The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection

The outstanding Second World War C.G.M., D.F.M. group of six awarded to Pilot Officer G. F. Dove, Royal Air Force, who, having been decorated for a tour of operations in Whitleys of No. 10 Squadron, was recommended for the V.C. for his extraordinary courage as a Mid-Upper Gunner in a Lancaster of No. 101 Squadron after it was attacked and set on fire by an enemy night fighter in February 1943 - so, too, his pilot: in the event, in a unique chapter in the annals of awards for gallantry in the air, his pilot received a D.S.O. and the remainder of the crew C.G.Ms

Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying), G.VI.R. (621162 F./Sgt. G. F. Dove, R.A.F.); Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (621162 Sgt. G. F. Dove, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, good very fine or better (6) £18000-22000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection.

View
Collection

One of around just 30 aircrew to be recommended for the V.C. in the entire 1939-45 War, Dove was also one of only 11 men to be awarded the combination of the C.G.M. and D.F.M.

C.G.M. London Gazette 23 March 1943. The original recommendation - for the Victoria Cross - states:

‘On the night of 14 February 1943, the Lancaster aircraft in which Flight Sergeant Dove was the Mid-Upper Gunner, took part in an operational sortie to Milan. Shortly after bombing had been carried out this aircraft was attacked at 200 yards range by an enemy night fighter which opened fire and ignited 4 x 30lb. incendiaries still in the bomb bay of the Lancaster.

The Rear-Gunner, although wounded in the leg, had replied and succeeded in setting the engine of the enemy fighter on fire. The Lancaster was already on fire amidships and the flames had rapidly risen up to the mid-upper turret where Flight Sergeant Dove remained at his post although burnt about the face and hands. In spite of this he handled his gun with cool determination and got in a good burst as the enemy aircraft turned away in a climbing turn to starboard, as a result of which it dived in flames and was destroyed.

Hearing over the inter-com that the Rear-Gunner was wounded, Flight Sergeant Dove got down from his turret into the flames which were exploding ammunition in the ducts, and made his way to the rear turret. Despite his own injuries, and the flaming inferno behind him, and the fact that his inter-com and oxygen was unplugged, he succeeded in extricating the Rear-Gunner.

Flight Sergeant Dove did not leave his comrade to attend to his own injuries until the fire was subdued and he was relieved by another member of the crew. Nothing was known of Flight Sergeant Dove’s injuries of which he made no mention until after landing at base.

By his determination, courageous action and fearless disregard for danger this N.C.O. displayed gallantry of the highest order.’


Remarks of Station Commander:

By his cool, calm and determined valour, Flight Sergeant Dove has added yet another act of heroism to the epic of the Royal Air Force.

In spite of flames, which were roaring through the mid-upper turret, he displayed a complete disregard of his own safety in a perilous situation and continued to man his guns with such grim determination, and to handle them with such accuracy, that the enemy fighter burst into flames and undoubtedly was destroyed. Thereafter, he descended from his turret into the flames which must, by now, have seemed to him inextinguishable, to attend to the Rear-Gunner.

Despite the fact that to attach his parachute and bale out through the aft door of the fuselage was a simple matter and a ready escape from the raging fire, he deliberately abandoned this chance of saving his own life and proceeded past the door to extricate the Rear-Gunner from his turret. This he did successfully regardless of his own suffering from second degree burns about his face and hands. His object achieved, he rendered valiant assistance to the remainder of the crew in subduing the flames.

Thence onwards, Flight Sergeant Dove displayed fortitude of the highest order by making no mention of his injuries to his Captain or crew, so that their attention should not be distracted from their duties, but remained quietly unattended on the rest bed until a safe landing had been completed.

I regard Flight Sergeant Dove’s indomitable courage, skill and fortitude as exceptional, and one worthy of the award of the Victoria Cross.’

In his covering remarks the A.O.C. of No. 1 Group also recommended Dove for the Victoria Cross, but ultimately the award was reduced to a C.G.M. by the C.-in-C. Bomber Command.

