Airmen Behind the Medals

Preface

For many years I have been able to discover the deeds of men who were forced to face the greatest dangers. I was fortunate to serve with some during the early years of my career in the Royal Air Force and, in more recent years, during my work with the Daily Telegraph and as the Archivist of the Aircrew Association. It has been a privilege to research the actions of a generation of remarkable people and then to record the details for others to share and be equally stimulated.

In my two Men Behind the Medals books, I devoted a chapter to describing the medals covered in each volume. Some readers of this volume will not necessarily have had access to the earlier books, so I have decided to once again include the chapter on ‘The Medals’ since I believe many readers will wish to know the details of the medals that appear in this volume.

The chapters that follow relate the stories of twenty-one brave young men who served in the Royal Air Force and the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. Their particular stories have been selected in order to embrace a wide cross section of the flying operations by the British services, but I have also included three chapters describing the gallant service of those who gave crucial support to the men who flew.

I have tried to embrace as many different roles and theatres of operations as possible, but not all can be included. Some were covered in the two volumes of Men Behind the Medals, and some omitted from these earlier books have been included in this volume, making, I trust, a very wide and comprehensive cross section across the three volumes.

I have endeavoured to include as many different aircrew categories as possible, and also to include a wide example of the decorations awarded for gallantry in the air. I decided not to include an account of a holder of the Victoria Cross, since their amazing exploits have been covered in numerous other publications. Otherwise, in the chapters that follow, all the British gallantry awards for flying are included, together with those of the Royal Navy and the Army, which were awarded to members of the Royal Air Force. As in the earlier volumes, it has been my intention that each story stands on its own as a comprehensive account of an individual’s service career, and this has caused a certain degree of overlap. For example, two of the ‘Air Men’ flew Hurricanes in the North African Desert campaigns and two others operated Beaufighters in the anti-shipping role. In other respects their stories are very different, and they would have been incomplete if I had abbreviated them on the basis that a few details had appeared in an earlier chapter.

Apart from describing the incredible bravery of the men that appear in this book, I hope I have highlighted the amazing variety of roles, activities and the sheer scale of air operations in a period of just over five years. One feature of these stories is the determination, comradeship, gallantry and raw courage of a generation of young men that is now, sadly, fading into history. But their exploits must live on as a stimulus and example for future generations. They should never be forgotten and I dedicate this book to their memory and to the thousands of their colleagues, many of whom ‘Failed to Return.’

Chapter One

The Medals

Introduction

This book tells the story of the exploits and service of gallant aircrew ‘Air Men’ whose courage was recognised by the award of medals for service during the Second World War. Some general knowledge of the medals referred to in the chapters that follow would, I believe, provide some useful and interesting background. However, it is not the intention to treat the reader to a detailed study of British medals. This is a vast and fascinating topic and there are some outstanding works that the enthusiast can study; none more so than ‘British Gallantry Awards’ by Abbott and Tamplin and ‘British Battles and Medals’ by Hayward, Birch and Bishop.

The medals that appear in this book can be split into four categories: gallantry, campaign service, long service and commemorative. This chapter will concentrate on the background to the medals awarded to British and Commonwealth airmen for gallantry and for service in the Second World War.

Readers should be aware that major changes were made to the Honours system in 1993, and some well-known gallantry medals have disappeared, for example, the Distinguished Flying Medal. Others have been introduced, such as the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross. Since all the stories covered in this book relate to the Second World War and the immediate post-war years, these changes will not be discussed in this chapter, and all reference to medals will be based on the pre-1993 changes.

The exploits of those awarded the Victoria Cross, the nation’s ultimate award for gallantry, have been researched and related in great detail, and thus I have chosen not to include stories of the recipients. To those with a specific interest in this award to airmen, I recommend they read the eminent air historian Chaz Bowyer’s book ‘For Valour. The Air VCs.’

