'The Late Flight Sub-Lieut. R. A. J. Warneford, V.C.', cigarette card, 1915

Cigarette card, No 23 from the 1st series of 'The Great War Victoria Cross Heroes', a set of 25 cigarette cards, published by Gallaher Limited, Belfast and London, 1915.

Posthumous portrait of Flight Sub-Lieutenant Reginald Alexander John Warneford (1891-1915), Royal Naval Air Service after a photograph by Wyndham, Paris, France. The reverse of the card summarises Warneford's act of gallantry. It records that Warneford, 'Won this honour for brilliantly attacking a Zeppelin, June 7th, 1915. He rose above the enemy craft and dropped six bombs causing the airship to explode. His monoplane capsized, and although able to right it, he had to alight in enemy territory, but escaped. He was accidently killed at Buc Aerodrome, 17th June, 1915.'.

Warneford attacked LZ39 on 17 May 1915 and LZ37 on 7 June 1915. On the latter attack Warneford was flying a Morane-Saulnier Type L aircraft. Warneford died of injuries sustained when his aircraft crashed during a test flight on 17 June 1915.

Cigarette cards were produced from the mid 1870s until the end of World War Two (1939-1945). Used to strengthen thin cigarette packs the cards were quickly developed into advertising devices. Series of cards covering every conceivable subject, from sportsmen to flora and fauna, were produced to encourage collectors and potential smokers alike.

One of a collection of 103 cigarette cards.