1942 - 0052.pdf

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S E R V I C E V I T I O N

G r p .

  Cap t . B ro adh ur s t fl ew i t s a fe ly back to th i s

c o u n t r y . S i n c e b e i n g a w a r d e d t h e D i s ti n g u i s h e d

Se rvice Orde r in June , he has des t royed e ight and

p r o b a b l y d e s t r o y e d a f u r t h e r l o u r e n e m y a i r c r a f t ,

l i e has s e t an example wor thy of the h ighes t

t radi t ion of the s e iv ice .

D I S T I N G U I S H E D F L Y I N G C E O S S .

Act . W ing Cdr . E . S .  B A R N E S ,  R . A . F . V . R . , N o .

1 0 7 S q u a d r o n . — T h i s o ff ic er h a s p e r f o r m e d s p l e n d i d

w o r k w h i l s t c o m m a n d i n g t h e s q u a d r o n . A t t a c k s

e n e n e m y s h i p p i n g i n t h e B e n g h a z i a n d T r i p o l i

a r e a s h a v e b e e n a t t e n d e d w i t h m a g n i f i c e n t r e s u l t s

a n d m u c h o f t h e s u c c e s s o b t a i n e d c a n b e a t t r i

buted to th i s of f i ce r ' s sk i l l and courage .

W i n g C d r . B a r n e s h a s a l s o l e d a t t a c k s o n r o a d

t i a n s p o r t s a n d v a r i o u s t a r g e t s i n S ic i ly a n d I t a l y

whe r eby cons ide rab le dam age has been inf l i c t ed

o n t h e e n e m y . H i s l e a d e r s h i p a n d p e r s o n a l e x

a m p l e , e sp e c i a l l y d u r i n g a d i f f ic u l t p h a s e o f o p e r a

t ions, has had a most beneficial effect on the

mo ra le of h i s fly ing c rews . W in g Cdr . Ba r nes has

c a r r i e d o u t 3 5 o p e r a t i o n a l m i s si o n s.

A c t . F i t . L t . E . G .   E D M U N D S ,  N O . 1 8 S q u a d r o n .

— I n N o v e m b e r . 1 9 4 1 , F i t . L t . E d m u n d s a n d S g t .

H e d i n w e r e t h e p i l o t a n d n a v i g a t o r r e s p e c t i v e ly

of an a i rc ra f t which ca r r i ed out an a t t ac k on

s h i p p i n g e a s t o f T r i p o l i . I n s p i t e of e x t r e m e l y

u n f a v o u r a b l e f l yi ng c o n d i t i o n s , F i t . L t . E d m u n d s

pe rs i s t ed in h i s mis s ion and, ably as s i s t ed by

Sgt , Hed in , who ski l fu l ly naviga ted the a i rc r a f t

ove r 200 mi les of the s ea to the t a rge t , a rea , f ina l ly

» H a n k e d a n d   seated   hi ts on a lar ge vessel and an

e s c o r t i n g d e s t r o y e r .

T w o d a y s l a t e r F i t . L t . E d m u n d s , w i t h S g t .

He din as navi ga to r , l ed a low-f ly ing a t t ac k on

s h i p p i n g i n N a v a r i n o B a y . I n s p i t e o f i n t e n s e

f i re f rom the shore , s eve ra l h i t s we re s cored on

a 6 ,000- ton t ank e r which was s e t on f ire . The

s k i l l a n d d e t e r m i n a t i o n s h o w n b y F i t . L t .

E d m o n d s , c o m b i n e d w i t h t h e s k il f u l a n d a c c u r a t e

n a v i g a t i o n d i s p l a y e d b y S g t . H e d i n . w e r e l a r g e l y

res pons ible fo r the succes s achieved .

Lt . D . H . HlLLHOUSE, S . A . A . F . , No . 12 Squad

ron . — This of fi ce r h as p a r t i c i p a ted in ac t ive op e ra

t ions in Eas t Af r i ca and the W es te rn Dese r t s ince

J u n e . 1 9 4 0 . H e h a s t a k e n p a r t in 7 7 s o r t i e s ,

o n 5 6 o f w h i c h h e h a s a c t e d a s a i r g u n n e r a n d

t h e r e m a i n d e r a s b o m b a i m e r , n i s a b i l it y t o

b o m b h i s t a r g e t a c c u r a t e l y h a s b ee n e x c e p t i o n a l ,

and has cont r ibuted mate r i a l ly to the succes ses

achieved by hi s un i t . L t . H i l lhousc has shown

g r e a t c o u r a g e .

