War Medal 1914-1918 awarded to Flying Officer Robert Blaine Luard

Laurd died whilst serving as an Observer when his aircraft stalled on take off from Dardoni for a bombing raid, 17 August 1922. The deaths of Laurd and his pilot leading to a dramatic review of the Royal Air Force in India, carried out by Sir John Salmond

In 1918, Luard was an S.E.5a pilot with No. 64 Squadron. He was shot down on 30 August 1918, by German ‘Ace’ Leutnant Otto Fruhner of Jasta 26, over Inchy, and he became a prisoner of war. Luard went on to serve with No. 27 Squadron in India.