Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry 72
A Second War D.F.M. group of six awarded to Wireless Operator / Air Bomber Sergeant B. T. B. Brown, Royal Air Force, who was severely injured when his Halifax crash landed on 7 November 1942, but recovered sufficiently to complete his tour, flying to some of the most heavily defended targets in Germany
Distinguished Flying Medal,
G.VI.R. (1255726. Sgt. B. T. B. Brown. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star, 1 clasp, Bomber Command; Air Crew Europe Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted as worn, with cloth insignia, very fine and better (7)
£1,400-£1,800 D.F.M. London Gazette 14 May 1943.
The original Recommendation, dated 1 March 1943, states: ‘Sergeant Brown was posted to 10 Squadron in January 1942, and after remustering from Wireless Operator to Temporary Air Bomber has now completed 30 sorties comprising 177 operational flying hours. This N.C.O. was involved in a serious flying accident at an early stage in his tour, when on landing back from an operation the aircraft crashed, ran into a tree, and was burnt out. Sergeant Brown was thrown through the front perspex from the 2nd pilot’s seat onto the ground twenty yards in front of the blazing aircraft, and was taken to hospital with suspected fracture of the skull, torn thigh ligament, and many cuts and bruises. Despite this gruelling ordeal, he has continued to operate with undiminished enthusiasm, and his work has been largely responsible for the many excellent photographs brought back by his crew. As an Air Bomber his ability has been so outstanding that he has been recommended both for a commission and a Bombing Leader’s course, and I now also recommend that his imperturbable courage and consistently superior work on operations be rewarded by the grant of the Distinguished Flying Medal.
Remarks by Station Commander: Sergeant Brown is an air bomber whose resolute courage and determination to continue on operations after a very serious accident has been an example to all. His coolness and steadiness under fire and his steadfast determination to bomb his targets are outstanding. I recommend him for the award of the D.F.M.
Remarks by Air Officer Commanding: This N.C.O. has completed a fine operational tour and has now been posted as an Instructor with a heavy Conversion Unit. Very strongly recommended for the award of the D.F.M.’
Bertram Thomas Bulmer Brown joined 10 Squadron, flying Halifaxes, as a Wireless Operator in April 1942, and took part in his first operational sortie, to Dortmund, on 24 April of that year. Further targets over the next six months included Hamburg, Stuttgart, the Heinkel Works, Mannheim, Bremen, and Essen. Converting to the Air Bomber in June 1942, he took part in further raids on Essen, Saarbrucken, Duisberg, Mainz, Aachen, Keil, and Cologne.
Returning from a raid to Genoa on 7 November 1942, his aircraft crash landed, and, as detailed in his D.F.M. recommendation, Brown was severely injured. Recovering, he rejoined the Squadron at the start of December, and his next sortie was to Frankfurt on 2 December 1942. Further targets included Mannheim, Turin, Duisberg, Nuremberg, Cologne, St. Nazaire, and Berlin, before undertaking his 30th and final sortie of his tour to Hamburg on 3 March 1943.
Sold with copied research, including three photographs of the recipient with his crew.
www.dnw.co.uk all lots are illustrated on our website and are subject to buyers’ premium at 24% (+VAT where applicable)
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