The descriptions outlined below are general and do not go into the numerous warrants, minor changes and styles of naming that have been made over the years. Clearly, all the awards reflect the appropriate cypher and crown, but this book is concerned only with those awarded during the reigns of His Majesty King George VI and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The gallantry medals, which appear in the following chapters, are listed in order of precedence.

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

King George V founded the Order in June 1917 for services to the Empire. A military division was created in December 1918, with awards made to commissioned and warrant officers for distinguished services of a non-combatant character. The Order consists of five classes and a medal. The insignia of the Civil and Military Divisions is identical, but distinguished by the respective ribbons. The ribbon is rose pink, edged with pearl grey. The Military Division has a narrow central stripe, also in pearl grey. Examples of the fourth order (Officer) and fifth order (Member) are included in this book.

Distinguished Service Order

The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) was instituted in 1886 and is only awarded to commissioned officers. It is available to members of all three services for ‘distinguished services under fire’, which might include a specific act of gallantry, or for distinguished service over a period of time.

The silver gilt and white enamelled cross, with the crown on the obverse and the cypher on the reverse, hangs from a laurelled suspender and a red ribbon with narrow blue borders, which is attached to a similar laurelled bar and brooch. The year of the award is engraved on the back of the suspender. Bars are awarded for subsequent acts of distinguished service or gallantry and these are similar in design to the brooch and suspender bars.

Some 870 orders and 72 bars were awarded to members of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. (Group Captain J.B. Tait was awarded three Bars in addition to two DFCs.) A further 217 orders and 12 bars were awarded to members of the Commonwealth Air Forces and a further thirty-eight Honorary Awards to foreign (non-Commonwealth) officers.

Distinguished Service Cross

The Conspicuous Service Cross, later to become the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC), was instituted in June 1901, primarily to be awarded to Warrant Officers or Subordinate Officers of the Royal Navy for meritorious or distinguished service in action. On 14 October 1914 it was re-designated ‘The Distinguished Service Cross’, when the eligibility was extended to officers below the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Subsequently, further Orders in Council were made, which extended the eligibility to other forces. This included, from 17 April 1940, officers and warrant officers of the Royal Air Force serving with the Fleet.

The plain cross with rounded ends has the crowned royal cipher on the obverse, and the plain reverse is hallmarked with the date of issue engraved on the lower limb. The cross is attached to the ribbon, of three equal parts of dark blue, white and dark blue, by a silver ring passing through a smaller ring fixed to the top of the cross. Bars are awarded for further acts of gallantry and the year of award is engraved on the reverse.

There were only eight awards made to the air forces during the Second World War. Most of these were for air-sea rescue work and all the recipients were members of the RAF. These include Flight Lieutenant David Jones and his gallant exploits appear in a later chapter.

Military Cross

The Military Cross (MC) is not awarded for flying operations, but a number of awards have been made for gallantry to members of the Royal Air Force since its formation. A brief description is included here, since a later chapter will relate the story of Flight Lieutenant Courtney Willey, who was awarded the decoration in 1940.

Initially, the medal was awarded to officers and warrant officers of the British Army for distinguished and meritorious service. It was instituted in December 1914, and in January 1917 orders were given to all commanders in the field that the MC should be restricted to the ‘fighting services’. This was extended by a 1920 Royal Warrant to be a reward for ‘gallant and distinguished services in action’. A further revised Royal Warrant in 1931 extended the MC to officers and warrant officers of ‘Our air forces’, for gallant and distinguished services in action on the ground.

The Military Cross is a silver ornamental cross with straight arms terminating in distinctively splayed ends. The obverse carries a crown at the end of each arm, with a royal cipher in the centre of the cross. The reverse is plain and the cross is unnamed. The ribbon consists of equal stripes of white, deep purple and white.

During the Second World War, eighty-five awards were made to men of the air forces, including one Bar.