D.F.M. London Gazette 18 April 1941. The original recommendation states:

‘Prior to being posted from this unit this Wireless Operator / Air Gunner had completed a total of 31 operational missions. Of these missions, 26 were successfully completed and eight were carried out in the capacity of 1st Wireless Operator. Details of the successful missions are give here under [by way of example]:

23.9.1940. Captain of aircraft - P./O. Bridson. Invasion barges and shipping at Boulogne were successfully attacked on this occasion. Bursts were seen in the No. 3 basin and fires broke out. Heavy and accurate flak from A.A. guns was experienced and the aircraft was hit several times but no casualties were sustained. Searchlights were operating in fair numbers.’

29.10.1940. Captain of aircraft - P./O. Peers. A successful attack was made on the docks and shipping at Wilhelmshaven. All bombs were dropped in one stick from 10,000 feet and bursts were seen in the target area. Intense opposition from A.A. guns and searchlights was encountered but no damage or casualties were sustained. On returning to base, the aircraft circled the aerodrome, received permission to land but flew on and finally crashed at Slaggyford. The aircraft was completely wrecked but the crew escaped with superficial injuries.’

This N.C.O., though a slow starter, eventually achieved a high degree of efficiency as a 1st Wireless Operator. He possesses a quiet personality and has proved himself sound and completely reliable. His conduct on all operations has been in accordance with the highest traditions of the Service.’

George Frederick Dove commenced his operational career in No. 10 Squadron, a Whitley unit operating out of Dishforth, in May 1940, with a strike against bridges on the River Oise, one of 26 sorties listed in detail in the original recommendation for his subsequent award of the D.F.M. (copy included). Tour expired in October 1940, he went on to hone his skills as an Air Gunner, and became an instructor at R.A.F. Warmwell before commencing a second tour of operations in No. 101 Squadron, a Lancaster unit operating out of Stradishall, in early 1943. And it was on returning from his fifth sortie, on the night of 14-15 February, that his aircraft was seriously damaged by an Italian night fighter. Alan Cooper’s In Action with the Enemy takes up the story:

‘The target that night was Milan, in northern Italy. Sergeant Ivan Henry Hazard was a pilot with 101 Squadron and this night would be the occasion for a unique record in the annals of awards for gallantry. Hazard and his crew took off from Holme-on-Spalding at 6.50 p.m. in Lancaster ED377 SR-X. After successfully bombing the target from 11,000 feet at 10.41 p.m., they were attacked by a fighter - a CR. 42 biplane - six minutes later. The Fiat got in a burst of fire from about 100 yards, but as it turned away was seen to be hit by return fire from the Rear Gunner, Sergeant Airey, and the Mid-Upper Gunner, Flight Sergeant George Dove, D.F.M. The Fiat went down in flames and was claimed as destroyed. In all, the gunners fired over 300 rounds between them.

The Lancaster, however, had been severely damaged. Machine gun bullets had exploded incendiaries still in the bomb bay which had failed to release and there were numerous bullet holes in the starboard centre petrol tank. The intercom had been damaged and fire had broken out in the rear part of the fuselage; then the burning incendiaries had exploded, leaving a large hole in the fuselage floor. Sergeant Leslie Airey had been hit in the legs during the attack and received facial burns. Flight Sergeant Dove recalled:

‘The fighter’s first burst hit the petrol tank and wounded Airey, the Rear Gunner. Another set the incendiaries alight. Airey replied and set the enemy plane on fire. Then I gave a burst and saw it fall away blazing. While I was firing, flames and smoke rolled into my turret. My window was burned and ammunition began to explode. I scrambled down and picked Airey out of his turret, but owing to the fire and a hole blown in the bottom of the aircraft, I couldn’t carry him forward.’

