A Collection of Awards to the Royal Air Force Between the Wars (1919-1939), formed by Group Captain J E Barker 780
A Second War 1943 D.F.C., 1942 D.F.M. group of six awarded to Hampden, Manchester and Lancaster Air Gunner, Flight Lieutenant L. R. Say, 61 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who flew in at least 37 operational sorties with the Squadron, including the attack on the Nazi Headquarters at Aachen, 9/10 July 1941; to Karlsrühe 6/7 August 1941, when Say was knocked unconscious during a lightening strike on his aircraft - before returning to his station and putting out the flames; and the attack on Billancourt Renault Factory, 3/4 March 1942
DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS,
G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1943’, and additionally engraved ‘P/O L. R. Say D.F.M. 61 Squadron R.A.F.’; DISTINGUISHED FLYING MEDAL,
G.VI.R. (1154059. F/Sgt. L. R. Say. R.A.F.); 1939-45 STAR; AIR CREW EUROPE STAR, 1 clasp, FRANCE AND GERMANY; DEFENCE ANDWARMEDALS 1939-45, campaign medals privately engraved ‘F/O L. R. Say DFC DFM R.A.F.’, generally good very fine (6)
£4000-5000 D.F.C. London Gazette 19 October 1943:
‘Since the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal this officer has completed many operational missions as air gunner. On one occasion, his turret became unserviceable immediately on leaving base and had to be operated manually throughout a long and arduous flight. Pilot Officer Say has frequently displayed a fine fighting spirit when his aircraft has been attacked by enemy night fighters. He has always shown high courage and devotion to duty.’
D.F.M. London Gazette 22 September 1942:
‘Flight Sergeant Say has taken part in bombing operations against the majority of the main targets in Germany and occupied territory including Berlin, Kiel, Essen, Rostock, Bremen, Wilhelmshaven and the Renault Works, Paris. He acted as Air Gunner in two crews - the Captains being Flt. Lt. Gascoyne-Cecil, D.F.C., and Flt. Lt. Casement, D.F.C., both of whom have achieved consistently successful results. By his example in the air and on the ground, Flight Sergeant Say has gone far to maintain a high standard of morale and efficiency throughout all Air Gunners on the squadron. He is held in high esteem by Captains of aircraft and Air Gunners alike. On one occasion whilst returning from an attack on Karlsrühe, the aircraft in which he was flying entered a violent electric storm. The aircraft was struck by lightning or static electricity, the wireless set took fire and Flight Sergeant Say became temporarily stunned. Despite the fact that the aircraft became temporarily out of control and almost turned on its back, Flight Sergeant Say rendered valuable assistance to the Wireless Operator in extinguishing the fire.’
Leonard Robert Say was born at Bleadon, Weston-Super-Mare, in November 1920. He enlisted in the Royal Air Force for training as an Air Gunner in May 1940. Having completed his training he was subsequently posted as a Sergeant for operational flying with 61 Squadron (Hampdens), Hemswell. By the end of July 1942 he had flown in at least 33 operational sorties with the Squadron in Hampdens, Manchesters and Lancasters, including: the raid on the Nazi Headquarters at Aachen, 9/10 July 1941, when his pilot was Flying Officer Gascoyne-Cecil and their Hampden ‘ran into a cone of searchlights before approaching Aachen and was attacked by a fighter with a headlamp. Violent evasive action was immediately taken and the enemy aircraft was believed hit by F/O Gascoyne- Cecil’s guns. The Wireless Operator, F/Sgt. Beck, was wounded on the back of the left hand but continued to operate his wireless set. F/O Gascoyne-Cecil attacked the target and bursts were observed close to a railway junction’ (Squadron Operations Record Book refers); Karlsrühe 6/7 August 1941, when Say was knocked unconscious before returning to his station; Boulogne; Kiel; the Billancourt Renault Factory, 3/4 March 1942, when with the same pilot they ‘dropped... nickels and then attacked the target from 4,000 ft in a level attack, his bomb bursting in the target area. Near Paris he was fired upon by an unidentified twin-engined aircraft, and his tail gunner F/Sgt Say returned the fire from 150 yards. The enemy aircraft turned away at 50 yards and was not seen again’ (Ibid); Essen; Gardening off Swinemunde, 22/23 May 1942, when his pilot was Flying Officer L. B. Gunter and their Lancaster ‘pinpointed on the coast near Swinemunde, but was picked up by searchlights, and an enemy fighter. Evading fighter and S/Ld [searchlight] a second run was made, and the load accurately planted. Returning to base in the early morning mist the port undercarriage collapsed on landing’ (Ibid); Gardening in the Danish Sound and an attack on Wilhemshaven, both piloted by Flight Lieutenant P. R. Casement. The latter, just over a week after the raid on Wilhelmshaven, was to captain a crew which was to become the first Bomber Command crew to bring back irrefutable evidence that they had destroyed a U-boat at sea - a photograph showing the U-boat crew in the water swimming away from their sinking vessel.
