Description: Albert Ball and his mother Harriet, taken from a French newspaper. Albert Ball was Nottingham's famous World War 1 airman and was awarded the VC. From 26 April to 6 May 1917 flying over France. Captain Ball took part in 26 combats in the course of which he destroyed 11 hostile aircraft, brought down two out of control and forced several others to land. Flying alone, on one occasion he fought six hostile machines, twice he fought five and once four. When leading two other British planes he attacked an enemy formation of eight - on each of these occasions he brought down at least one enemy plane, and several times his plane was badly damaged. On returning with a damaged plane he had always to be restrained from immediately going out in another. He was killed in the aforementioned action. His other Decorations were DSO & 2 Bars, and the MC.