Distinguished Flying Cross

Following the formation of an independent Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918, specific awards for gallantry in the air were instituted on 3 June 1918. This included the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), awarded to officers and warrant officers ‘for exceptional valour, courage and devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy’. The award was extended to equivalent ranks in the Royal Navy on 11 March 1941.

The silver cross flory is surmounted by another cross of aeroplane propellers, with a centre roundel within a wreath of laurels with an Imperial Crown, and the letters RAF. The reverse is plain, with the Royal Cypher above the date 1918. The cross is attached to the ribbon by a clasp adorned with two sprigs of laurel. Since July 1919, the ribbon has been violet and white alternate stripes running at an angle of 45° from left to right. The year of award is engraved on the reverse. Bars are awarded for further acts of gallantry and the year of award is engraved in a similar fashion.

During the Second World War, just over 20,000 awards were made, with a further 1,592 bars. Amongst the latter were forty-two second bars.

Air Force Cross

The Air Force Cross (AFC) was introduced at the same time as the DFC. It too is awarded to Officers and Warrant Officers for an act – or acts – of valour, courage and devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active service against the enemy.

The cross is silver and consists of a thunderbolt in the form of a cross, the arms conjoined by wings, the base bar terminating with a bomb surmounted by another cross composed of aeroplane propellers, whilst three of the four ends are inscribed with the letters G.R. and VI. The roundel in the centre represents Hermes mounted on a hawk in flight bestowing a wreath. The reverse is plain, with the Royal Cypher above the date 1918. The date of the award is engraved on the reverse. The suspension is a straight silver bar ornamented with sprigs of laurel. The ribbon is in the same style as the DFC with red and white diagonal stripes. Bars are awarded for further acts of gallantry or duty.

Conspicuous Gallantry Medal

Until 1942, the Royal Air Force did not have a medal which ranked between the Victoria Cross and the Distinguished Flying Medal, for warrant officers, noncommissioned officers and men. The Royal Navy had the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal and the Army had the Distinguished Conduct Medal. A Royal Warrant of 10 November 1942 extended the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal to members of the Army and Royal Air Force for ‘conspicuous gallantry whilst flying against the enemy’. The medal was called the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying), but abbreviated to CGM, and it had its own distinctive ribbon.

The medal is silver and has the Sovereign’s effigy on the obverse with the words, ‘For Conspicuous Gallantry’, surrounded by a laurel wreath and surmounted by a crown on the reverse. The medal is suspended from a straight silver swivel and hangs from a light blue ribbon with a narrow dark blue marginal stripe. Bars could be awarded, but none were made. The medal is named on the edge with the recipient’s number, rank, name and service.

During the Second World War there were just 109 awards, including one to a pilot in the Glider Pilot Regiment. This small number makes it by far the rarest of the flying gallantry awards.

Military Medal

Although the Military Medal (MM) is not awarded for flying operations, a number of awards have been made for gallantry to members of the Royal Air Force and the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. A brief description is included here since a later chapter will relate the story of Sergeant Norman Gerrish, who was awarded the medal in 1945.

The medal is awarded to non-commissioned officers and men of the British Army for bravery in the field. It was instituted in 1916 and extended by a 1920 Royal Warrant to include other ranks of ‘any of Our Military Forces’. A Royal Warrant in 1931 refined this statement further with a new provision that it could be given to other ranks of ‘Our air forces’ for services on the ground.

The silver medal carries the Sovereign’s effigy on the obverse and the words ‘For Bravery in the Field’, surrounded by a laurel wreath surmounted by the Royal Cypher and a crown on the reverse. The medal is suspended by an ornate scroll bar suspender hanging from a dark blue ribbon with three white and two crimson narrow stripes down the centre. The medal is named on the edge with the recipient’s number, rank, name and unit.

During the Second World War, 129 medals were awarded to the air forces, including six to members of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. Surprisingly, some medals were awarded to Royal Air Force personnel for engagements at sea.

