Orders, Decorations and Medals

A fine Second World War path finder’s D.F.M. group of six awarded to Pilot Officer F. T. Williams, Royal Air Force, a veteran of 37 operational sorties in Halifaxes of No. 35 Squadron and Lancasters of No. 97 Squadron, who baled out and evaded capture after his aircraft was hit by flak on returning from a raid on Berlin in November 1943

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1386305 F./Sgt. F. T. Williams, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, together with a set of related miniature dress medals, generally very fine (12) £1700-1900

D.F.M. London Gazette 10 December 1943.

Frederick Thomas Williams, a native of New Malden, Surrey, was born in July 1913 and was employed as a Civil Service Clerk prior to his enlistment in the R.A.F. in March 1941.

Having then attended training establishments in Florida, U.S.A., he returned to the U.K. in the summer of 1942 and was posted - as a Bomb Aimer - to No. 35 Squadron (P.F.F.), a Halifax unit, in January 1943. In the following month he completed his first operational sorties, including strikes against Bremen, Cologne and Wilhelmshaven, while in March his targets included Berlin.

In April, as detailed in the Squadron’s O.R.B., his aircraft was twice damaged by flak, namely as a member of Flight Lieutenant Malkin’s crew on the night of the 1st-2nd, when their Halifax was ‘hit by heavy accurate flak’ over Munster and two members of crew wounded; and as a member of Flight Lieutenant Cranswick’s crew on the night of 20th-21st, when detailed to attack Stettin: ‘Aircraft hit by flak at Kiel 02.20 hrs., 15,000 feet and at Sylt 02.40 hrs., 11,000 feet. 10-15 holes in aircraft.’

In June 1943, Williams transferred to No. 97 Squadron, another Path Finder Force unit, and completed his first sortie in one of the Squadron’s Lancasters on the night of the 21st, a strike on Krefeld. Further heavily defended targets were attacked in July, including two trips to Cologne and one to Hamburg on the opening night of the ‘firestorm’ raids; August, likewise, when, among other targets, he was assigned to Berlin and Nuremberg on two occasions.

By the end of September, after another trip to the “Big City” and such targets as Darmstadt and Oldenburg, Williams had raised his tally of sorties to the 30-mark; by the end of October, about which time he must have been recommended for his D.F.M., that tally had risen to 34, Frankfurt and Munich being among his latest assignments.

However, on the night of 18-19 November - on yet another trip to the “Big City” - his Lancaster (S Sugar JB367), piloted by Flight Sergeant A. A. Johnson, R.N.Z.A.F., was downed by flak on returning from the target; Johnson - at the cost of his life - remained at his controls, allowing his crew to take to their parachutes over Belgium. Alan Cooper’s Bombers over Berlin takes up the story:

‘Flight Sergeant Johnson of 97 Squadron was killed when his aircraft crashed in Belgium. Two of his crew baled out, however, and were taken prisoner, while the other four who baled out all evaded capture and reached England in March 1944. They had taken off from their base at Bourne at 5.30 p.m., and their H2S set seemed in order but after crossing the English coast the navigator decided it had gone U/S. He left his seat to see if, when it had warmed up a bit, the set would be working but it did not.

At the same time, the bomb aimer reported one of the front guns was out of action. The omens began to increase when over Hanover, the mid-upper reported that his turret had gone U/S, so Johnson ordered him to the front turret. The bomb aimer was throwing out Window from the nose and Johnson ordered the WOP into the astrodome to look out for fighters. The navigator set a straight course for Berlin and on arrival they dropped their bombs, not on the TIs, but on salvo, making use of the red markers. The navigator then worked out the wind speed and direction and they set off on the return route.

Near Aachen they were shot up by flak which hit one of the port engines although it did not catch fire. Johnson put the aircraft into a dive and went down to 10,000 feet, but it was still being hit by gunfire for perhaps four to five minutes, shrapnel clattering against the wings and fuselage. The rear gunner was injured in the hand, being attended to by the WOP; in addition his oxygen supply was cut and he partially lost consciousness. As the WOP was about to take his place in the rear turret, the Lancaster was hit again and another engine had to be shut down and feathered. With this Johnson ordered the crew to prepare to abandon the aircraft. He continued to fly it until they reached Liege when the flak opened up again and the mid-upper was wounded in the knee and the bomb aimer grazed by shell fragments.

Still losing height, Johnson finally ordered the crew out. All got away except Johnson who was last seen with his parachute clipped on but was later killed when baling out. The navigator, Flight Lieutenant Pepper, bomb aimer Pilot Officer Williams, mid-upper Flight Sergeant Billows, who was also wounded, all evaded capture and returned to England via Spain and Gibraltar. Pepper was on his 38th trip, Williams his 37th, Hesselden his 28th and Billows his 29th. Flight Sergeant Johnson was on his 23rd op, but was not the crew's regular pilot.

The WOP, Flight Sergeant John Sansam, landed safely and was helped by some Belgium people until captured. During his captivity he made one escape attempt but was re-captured, being finally liberated by the Russians in April 1945. Flight Sergeant Jackson, the engineer, was also captured and in a camp with Sansam.’

In his subsequent M.I. 9 debrief, submitted on his safe return to the U.K., via Gibraltar, in March 1944, Williams stated:

‘I came down between Heers and Oreye on a second class road in open country. My parachute was entangled in some telegraph wires and I could not free it. I heard later, however, that it had been found and hidden. I set off walking in a south-westerly direction and passed through Waremme. I reached Celles about three hours later. By this time my feet and legs, which I had bruised on landing, were very painful. I spent the night hiding in a haystack and in the morning I knocked on the door of a nearby farmhouse. I said I was a British pilot and was at once taken in and fed. My helpers also gave me a suit of civilian clothes. That day I was taken to another house in the same village and the remainder of my journey was arranged for me.’

So, too, the journeys of Flight Lieutenant A. P. W. Pepper, D.F.C., the navigator, Flight Sergeant T. Hesselden, the mid-upper gunner, and Flight Sergeant C. J. Billows, the rear gunner, all of whom likewise came home via Gibraltar: successful evaders were a rare breed, just nine airmen in 97 Squadron achieving their goal in the whole of 1943.

William took part in no further operational flying, being appointed to a training flight at Swanton Morley.

Sold with the recipient’s original R.A.F. Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book, covering the period April 1942 to September 1946, together with certificate for his Path Finder Force Badge, dated 18 November 1943, and related forwarding letter, and his Caterpillar Club membership card.