FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1943
1943 - 1438.PDF
580 FLIGHT JUNE 3RD, 1943 AIR GUNNER TRAINING out a doubt, but it is not all " grindstone." A bus Service runs into a seaside town some miles away. There are two film changes a week at the camp cinema, in addition to one show either by E.N.S.A.""Tir the school's own concert party. They boast both a brass band and a dance band, in addition to a light orchestra and a W.A.A.F. bugle and drum band. The CO. of the school is keen on all forms of sport, and besides being a specialist in armament he is a widely travelled man. He was air attach^ in Tokio when war broke out with Japan and was repatriated with the diplo- matic staff. »The Chief Instructor, Sqn. Ldr. Custerson, has had long operational experience as an air gunner. For a considerable period he was flying with Coastal Command. In the' fourth year of war it is gratifying to see the high quality of the pupil intake. It is a tribute to the youth of the Empire that air- crews aie still recruited on an entirely volun- tary basis and also that there is no shortage of applicants. All the instructors are agreed, how- ever, that recruits from the A.T.C. are superior in all respects. " LTiyht " p?iotograi>7<. In addition to Westland Lysanders, Miles Martinets are used for drogue target towing. Another V.C. for the Il.A.F. Decorations for the Dam-Busters : King and Queen Visit Them at Their Lancaster Station THE King and Queen paid a visit to a Bomber Com- 30 minutes, drawing the enemy fire on himself in order tomand Station in the North of England on Thursday leave as free a run as possible to the following aircraft which last, when they met Wing Cdr. G. P. Gibson arid his were attacking the dam in turn.Lancaster crews of No. 617 Squadron who carried out "Wing Cdr. Gibson then led the remainder of his force to the successful attacks on the Mohne and Eder dams. The next the Eder dam, where, with complete disregard for his ownmorning it was announced that Wing Cdr. Gibson had been safety, he repeated his tactics, and once more drew on himself awarded the V.C., while his officers and N.C.O.s had also the enemy fire so that the attack could be successfullybeen decorated for their achievements. developed. The official citation reads:— - " Wing Cdr. Gibson has completed over 170 sorties, involv-" Acting Wing Cdr. Guy Penrose Gibson, D.S.O., D.F.C., inS more than 6o° hours' operational flying. Throughout his Reserve of Air Force Oifxers. No. 617 Squadron.—This operational career, prolonged exceptionally at his own request, officer served as a night-bomber pilot at the beginning of the h? «as showi^ leadership, determination and valour of the war and quickly established a reputation as an outstanding ' highest order." operational pilot. In addition to taking the fullest possible The other awards were: — share in all normal operations, he made single-handed attacks D.S.O.—Fit. Lt. Joseph Charles McCarthy, D.F.C., during his " rest" nights on such highly defended objectives R.C.A.F. ; Fit. Lt. David John Harfield Maltby, D.F.C.! as the German battleship Tirfitz, then completing in Wilhelms- R.A.F.V.R. ; Act. Fit. Lt. Harold Brownlow Martin, D.F.C., haven. R.A.F.V.R.; Act. Fit. Lt. David John Shannon, D.F.C., " When his tour of operational duty was concluded, he asked R.A.A.F. ; P/O. Leslie Gordon Knight, R.A.A.F. for a further operational posting and went to a night-fighter ear to D.F.C.—Act Fit Lt, Robert Claude Hay D F C unit instead of being posted for instructional duties. In the R.A.A.F.; Act. Fit. Lt. Robert Edward George Hutchison. course of hia second operational tour he destroyed hi least D.F.C., R.A.F.V.R.; Act. lit. Lt. Jack Frederick Loggo, three enemy bombers and contributed much to the raising and D.F.C.', R.A.A.F.; F/O. Daniel Revil Walker, D.F.C., development of new night-fighter formations. After a short R C A.F ' • period in a training unit he again volunteered for operational 'D.F!C—Act. Fit. Lt. Richard Dacre Trevor-Roper, D.F M. • duties and returned to night-bombers. Both as an operational F/O.s Jack Buckley, R.A.F.V.R.; Leonard Chambers, pilot and as leader of, his squadron he achieved outstandingly R.N.Z.A.F.; Harold Sydney Hobday, R.A.F.V.R.; Edward successful results and his personal courage knew no bounds. Cuthbert Johnson, R.A.F.V.R. , P/O.s George Andrew Deer- Berlin, Cologne, Danzig, Gdynia, Genoa, Le Creusot, Milan, mg, R.C.A.F.; John Fort; Cecil Lancelot Howard, R A A.F Nuremberg and Stuttgart were among the targets he attacked Frederick Michael Spafford, D.F.M. R.A.A.F.; Harlo Torgar by day and by night. Taerum, R.C.A.F. '' On the conclusion of his third operational tour, Wing Cdr. Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying) .—Fit. Set. Kenneth Gibson pressed strongly to be allowed to remain on operations, William Broun. R.C.A.F.; Fit Sgt. William Clifford Town- and he was selected to command a squadron then forming for send D F M special tasks. Under his inspiring leadership, this squadron Bar to Distinguished Flying Medal.—Sgt. Charles Ernest has now executed one ot the most devastating attacks of the Franklin, D.F.M. war—the breaching of the Mohne and Eder dams. The task Distinguished' FJying Medal.—Fit. Sgts. George Alexanderwas fraught with danger and difficulty. .Wing Cdr. Gibson Chalmers; Donald Arthur Maclean, R.C.A.F.; Thomas Drav- personally .made the initial attack on the Mohne dam. ton Simpson, R.A.AF.; Leonard Joseph Sumpter; Sgts.Descending to within a few feet of the- water and taking the Dudley Percy Heal; George- Leonard Johnson; Vivian Nichol- full brunt of the anti-aircraft defence?, he delivered his attack son; Stefan Oancia, R.C.A.F.; Tohu Pulford; Edward Webb;with great accuracy. Afterwards he circled very low for Ravmend Wilkinson.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