Distinguished Flying Medal

The Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) was instituted at the same time as the DFC and is awarded to non-commissioned officers and other ranks for ‘an act – or acts – of valour, courage or devotion to duty performed whilst flying in operations against the enemy’.

The silver medal is oval-shaped and carries the Sovereign’s effigy. The reverse is more ornate, showing Athena Nike seated on an aeroplane with a hawk rising from her right hand. Below are the words FOR COURAGE and the G VI issue contains the date 1918 in the top left segment. The medal is suspended by a straight silver suspender fashioned in the form of two wings; all suspended from a ribbon of very narrow violet and white stripes at an angle of 45° from left to right. The medal is named on the edge. Bars are awarded for subsequent acts of valour and the date is engraved on the reverse.

During the Second World War, 6,637 medals were awarded, with just sixty bars and one second bar (the latter to Flight Sergeant Don Kingaby, who was later commissioned and awarded the DSO and AFC also). The small number of awards of the Bar is explained by the fact that many of the recipients of the DFM were subsequently commissioned. Many were decorated again as officers.

Air Force Medal

The Air Force Medal (AFM) was the fourth of the ‘flying’ medals to be instituted by Royal Warrant on 3 June 1918, following the formation of the Royal Air Force. As with the AFC, the AFM is awarded for ‘valour, courage, or devotion to duty performed whilst flying not in active operations against the enemy’. The medal is awarded to non-commissioned officers and other ranks.

The silver medal is very similar to the DFM with the exception of the reverse and the ribbon. The reverse shows Hermes mounted on a hawk and bestowing a wreath. The G VI issue has the date 1918 placed at the centre left. The ribbon is the same design as the DFM, but with the colours of red and white. The medals are named on the edge. Bars are awarded for additional acts of valour or duty.

There have been about 850 awards of the AFM since the award was instituted almost eighty years ago. Of these, 259 were awarded in the Second World War, including two to the Army Air Corps. The AFM is the second most rare of the awards for flying.

Mention in Despatches

The practice of mentioning subordinates in despatches is of long standing. During the Second World War, and in recent years, a Mention in Despatches was normally awarded only for gallantry or distinguished services in operations against the enemy, which fell just short of the award of a gallantry medal. Until recently, the only medal to be awarded posthumously was the Victoria Cross. Posthumous ‘Mentions’ invariably indicated that the recipient would have earned a gallantry award had he survived, but, with the exception of the Victoria Cross, the statutes of the day denied posthumous recognition.

The emblem is single-leaved, being approximately three-quarters of an inch long. For the Second World War the emblem is worn on the ribbon of the War Medal and for other actions it is worn on the appropriate campaign medal ribbon. Recommendations are submitted for the Sovereign’s approval and a certificate is issued.

Air Efficiency Award

The Air Efficiency Award is not a gallantry award, but is included here because it is an award made specifically to members of the Royal Air Force’s Auxiliary and Volunteer Reserve Forces. It was instituted in 1942 and can be awarded to all ranks that have completed ten years of service. War service reduced the qualifying period depending on the type of service.

The silver medal is oval, with the Sovereign’s effigy on the obverse. The reverse is plain with the words ‘AIR EFFICIENCY AWARD’. The suspender is an eagle with wings outspread and the medal hangs from a green ribbon with two pale blue central stripes. Bars can be awarded for additional service. The medal is named on the edge.

Efficiency Medal (Territorial)

The Efficiency Medal is similar to the Air Efficiency Award described above, but was awarded to other ranks of Army volunteer forces for twelve years service. Wartime service counted double. A brief description is included, as a later chapter will include the details of the service of Air Commodore ‘Kit’ North-Lewis, who commenced his military service in the Territorial Army before joining the Royal Air Force.

The oval silver medal has the monarch’s effigy on the obverse and the plain reverse is inscribed ‘FOR EFFICIENT SERVICE’. There is a fixed suspender bar decorated with a pair of silver palm leaves surmounted by a scroll inscribed ‘TERRITORIAL’. The ribbon is green with yellow edges. The medal is named on the edge.

