 14 "out of control" victories, six of which were shared. In scoring the shared victories, he teamed with such other aces as Cecil Lewis, Edric Broadberry, Charles Jeffs, and Cyril Crowe.[3]
Maxwell was granted a permanent commission as a captain in the Royal Air Force on 1 August 1919, relinquishing his commission in the 1st Lovat's Scouts, Territorial Force, the same day. On 29 August 1919 he was appointed a temporary Staff Officer, 3rd Class (Air), to serve at the Air Ministry. He was placed on the half-pay list between 1 February and 1 April 1920, and on 14 February 1921 resigned his permanent commission, and was granted the rank of major.
He later became a director of Maxwell-Chrysler Motors.
He was called up in the next war, becoming station commander at RAF Ford from 1941 to 1945. Maxwell was a member of the Royal Company of Archers, a Knight of Malta and Privy Chamberlain of the Pope. He was also a deputy lieutenant for Hampshire.
Maxwell married Carolyn Carden in 1920 and they had two sons and four daughters.
Maxwell died at Old Alresford House, Old Alresford, near Winchester on 18 December 1959 aged 64.