P / O .

  L- A . V 'AUGHAN, R . A . F . V . R . , No . 148

S q n a d r o n . — T h i s of fi ce r a i r - g u n n e r h a s p a r t i c i p a t e d

i n 5 4 r a i d s , i n c l u d i n g 2 8 a g a in s t t a r g e t s i n G e r

m a n y a n d G e r m a n o cc u p i ed t e r r i t o r y . T h r o u g h

o u t , h e h a s d is p l a y e d t h e u t m o s t k e e n e s s fo r

o p e r a t i o n s w h i c h , t o g e t h e r w i t h h i s u t t e r c o n t e m p t

fo r dange r , has s e t a s p l endid example to a l l .

On one occas ion dur ing a mine- l aying mis s ion .

h i s a i rc ra f t was subjec ted to f ire , a t c lose range ,

£ r o m t w o a n t i a i r c r a f t  gun3 .  By s i l enc ing these

u n s P / O . V a u g h a n p e r f o r m e d v e r y v a l u a b l e w o r k

i d i f f icul t c i r cum s tance s . - As a qua l i f i ed gun ne r y

j d e r , h e c a r r i e s o u t a g r e a t d e a l of t h e i n s t r u c

t ion of new crews, a work in which he has shown

abi l i ty .

I / O . M . P .

  W A H EHA M ,

  R . A . F . V . R . , N o. 73

Squadr on . — This „ of fi ce r has been engaged on

Ope ra t iona l f ly ing in the W es te rn Dese r t fo r the

p a * t e n m o n t h s . T h r o u g h o u t a d i f fi c u lt a n d

Jons pe r iod, he showed rem ar kable k eennes s

j o p e r a t i o n s w h a t e v e r ( h e c o n d i t i o n s o r t h s

. | A t on e p e r i o d h e c o n s i s t e n t l y o p e r a t e d w i t h

h i s f i n i t f r o m a n e x p o s e d a e r o d r o m e a t T o b r n k

Stowing airma il for the M iddle East aboard a flying boat. It is composed almt-.W%

exclusively of Airgraph miniature films which means a saving of over 98 per cen%r • •

in weight as against ordinary mail.

fo r seve ra l weeks . In a s e r i e s of p l anne d m ach ine

g u n a t t a c k s o n g r o u n d t a r g e t s , * P / O . W a r e h a m

dis p layed exem p la ry coolnes s and in i t i a t iv e . He

has des t ro yed a t l eas t th r ee enemy a i rc r a f t off the

Libyan coas t .

D I S T I N G U I S H E D F L U N G M E D A L .

Sgt . S . E .   H E D I N ,  N o . 1 8 S q u a d r o n .

For citation gee Fit. Lt. Edmunds in previous

column.

Sgt . F C

  A STLEV ,

  N o . 6 1 5 S q u a d r o n . — T h i s

a i r m a n h a s c a r r i e d o u t a l a r g e n u m b e r o f o p e r a

t i o n a l s o r t i e s , i n v o l v i n g i n t e r c e p t i o n a n d c o n v o y

p a t r o l s . H e h a s a l s o p a r t i c i p a t e d i n n u m e r o u s

highly succes s ful a t t acks on enemy shi pp ing,

du r in g which s eve ra l enemy shi p s we re s e t on f i re

a n d o t h e r s d a m a g e d , a n d a t t a c k s o n g r o u n d t a r g e t s

i n N o r t h e r n F r a n c e . A s a s e c t io n le a d e r fo r t h e

p as t th r ee month s , Sgt . As t l ey has t ake n an ac t ive

p a r t i n t h e t r a i n i n g o f n ew p i l o t s , a ta s k i n

which he has sbown grea t keennes s and devot ion

t o d u t y .

S g t . R B .

