GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY 36
An outstanding and well documented Second War 1944 Lancaster Pilot’s ‘Immediate’ D.F.C. group of seven awarded to Squadron Leader R. C. ‘Pin’ Chopping, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who spent the first part of the war flying Bombays and Hudsons over Africa as part of Transport Command, before transferring to Bomber Command in September 1943. He was to prove an exceptional Lancaster pilot with 514 Squadron, and flew in 28 operational sorties with the Squadron, with his Air Gunners claiming 4 enemy night fighters damaged.
Chopping was to be awarded the D.F.C. for gallant conduct during an abortive raid to Dortmund, 22 May 1944, when he ‘took off in “S for Sugar” to attack a German target. The weather was deteriorating, and even by the time he had reached seven hundred feet the Lancaster was coated with ice. There were dense clouds, and it was imperative to get above them. But the icing became worse, and at 10,000 feet the speed dropped and the Lancaster began losing height. Chunks of ice, flying off the propellers, beat a ceaseless tattoo on the wings and fuselage, smashing the perspex windows, tearing away the aerials, and putting the two turrets out of action. Finally the ice became so heavy that the Lancaster was forced down out of control.’ Chopping ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft, but, because his bomb load included a 8,000 lb. bomb, and he feared the damage this might do if it fell in this country, he remained in the aircraft hoping to regain control. This he managed to do at 2,500 feet, after which he flew out over the North Sea to jettison his bombs, and then ran the gauntlet of British anti-aircraft fire prior to making an emergency landing. This was not without cost, however, as one member of his crew fell to his death after a parachute failure. Chopping, and his entire crew were to meet a similar fate, when they were all killed in action whilst serving with 7 Squadron, Pathfinder Force, on a sortie to Brest, 25/26 August 1944
DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS,
G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1944’, in Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 STAR; AIR CREW EUROPE STAR, 1 clasp, France and Germany; AFRICA STAR; DEFENCE ANDWARMEDALS 1939-45; AIR EFFICIENCY AWARD,
G.VI.R., 1st issue (Act. Sqn. Ldr. R. C. Chopping. R.A.F.V.R.) in named card box of issue, with named Under-Secretary of State for Air enclosure slip and Second War Campaign Medals card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs A. M. Chopping, 2, Queen’s Road, Colchester, Essex’, mint state (7)
£2800-3200
Provenance: Christie’s, July 1983. D.F.C. London Gazette 21 July 1944:
‘Squadron Leader R. C. Chopping has successfully completed twenty-four bombing sorties as the Pilot and Captain of Lancaster aircraft. He is a most experienced Captain, keen and enthusiastic, and the photographs he has obtained bear out the excellence of his work.
On the night of 24th February, when returning from an attack on Schweinfurt he was attacked by an enemy fighter, which he outmanoeuvred and which his gunners claim to have damaged. The following night he had three combats with night fighters during a raid on Augsberg. Each attack was broken and two of the enemy fighters were damaged by the Air Gunners.
At Stuttgart, on the 2nd March, 1944, Squadron Leader Chopping’s aircraft received a direct hit and he had to return on three engines, while on the 19th, May, 1944, his aircraft was again badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire when crossing the French coast. On this occasion the port wing was badly holed and the Wireless Operator was knocked unconscious, but despite this Squadron Leader Chopping continued to the target at Le Mans, and bombed it successfully.
On the night of 22nd May shortly after setting course for Dortmund, this Officer encountered very severe icing conditions, in cloud, at a height of 10,000 feet. Violent vibration occurred and the aircraft, losing speed, began to lose height at an alarming rate, quite out of control. Squadron Leader Chopping ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft, which they reluctantly did; but, because his bomb load included a 8,000 lb. bomb, and he feared the damage this might do if it fell in this country, he remained in the aircraft hoping to regain control. The aircraft broke cloud at 2,500 feet and not until then did he manage to regain control. He flew out over the North sea to jettison his bombs and made an emergency landing at Woodbridge.
www.dnw.co.uk
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