Say advanced to Flight Sergeant, and was posted as an instructor at the end of July 1942. He was commissioned Pilot Officer into the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in June 1943, and returned to operational flying with his old squadron. 61 Squadron, now operating out of Syerston, continued to carry out missions to heavily defended targets and Say was now crewed with Wing Commander W. M. Penman. In August 1943 they took part in sorties to Milan, Nurnberg and Berlin. Say flew his last operational sortie with the Squadron when piloted by Squadron Leader E. C. Benjamin to Berlin, 3/4 September 1943. He was posted as an instructor to No. 16 O.T.U., Upper Heyford, 15 September 1943.
Promoted to Flying Officer in December 1943, Say was posted to HQ Bomber Command the following month. He advanced to Flight Lieutenant in June 1945. Say was forced to relinquish his commission due to ill health in 1948. He died at 16 Wadham Street, Weston- Super-Mare, in October 1978.
www.dnw.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224 |
Page 225 |
Page 226 |
Page 227 |
Page 228 |
Page 229 |
Page 230 |
Page 231 |
Page 232 |
Page 233 |
Page 234 |
Page 235 |
Page 236 |
Page 237 |
Page 238 |
Page 239 |
Page 240 |
Page 241 |
Page 242 |
Page 243 |
Page 244 |
Page 245 |
Page 246 |
Page 247 |
Page 248 |
Page 249 |
Page 250 |
Page 251 |
Page 252 |
Page 253 |
Page 254 |
Page 255 |
Page 256 |
Page 257 |
Page 258 |
Page 259 |
Page 260 |
Page 261 |
Page 262 |
Page 263 |
Page 264 |
Page 265 |
Page 266 |
Page 267 |
Page 268 |
Page 269 |
Page 270 |
Page 271 |
Page 272 |
Page 273 |
Page 274 |
Page 275 |
Page 276 |
Page 277 |
Page 278 |
Page 279 |
Page 280 |
Page 281 |
Page 282 |
Page 283 |
Page 284 |
Page 285 |
Page 286 |
Page 287 |
Page 288 |
Page 289 |
Page 290 |
Page 291 |
Page 292 |
Page 293 |
Page 294 |
Page 295 |
Page 296 |
Page 297 |
Page 298 |
Page 299 |
Page 300 |
Page 301 |
Page 302 |
Page 303 |
Page 304 |
Page 305 |
Page 306 |
Page 307 |
Page 308 |
Page 309 |
Page 310 |
Page 311 |
Page 312 |
Page 313 |
Page 314 |
Page 315 |
Page 316 |
Page 317 |
Page 318 |
Page 319 |
Page 320 |
Page 321 |
Page 322 |
Page 323 |
Page 324 |
Page 325 |
Page 326 |
Page 327 |
Page 328 |
Page 329 |
Page 330 |
Page 331 |
Page 332 |
Page 333 |
Page 334 |
Page 335 |
Page 336 |
Page 337 |
Page 338 |
Page 339 |
Page 340 |
Page 341 |
Page 342 |
Page 343 |
Page 344 |
Page 345 |
Page 346 |
Page 347 |
Page 348 |
Page 349 |
Page 350 |
Page 351 |
Page 352 |
Page 353 |
Page 354 |
Page 355 |
Page 356 |
Page 357 |
Page 358 |
Page 359 |
Page 360 |
Page 361 |
Page 362 |
Page 363 |
Page 364 |
Page 365 |
Page 366 |
Page 367 |
Page 368 |
Page 369 |
Page 370 |
Page 371 |
Page 372 |
Page 373 |
Page 374 |
Page 375 |
Page 376 |
Page 377 |
Page 378 |
Page 379 |
Page 380
