Distinguished Flying Medal Lookups

[kyt]

As I have been a good boy Santa has brought me an early present - The Distinguished Flying Medal Register for the Second World War with Recommendation Details

As the introduction states, it has 97.7% of all DFM citations.

So if anyone would like a lookup, let me know (especially as the London Gazette doesn't contain most DFM citations).

One day I maybe able to get the companion volumes on the DFC

K

[David Layne]

Nice present Kyt.

To kick things off perhaps you could look up the citations for Bob Fletcher and James White, both of 97 Squadron.  I think Fletcher would have earned his in 1942 (flying Manchesters) and White would be 1943.

Thanks in advance. D.

[kyt]

Fletcher Robert Archie
745312 Flight Sergeant 97 Sqdn
Pilot

LG 11/8/1942
Sorties 24
Flying hours 142

Flight Sergeant Fletcher has throughtout his tour of operations set an extremely high standard of ability and determination as captain of his aircraft. In the attack on the Heinkel works at Rostock, he pressed home his attack from low-level, obtaining direct hits on the works and also an excellcent photograph. By the number of his successful operations, this pilot can always be relied on to produce first class results.

David the only James White is 49/630 Squadron. Do you have any more details? Maybe the same guy but the 97 Sqdn Assoc aircrew pages aren't available

[David Layne]

I have just checked the 97 Association Site and it is currently up and running.

I believe James White flew his last op with 97 Squadron Sept. '43, it is possible he was gazzetted whilst with another squadron.

[kyt]

This is the James White I have (it was easier to scan it than type it all out):

[David Layne]

Not him.

[kyt]

Do you have anymore details  - aircraft serial, missions?

[liverpool annie]

David ! .... how come you kicked off with a hard one ?? 

Don't yell at me 'cos I'm learning ..    but I found this about 97 squadron ... does this help ??

97 Squadron went through three incarnations during the Second World War, of which only the third saw active service.

At the start of the war the squadron was a training squadron in No. 6 Group, operating a mix of Avro Ansons and Armstrong Whitworth Whitley. In April 1940 the squadron was redesignated as No. 10 Operational Training Unit.

The second incarnation was very short lived, lasting from 1-20 May 1940, disbanding before it received any aircraft.

The third and final incarnation of the squadron formed on 25 February 1941 around a nucleus provided by No. 207 Squadron. The new squadron was equipped with the troubled Avro Manchester, beginning operations on 8 April 1941. This aircraft was so unreliable that for a short time in the summer of 1941 the squadron had to supplement it with a number of Handley Page Hampden Is.

The much superior Avro Lancaster began to arrive in January 1942, and the squadron operated that type for the rest of the war, mostly with the main bomber force but from April 1943 to April 1944 with the Pathfinder Force.

http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/97_wwII.html

[David Layne]

Do you have anymore details  - aircraft serial, missions?

Kyt I sent you an e mail with attachments but it got bounced back!

James White and my father were crew mates at 97 Squadron.  On the night my father was shot down James was tour expired, the rest of the crew had one trip to make.  James's place was taken by S/Ldr. McKenna who was the squadron Gunnery Officer.

I'm sure James White didn't fly any more ops with 97 Squadron and would imagine he got his D.F.M. at the end of his tour.  I would think that his award was given when he was serving with another squadron, possibly instructional duties.

I know he went on to make the R.A.F. a career and gained his commission.

At the two links below by placing "Layne" and "White" in the Google box and then highlighting the two names the trips they made together can be observed.  (Am I teaching Grandmother to suck eggs here?)

http://www.97squadronassociation.co.uk/flightops3.html

http://www.97squadronassociation.co.uk/flightops4.html