  B I R T L E S ,

  R . A F . V . R . , N o , 1 1 8

S q u a d r o n . — T h i s a i r m a n h a s p a r t i c i p a t e d i n a l a r g e

num ber of sweeps and rec onna i s sances ; he has

a l s o t a k e n p a r t i n t h r e e a t t a c k s o n e n e m y s h i p

p ing and four on l and t a rge t s when t i a ins , fac

t o r i e s a n d o t h e r o b j e c t i v e i m v g b e a n a t t a c k e d .

l i November , 194 1 . du r in g a soi t i e , Sgt . B iHles

need a l ight ant i - a i r c ra f t gun which was f ir i ng

on hi s s ec t ion l eade r .

S o m e d a y s l a t e r h e p a r t i c i

pa ted in an a t t ack on a ra i l

w a y s t a t i o n i n F r a n c e . O n

t h e r e t u r n j o u r n e y o n e o f h i s

fe l low-p i lo t s was shot down in to

th e s ea . Sgt . B i r t l e s , wi th

grea t in i t i a t ive , f l ew down to

a lmos t s ea l eve l , and whi l e

o p e r a t i n g h i s a i r c r a f t c o n t r o l s

wi th th e r igh t hand only , de

t ached hi s own dinghy and so

ski l fu lly manoeuvr ed hi s a i r c ra f t

t h a t h e s u c c e ed e d i n d r o p p i n g

the ding hy wi th in a few j fee t

of h i s comrade , who was then

Bwimm ing in th e sea. Sgt ,

B i r t l e s then f l ew on to h i s base ,

which he r eached wi th ve ry

l i t t l e p e t r o l i n t h e t a n k s .

Sgt . R . C .

  F I N N ,

  R A . F . V . R ,

No .

  6 1 5 S q u a d r o n . — T h i s ai r

m a n h a s p a r t i c i p a t e d i n a l a r g e

n u m b e r o f o p e r a t i o n a l s o r t i es ,

c o n s i s t i n g o f i n t e r c e p t i o n a n d

c o n v oy p a t r o l s I n a d d i t i o n ,

h e h a s ta k e n p a r t i n 4 3 a t t a c k s

o n e n e m y s h i p p i n g a n d g r o u n d

t a r g e t s i n N o r t h e r n F r a n c e

In the course of these a t t acks

s ix shi ps , of va r ious typ es , have

been dest r oye d, two set on fi re,

and f ive damaged, whi l s t on

l a n d a t r a n s f o r m e r s t a t i o n a n d

a fac to ry we re badly damaged .

One of the first batch

of W . A . A . F . flight

mechanics doing a job

of work on a Hurricane

undercar r iage .

Sgt . F i nn has ca r r i ed o ut th e dut i es of s ect ion

leade r fo r f ive mo nth s , d i s p l ayin g g re a t keennes s

and devot ion to duty .

S g t . P . G L o u i s , N O 6 1 5 S q u a d r o n — T h i s

a i r m a n h a s p a r t i c i p a t e d i n o v er 1 0 0 o p e r a

t iona l so r t i e s , i nc luding ch anne l sweeps , convoy,

a n d n i g h t p a t r o l s . S g t . L o u is h a s t a k e n p a r t in

mos t of h i s uni t ' s h ighly succes s ful a t t acks on

enemy shi p p ing, whe r e in s ix shi ps of var ions

typ es and s i zes have been des t roved an d othe rs

d a m a g e d . H e h a s d e s t r o y e d o n e J u n k e r s 8 8 a n d

p r o b a b l y a . M e s s er s c h m i tt 1 0 9 F . T h r o u g h o u t h e

has d i s p l ay ed g r ea t keennes s and dev ot ion lo duty .

Ac t . F i t . Sgt .   W.   H .

  R O B I N S O N ,

  N O . 7 S q u a d r o n .

—In Novem ber , 19 41, th i s a i rm an was the f l ight

e n g i n e e r o f a n a i r c r a f t w h i c h p a r t i c i p a t e d i n a

d a y l i g h t a t t a c k o n s h i p p i n g off B o r k u m . T h e

a i rc ra f t was subjec ted to in tense and accur a te

ant i -a i rc ra f t f i re , and sus ta ined damage to the

s t a r b o a r d o u t e r e n g i n e o i l s y s t e m .

