Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A good Second War 1943 D.F.M. group of six awarded to Sterling rear gunner Sergeant, later Master Gunner, D. Collins, 149 (East India) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, for his gallantry during an attack by a night-fighter whilst on a raid to Berlin, 1 September 1943

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1581322. F/Sgt. D. Collins. R.A,F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, E.II.R. (M. Gnr. D. Collins. (1581322). R.A.F.); Royal Air Force L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., 2nd issue (W/O. D. Collins. (1581322). R.A.F.) mounted as worn, light contact marks, very fine, the rank of Master Gunner on the GSM rare (6) £1,400-£1,800

D.F.M. London Gazette 11 February 1944 (jointly recommended for the D.F.M. with Sergeant D. J. D. King):
‘Flight Sergeant Collins as rear gunner and Sergeant King as mid-upper gunner have together completed many operational sorties against some of the most heavily defended enemy targets such as Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, the Ruhr and others in the Rhine Valley. On one occasion, these two gunners volunteered to fly with a strange and uncertain crew in order to maintain maximum squadron effort. The target was Berlin. During the bombing run, an enemy night fighter, identified as a Ju. 88, attacked inflicting damage to their aircraft but with cool co-operation, the mid-upper gunner directed the defensive action whilst the rear gunner opened fire. The attack was successfully defeated and the enemy aircraft was claimed as damaged. As a team, these two gunners are unimpeachable, their keenness for battle and determined devotion to duty being of a quality demanded only by the highest standard of Bomber Command. Their reluctance to be withdrawn from operations is most evident. I recommend most strongly that they be awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal, a recognition they assuredly deserve.’

Dennis Collins served during the Second War as a Flight Sergeant, and rear gunner, with 149 (East India) Squadron (Sterlings), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He flew in numerous operations with King, and with Sergeant C. Saunders as their regular pilot. On the above trip to Berlin, 1 September 1943, their pilot for the raid was Pilot Officer R. Gill. Their Sterling suffered damage whilst taking evasive action from the enemy night-fighter.