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Aviation History
1947
1947 - 2179.PDF
DECEMBER I8TH, 1947 FLIGHT 703 AIRFIELD PROTECTION: R.A.F. Regt. armoured car patrolling the Mosquitoes of No. KQ Wing at Gutersloh airfield in Germany. Award THE King has been graciously pleasedto approve the award of the George Medal to F/O. Victor McNabney,R.A.F.V.R. (Training Branch), No. 203 Gliding School, Air Training Corps. The citation reads: —On July 16th, 1947, a glider, piloted by Mr. R. A. Glass, an instructorattached to No. 203 Gliding School, crashed on a hillside in an inaccessiblepart of the Downhill gliding site near Coleraine in Northern Ireland, seriouslyinjuring the pilot. In the early stages of the rescue work, the main rescueparty, which included F/O. McNabney, could not approach the wreckage beyonda point about fifty feet above it. Flying Officer McNabney was lowered by a ropeto the wreck, where he made the pilot comfortable. The rope was then usedin an attempt to lift Mr. Glass up to the main party. Whilst this was in progress, F/O.McNabney climbed up, in darkness, alongside Mr. Glass, who was uncon-scious, shielding him from bruising, and holding him out of the stream of a water-fall. After 30 feet of this climb had been achieved, further rescue gear be-came available. While attempting to adjust this on Mr. Glass, F/O. McNab-ney fell back to a ledge where he lay unconscious for approximately 30minutes. Had he landed only a few feet away, he would have fallen afurther 300 feet, on one side, or into the path of the waterfall on the other, wherelie might have been drowned while un- conscious. When F/O. McNabney re-gained consciousness, Mr. Glass was dead and no further help could be given toeither of them. F/O. McNabney was 3tranded on a ledge washed by the water-fall until rescued next morning. F/O. McNabney was born in Armagh,Northern Ireland. Royal Air Force and Naval Aviation News and Announcements Three Additions to Roll THE Battle of Britain Roll of Honourin Westminster Abbey was with- drawn from public view from December13th to December 18th inclusive to add three names. These were the names of the crew ofa Hudson of No. 220 Squadron, Coastal Command, which left the R.A.F. Stationat Thornaby on August 1st, 1940, on an operational sortie. Returning to thestation, the machine flew into overhead electric cables and bombs on the air-craft exploded. Representations were made to the AirMinistry that the names of the crew should be included in the Roll ofHonour. The case had been regarded at the time as a flying accident, but it wasestablished after further investigation that the aircraft had been on an opera-tional sortie and that those killed should be regarded as battle casualties. The names of the crew are: F/L.H. W. A. Sheahan, P/O. C. J. Allsup and Sgt. S. Smith, Wireless Op/Air Gunner. Appointment AIR COMMODORE LEONARDTHOMAS PANKHURST, C.B.E., is to become Director of Command and StaffTraining at the Air Ministry on January 5th next in succession to Air CommodoreT. N. McEvoy, who has been selected GLIDING IN GERMANY: A Grunau Baby at the B.A.F.O. Gliding Club at Schorfoldendorf in Germany. The Baby is a single-seater secondary type with a minimum sinking speed of just over 2\ ft. per sec.
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