A rare Flying D.S.M. pair awarded to Petty Officer Airman W. E. Cuttriss, H.M.S. Ark Royal, Fleet Air Arm.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL, G.VI.R. (F.A.A./F55045 P.O. Air, H.M.S. Ark Royal); NAVAL LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT, G.VI.R. (A/P.O. Tel, H.M.S. Glorious). Sold with a quantity of research including photographs and copies of the official report on the action, nearly extremely fine (2)

D.S.M., London Gazette, 25 November, 1941, Petty Officer Airman William Edwin Cuttriss, F.A.A., H.M.S Ark Royal, 'For Courage and resolution in operations in Mediterranean Waters.’ On 25 July 1941 two Fulmars from H.M.S. Ark Royal, piloted byT/Lieut. R. Cockburn and Lieut A. T. J. Kindersley with Petty Officers Cuttriss and Barnes, respectively, as Air Gunners, intercepted a formation of twelve S.79 aircraft. The two Fulmars attacked immediately and forced the formation to turn away. They shot down two of the enemy for certain and probably a third, and severely damaged another which was later shot down by another Fulmar. They made attack after attack until they had expended their ammunition, but before this occurred they forced many of the enemy to jettison their bombs and finally broke up the attack. As Air Gunner in Lieut. Cockburn's aircraft, P.O. Airman Cuttriss used his Thompson sub-machine gun to good effect, damaging one of the enemy bombers as his aircraft passed under it at 50 yards range. He showed consummate coolness throughout the action and by his observations helped his pilot to achieve the success that was won. Both Fulmars were flnally shotdown, Lieut. Kindersley and his Air Gunnerboth being killed.Lieut. Cockburn and P.O. Cuttriss were later picked up by one of our destroyers. Cockburn was awarded the D.S.O. and Cuttriss the D.S.M., and after some discussion about an award of the Victoria Cross, Kindersley and his Air Gunner received Posthumous Mentions. [Ref. PRO. ADM1/l 1372]