In the meantime, Pilot Officer Moffatt, the Bomb Aimer, had mistaken the pilot’s orders to prepare to bale out, and went out by parachute. Pilot Officer F. W. Gates, the Wireless Operator, Sergeant J. F. Bain, the Engineer, and Sergeant W. E. Williams, the Navigator, all set about extinguishing the flames, while Sergeant Airey, lying on the floor at the rear of the aircraft, continued to try and beat out the flames about him. Then the port engine caught fire so the pilot put the aircraft into a dive to blow it out, levelling out at 800 feet. With the Rear Gunner being wounded, abandoning the Lancaster was out, so Hazard would have to try and make a forced landing somewhere. By now the starboard outer engine was failing. All the escape hatches had been jettisoned in preparation for instant escape, the intercom was now totally dead and the oxygen had gone. But then Gates, Bain and Williams, succeeded in putting out the fuselage fire, and as Hazard had blown out the engine fire, he decided to try and get the aircraft and themselves home.

Hazard managed to haul the crippled bomber up to 15,500 feet to cross the alps, but then had to feather the starboard outer engine which now failed and he was compelled to make a detour and steer through the peaks rather than fly over them. The Navigator, Sergeant William Ernest Williams, taking the course the pilot had been steering, worked on his dead reckoning, until he obtained an astro-fix. All his navigation was above 10/10ths cloud and his work was instrumental in Hazard getting them back to England. Williams did not receive any wireless aid until he reached the English Channel and for a period of over five hours he navigated solely by D.R. and astro readings. So as not to violate Swiss territory, he deliberately overshot his estimated time at the turning point in France by five minutes.

After leaving his position to help with the fires, Sergeant James Fortune Bain, the Engineer, returned to find his starboard tank holed and leaking. He turned on the balance cocks and manipulated the petrol system throughout the return flight with the greatest skill, and on landing only some fifteen gallons of petrol were still in the port inner tank.

Pilot Officer Frederick William Gates, the W./Op., having done his share in putting out the fires, had then, with the light of a torch, rendered first aid and applied a tourniquet to Sergeant Airey’s leg and given him morphine. Later he re-established intercom contact with the forward part of the aircraft by shortening the wiring, despite having to negotiate the gaping hole in the fuselage floor on several occasions. On reaching the French coast Gates returned to his set and sent out S.O.S. signals and in making contact, was able to direct Sergeant Hazard towards the fighter field at Tangmere, in Sussex, where they landed safely in spite of having no hydraulics and only 10 degree of flaps.

It was only after landing that George Dove mentioned that he had been burned on the face and hands when the flames had risen to his upper turret. He had been awarded the D.F.M. for a previous tour of operations with 10 Squadron, during which time he had flown with no less than eight different pilots.

Sergeants Bain, Airey and Williams were all recommended on 16 February for awards of the C.G.M., Pilot Officer Gates the D.S.O., while Hazard and Dove were recommended for the Victoria Cross. These two latter recommendations went as far as the A.O.C. of No. 1 Group, Bomber Command, who approved them, but upon reaching the C.-in-C., were changed on 11 March to immediate awards of the C.G.M. All five C.G.Ms and the D.S.O. to Gates, were gazetted on 23 March. A report on their Lancaster by the A.V.Roe Company stated, ‘It was the severest fire damage ever seen to one of our aircraft, and the Skipper had to be praised on his skill in getting it back.’

On returning after special leave, Sergeant Hazard was assigned a new bomber and on 20 March, he took it up on an air test. He made a low pass over Hornsea beach, but on pulling up at the end of his run, the tail wheel struck a concrete pill-box on the beach. The impact caused the Lancaster to break up. The forward section crashed into the cliffs and blew up. The tail section fell on the beach below. There were ten men aboard including Hazard, Bain and Williams. All died instantly and Hazard was buried in Oxford (Wolvercote) Cemetary.

Dove was not among them, still being treated for his burns as a member of the Guinea Pig Club and, though he was keen to continue his tour of operations on returning to No. 101, he was quickly grounded and posted out to non-operational duties as a newly commissioned Pilot Officer. Post-war, he served for 10 years as a Flight Lieutenant and C.O. of the Scarborough Squadron in the Air Training Corps.

Sold with the recipient’s original R.A.F. Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book, covering the period July 1939 until February 1943, together with a burnt flying glove as worn by him on the occasion of winning his C.G.M., and a quantity of copied photographs and newspaper cuttings.