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Aviation History
1940
1940 - 2446.PDF
176 AUGUST 29, 1940 II. M. The King, accompanied by General Sikorski, inspecting two squadrons of the Polish Air Force. SERVICE AVIATION D.F.C. and D.F.M. to Remain THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR AIR, SirArchibald Sinclair, replying to a question in the House of Commons, said "that whether theD.F.C. and the D.F.M. should be replaced by one decoration, for which both officers and men shouldbe eligible, had been considered by the committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medalsin Time of War, which recommended that no change should be made."" There was no snobbish distinction, nor was the D.F.M. in any way inferior in honour to theD.F.C." R.A.F. Display THE exhibition of Royal Air Force War Photo-graphs, which was opened on Friday last at the Grafton Galleries of the Building Centre, NewBond Street, W.I, will remain open for six weeks. A very high standard of photographic art andinterest has been achieved, and it should go far to satisfy the public thirst for knowledge of the mostspectacular, if the most junior. Service. Sections deal with Fighter Command, BomberCommand, Training Command, Observer Corps, aircraft production, and many other phases of ourair war effort. With some knowledge of the prob- lems involved, we offer our congratulations to Mr.Francis, Mr. Gibb-Smith, and the able staff under their command at the Photograph Department ofthe Ministry of Information, for an excellent display. Palestine Recruiting OWING to the great response to the requestfor recruits from Palestine and Transjordan for the R.A.F.. local enlistment has been tem- porarily suspended. Recruiting for Army service remains open. Telegrams to R.A.F. Abroad THE Air Ministry announces that, as fromAugust 12th, 1940, facilities will be provided by which the officially nominattd nearest relativeor friend of officers and men serving in Malta, Egypt, Palestine, Cyprus, Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.Aden and South Africa, will be able to send to them private telegrams of an urgent characterat ordinary inland rates. These concession tele- grams will be limited to not more than two amonth for any one sender. These must be handed in at a post office in theUnited Kingdom on a special form to be obtained on application in writing. In the case of next-of-kin of office:?, application should be made to the Under-Seeretary of State (S 7B (2)), AirMinistry. Kingsvvay, London. W.C.2. In the case of applications by next-of-kin of other ranks,letters should be addressed to the Air Officer Com- manding, Record Office, Royal Air Force, Ruislip.Middlesex. In bath cases the words " cable form " should be written in the top left-hand corner ofthe envelope. Care should be taken to mention the servicenumber, rank, name and unit of the officer or man concerned. Applicants are asked to enclosean addresser] envelope for reply. It should be obtained in the manner described above and can- Royal Air Force Awards and Official Announcements not be obtained at a post office. The use of thespecial-concession telegram forms is to be limited to messages of an urgent and private nature.Telegrams are to be addressed in the usual man- ner, i.e., service number, rank, name, squadronor unit, station, country in which the squadron or unit is serving. The address will count only Fit. Lt. R. A. B. Learoyd who recentlywon the V.C. for bravery whilst bombing the Dortmund-Ems canal. us five words, no matter how long it may be,but the text of each message should not normally exceed twelve words. Telegrams will be chargedfor at the usual inland rates. AwardsT HE KING has bee.-i graciously pleased to ap-prove the undermentioned appointment and awards, in recognition of gallantry displayed inflying operations against the enemy : — APPOINTED A COMPANION or THE DISTINGUISHED SEBVICE ORCEB.Act, Fit, Lt. J. A. Fitcairn-Hill. D.F.C. Act. Fit. Lt, Pitcairn-Hill, D.F.C, was born at Frinlaws,Leslie, Fife. He became an aircraft apprentice in 1932 and was appointed to a eadetship at Cran-well in 1935. He became Pilot Officer in 1S37, Flying Officer in 1939 and Acting Flight Lieu-tenant ten months later. AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CHO8S.P/O. H. V. Matthews. On a night in August, Fit. Lt. Pitcairn-Hill led a formation of aircraft*one of which was piloted by P/O. Matthews, in a low-flying attack on the Dortmund-Ems Canal. Inspite of intense enemy opposition over the target area, in which all aircraft were seriously damagedand two were shot down, these officers tarried ont a successful attack from 150 feet precisely at zerohour. The timing of this difficult operation was dependent on the skill, judgment and personalresolution of Fit. Lt. Pitcairn-Hill, who has at all times displayed outstanding gallantry, skill anddevotion to duty. P/O. Matthews, by his eonrage. determination and skill has at all times set anexcellent example. P/O. C. F. Gray. Since May, 1940, P/O. Grayhas flown continuously with his squadron on of- fensive patrols. He took part in numerous en-gagements against the enemy throughout the Dun- kirk operations, and subsequently throughout in-tensive air operations over the Kentish coast, and in protection of shipping in the Channel. He hasshot down four Messerschmitt 109s and, it is be- lieved, destroyed a further four. He also assistedin destroying one Messerechmitt 109 and one Dor- nier 215. His example, courage and determinationin action have contributed materially in maintain- ing the high morale of his squadron. P/O. J. K. U. B. McGrath, A.A.F. In May,1940, during a patrol over Arras, P/O. McGrath destroyed a Messerschmitt 109. A few days later,near Dunkirk, he shot down a Messerschmitt 110. Since then he has destroyed a further three enemyaircraft and possibly another seven. He has dis- played great courage and determination. P/O. II. M. Stephen, R.A.F.V.R. Since May,P/O. Stephen has flown continuously with his squadron on offensive patrols, and taken part innumerous engagements against the enemy through- out the Dunkirk operations. He has also beenengaged protecting shipping in the Channel and hns taken part in intensive air operations overthe Kentish coast. On August 11, in company with his squadron, P/O. Stephen participated infour successive combats against largs formations nf enemy aircraft over the Thames iistuary andChannel, and during these engagements he shot down five enemy aircraft. He has now destroyeda total of twelve enemy aircraft and has always displayed great coolness and determination i"pressing home his attacks against the enemy.
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