On 17th April 2024, Air Marshal Clare Walton - the Royal Air Force’s most senior serving woman officer - unveiled a portrait of Corporal (later Flight Officer) Daphne Pearson GC. The unveiling was overseen by Air Marshal Dame Sue Gray, former Club Chair and serving Vice-President. Daphne Pearson was the first female recipient of the George Cross, her award of an Empire gallantry medal being converted to the GC on the latter decorations institution in 1940. Her remarkable act of heroism occurred on the night of 31st May 1940, when she rescued the life of a pilot whose Anson aircraft had crashed with a full bomb load at RAF Detling, Kent. She made numerous attempts to save other crew-members’ lives, and protected the injured pilot by covering his body with her own as the burning bomber’s payload exploded. The following morning, Daphne Pearson reported for duty without any mention of her gallantry the night before.

After the War, Daphne served in a number of roles in the UK, developing her passion for horticulture through serving in the Herbarium at Kew Gardens and running her own gardening store, before moving abroad to Australia in 1969. She was a very active member of the VC and GC Association, returning to Britain many times over the years before she passed away in 2000. It was on one of her later visits to the UK that she met the sons of David Bond, the pilot whose life she saved and who went on to found the famous Bond Aviation Group, which was ultimately acquired by Babcock in 2014.

Attendees at the unveiling included: the artist, Mr Paul Brason; Messrs Thomas and William Bond (grandsons of the late David Bond); Rebecca Maciejewska (VC and GC Association Chief Executive Officer); Air Commodore Wendy Rothery and Sue Arnold of the Association of RAF Women Officers (ARAFWO); Tracy Watson of the WAAF, WRAF and RAF(W) Association; Group Captain Jim Beldon (Chair of the Club’s Arts and Heritage Committee); and Mandy Shepherd, member of the Club’s Arts and Heritage Committee. Touchingly, Daphne Pearson’s friend and companion, Audrey Jarvis, joined the event virtually from Australia.

Following the event, William Bond said "Thank you again for letting my brother Thomas and I attend the unveiling of the portrait of Daphne Pearson GC. I would also like to extend our thanks to everyone who attended and who made us feel most welcome. It was a wonderful day that I am sure we will both remember for the rest of our lives."

The portrait, painted by Paul Brason, is now on display at the Club next to its sister portrait (also painted by Paul Brason) of Noor Inayat Khan GC. Daphne Pearson GC was a Member of the Royal Air Force Club.