Background
Allard was born in York on 12 August 1912 the son of Sydney Harold Allard and Elizabeth Allard (née Higgins).
Allard was born in York on 12 August 1912 the son of Sydney Harold Allard and Elizabeth Allard (née Higgins).
Allard scored 19 victories against enemy aircraft, as well as five shared kills, two probable kills during the war. He joined the Royal Air Force in 1929, and served an apprenticeship at Royal Air Force Halton, qualifying as a LAC mechanic. He applied for pilot training in 1936 and became a Sergeant Pilot with Number.
87 Squadron Royal Air Force in 1937.
In June 1938 he joined Number. 85 Squadron Royal Air Force. Flying the Hawker Hurricane, Allard saw action in the Battle of France, scoring around 8 kills.
He was made a Flight Sergeant on 17 August 1940 (with seniority from 15 August). Eight more kills were scored in the Battle of Britain between 24 August 1940 and 1 September 1940.
In October the Squadron was withdrawn to become a night-fighter unit
He was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross (Distinguished Flying Cross) the same month. On 6 December 1940, Allard was promoted from Pilot Officer to Flying Officer. On 13 March 1941, Allard was scheduled to take the newly promoted P/O Francis "Frank" Walker-Smith to Royal Air Force Ford to collect a version of the twin-engined Douglas Boston (known to the Royal Air Force as the Douglas Havoc and used primarily for night-fighting duties).
At the last moment New Zealand ace P/O William Henry "Ace" Hodgson (who was reputed to have a girlfriend at Royal Air Force Ford) hitched a lift.
A loose gun inspection panel became dislodged and flew back jamming the rudder. This caused the aircraft to crash, killing all three occupants at Wimbish, close to Royal Air Force Debden.
Allard and Walker-Smith had seen action together as part of the British Expeditionary Force (based at Lille/Seclin, France) in early 1940 and all three had success as Battle of Britain pilots. Allard is buried alongside Hodgson and Walker-Smith at the Saffron Walden Cemetery.
13 September 1940 – 563859 Sergeant Geoffrey Allard DFM is awarded a bar to the Distinguished Flying Meda 8 October 1940 – The Distinguished Flying Cross is awarded to Pilot Officer Geoffrey Allard, DFM, (44551) — Between 30 August and 1 September 1940, this officer destroyed seven enemy aircraft. Previously he had destroyed ten and shared in the destruction of others He has displayed outstanding skill and courage in combat against the enemy. On 12 March 2011, a 70th anniversary commemorative event was staged at Carver Barracks – the old Royal Air Force Debden near Saffron Walden – which is 85 Squadron"s World World War II spiritual home. Relatives and friends of the three men who died on 13 March 1941 met at the Officers" Mess. The event included a display by a Supermarine Spitfire from the Historical Aircraft Collection (a last-minute substitute for the planned Hawker Hurricane flypast) and a Memorial Service held in Wimbish Church, the parish church for Royal Air Force Debden. On 13 March 2011, there was a ceremonial laying of wreaths on the graves of Allard, Hodgson and Walker-Smith in Radwinter Road Cemetery, Saffron Walden, and the official naming of a road in the town called "Allard Way".