Second World War Campaign Stars and Medals

Eight campaign stars were awarded for services during the Second World War. The six-pointed stars were made of a copper zinc alloy and were identical except for the name of the campaign in an outer circle surrounding the Royal Cypher and crown. All the medals were issued unnamed. The maximum number of stars that could be awarded to one individual was five. Nine clasps were issued, but only one could be worn with each star.

The qualifying periods for the campaign stars varies greatly and the reader who wishes to verify specific awards should consult one of the authoritative books mentioned in the introduction to this chapter.

The 1939–45 Star. This star was awarded for service in an operational area between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. The colours of the ribbon represent the three services, with the navy blue of the Senior Service on the left, the red of the Army in the centre and the pale blue of the RAF on the right. Fighter aircrew that took part in the Battle of Britain between 10 July and 31 October 1940 were awarded the clasp ‘Battle of Britain’.

The Atlantic Star. The Atlantic Star was awarded to those involved in operations during the Battle of the Atlantic from 3 September 1939 to 8 May 1945. The watered ribbon of blue, white and green represents the mood of the Atlantic. The clasps ‘Aircrew Europe’ and ‘France and Germany’ can be worn with this star.

The Aircrew Europe Star. The Aircrew Europe Star was awarded for operational flying over Europe from airfields in the United Kingdom between the outbreak of war and the invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944. The ribbon of ‘Air Force’ blue, with black edges and two yellow stripes, represents continuous operations by day and night. The clasps ‘Atlantic’ and ‘France and Germany’ were awarded with this star.

The Africa Star. This star was awarded for one or more day’s service in numerous areas of Africa, primarily North Africa, between the entry of Italy into the war on 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943. Other qualifying areas included Abyssinia, Somaliland, Sudan and Malta. The ribbon is a pale buff representing the desert, with a central red stripe flanked by a single navy blue and light blue stripe. These represent the three services. The clasp ‘North Africa 1942–43’ was awarded to qualifying members of the RAF.

The Pacific Star. The Pacific Star was awarded for service in the Pacific area of operations between 8 December 1941 and 2 September 1945. These areas included those invaded by the enemy, Malaya and the Pacific Ocean. The ribbon is dark green with red edges, with a central yellow stripe flanked by thin lines of dark and light blue. These colours represent the jungle and desert, and the involvement of all three services. The clasp ‘Burma’ was issued with this star.

The Burma Star. This star was awarded for service in the Burma Campaign between 11 December 1941 and 2 September 1945 and for service in parts of India, China and Malaya over certain periods. The ribbon is dark blue with a wide red stripe down the middle. The latter represents the Commonwealth forces. The blue edges each have a central orange stripe representing the sun. Those eligible for both wore a clasp ‘Pacific’ with this star.

The Italy Star. This star was awarded from the beginning of the Italian campaign for operational service in Sicily or Italy from 11 June 1943 to 8 May 1945. Aircrew service between these dates over Yugoslavia, Greece, the Dodecanese, Sardinia and Corsica also qualified for this star. The ribbon represents the Italian colours of green, white and red in equal stripes, with the green on the outside and the red in the middle of the white centre. There are no clasps with this star.

The France and Germany Star. This star was awarded for service in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany after D-Day on 6 June 1944 to VE Day on 8 May 1945. Operations mounted from Italy did not qualify for this star. The ribbon is red, white and blue, representing the national flags of Great Britain, France and Holland. The colours are in equal stripes with the blue on the outside and the red in the centre. The clasp ‘Atlantic’ can be awarded with this star.

The Defence Medal. The Defence Medal is made of cupro nickel and shows the uncrowned head of King George VI on the obverse. The reverse has the Royal Crown resting on the stump of an oak tree, with the years 1939 and 1945 at the top left and right. The words ‘THE DEFENCE MEDAL’ are