AIRMEN HONOURED

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 169, 19 July 1941, Page 8

AIRMEN HONOURED

Distinguished Flying Cross For

Aucklander

41 CAPTAIN OF BOMBER

Rec. noon. LONDON, July 18. Pilot-Officer George Ronald Simich, of Auckland, a member of the R.N.Z.A.F., has been awarded the D.P.C. The list of nonours also includes the D.F.C. to Acting Squadron-Leader lan Gordon Richmond, of Nelson, who is in the R.A.F. Born in Auckland 32 years ago, PilotOfficer Simich is the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. M. E. Simich, o£ West Coast Road, Oratia. He was educated at Sacred Heart College and attended the Auckland University College before going into business in the city with his father. Joining the Royal New Zealand Air Force a week after tho outbreak of war, he was trained at Levin and Woodbourne, and sailed for England in July, IJMO. In a cabled message to his family last week Pilot-Officer Simich said that he had taken part in 32j raids over Germany as the captain of a bomber and had been transferred to the instructional staff.

A cable from London on Wednesday last indicated that Pilot-Officer A. Ash worth, Otago, who was second pilot to PilotOfficer Simich, had been awarded the 13. F.C. The citation stated that PilotOfficer Aahworth had participated in an Attack on the Bch&rnliorst at Brest last month. He attacked the objective after flare* and circled above the area f°r 75 minutes. He also aimed a bomb on another 10,000-ton ship entering the docksAftar the bombing Pilot-Officer Ashworth, despite the intense barx*age, made eight surveying runs at a low altitude. "He displayed outstanding skill and courage and infinite care in his efforts to bomb the pfejafbres accurately."