Owing to the p resence of e ight enemy f ighte rs,

F i t . S g t. R o b i n s o n m a n n e d h i s t u r r e t b u t f ul ly

rea l i s ing the dange r of the engine s e iz ing, in

s t ruc ted anothe r member of the c rew to g ive h im

a c o m m e n t a r y o r , t h f b e h a v i o u r o f t h e d a m a g e d

engine . Ski l fu l ly d ividin g hi s a t t tn l ig g be twem

h i « g i n n e r y a n d e n g i n e e r i n g d u t i e s . F i t . S g t .

R obinson was able to keep the damage d engj r

going unt i l t he engagement , was b roken oi l .

D u r i n g t h r b a t t l e h e s h o t d o w n o n e

  o j

enemy a i rc ra f t in f lames. Af te r wa r ds , whe . ' i |

po r t outboa rd engine a l so became unse rvic i

F i t . S g t . R o b i n s o n c a r e f u l ly c a l c u l a t e d t h e a m o u n t

of fue l neces sa ry to reach base , j e t t i soned as much

as pos s ib le of the remainde r , and so made i t

pos s ib le to re tu rn s a fely on two engines . Thi s

a i r m a n h a s p a r t i c i p a t e d i n m a n y su c c es s fu l o p e r a

t ions , on one of which, a l though wounded, be

ca r r i ed out h i s dut i e s fu l ly and, unt i l t he a i r c i a f t

was s a fe ly l anded, he d id not in dica te t ha t he had

been wounded in the g ro in .

S g t . P . C .   W H I T W E L L ,  N O . 7 S q u a d r o n . — T h i s

a i r m a n w a s t h e r e a r g u n n e r of a n a i r c r a f t w h i c h

c a r r i e d o u t a d a y l i g h t a t t a c k o n s h i p p i n g o il

Bor kum . Dur ing the op e ra t ion the a i rc r a f t v>»s

a t t ac ked by a fo rce of e igh t M es se rs ch mi t t I09i

Dis p l aying g rea t coolnes s and accuracy of B ra ,

Se r geant W hi twel l wa r ded of f the f i r s t four a t t ack s

and . in the next one , s e r ious ly damaged one ol

the a t t a cke rs , which was obse rved to d ive s t eep )

away wi th the engine emi t t ing black smoke .

T h r e e f u r t h e r a t t a c k s w e r e m a d e b y t h e e n e m y

ai rc r a f t , and . in the l a s t one , Sgt . W hi tw el l s cored

a fu r the r succes s Fol low ing a we l l a ime d i ra rc l

bv him, one of the enemy a i rc ra f t t u rned ove i

and dived ve r t i ca l ly . On ano the r occas ion, when

hi s a i rc ra f t was a t t ack ed by a M c-s se rs chmi t 110,

Sgt . W hi twei l wi thhe ld h i s f i re unt i l t he a t t acke r

had c losed to a range of 50 ya rds , and then shot

i t down in f lames Thi s a i r ma n has d i s p l ayed

g r e a t a b i l i t y , t e n a c i t y a n d c o u r a g e .

S g t . H . R L E V E N , S g t . M . J . N O L A N , S g t . C A .

E V A N S ,

  a l l of No. 107 Squadron . —As p i lo t , a i r

o b s e r v e r a n d w i r e le s s o p e r a t o r - a i r g u n n e r r e - p e c -

t ively

f

  S g t s . L e v e n , N o l a n a n d E v a n s h a v e p a r t i c i

p a t e d i n n u m e r o u s s o r t i es in w h i c h e n e m y s h i p p i n g

h a s b ee n a t t a c k e d . U n d i s m a y e d b y t h e h e a v y

defens ive f i re from a rm ed escor t sh i ps , t hese a i r

m e n h a v e s h o w n g r e a t c o u r a g e a n d d e t e r m i r i a t i c * '

to comp le te the i r a l lo t t e d t ask . Sgt s . Leven an< /

N o l a n h a v e c o m p l e t e d 3 4 , a n d S g t . E v a n s 2 7 o p e r - -

t iona l mis s ions .