GEORGE CROSS AWARDS

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23914, 5 April 1943, Page 3

GEORGE CROSS AWARDS

AIRMAN AND CANADIAN CORPORAL (8.0. W.) RUGBY, April 2. Two posthumous awards of the George Cross have been announced, one by the Royal Air Force and the other by Canadian Military Headquarters. Sergeant G. Parish was navigator during a delivery flight from the United kingdom to the Middle East. Shortly after taking off in the AngloEgyptian Sudan one morning in September 1 , 1942, the port engine failed. The pilot attempted to return and land on an airfield. Owing to the rough nature of the ground full use could not be made of the brake, the aircraft struck a building and immediately burst into flames. All the crew, with the exception of Sergeant Parish and a passenger, whose legs were broken, succeeded in getting free. At the time of the crash Sergeant Parish was at the astro hatch, and the passenger was at the emergency door in the floor of the fuselage. This door could not be used, as the under-car-riage had collapsed and the fuselage was resting on the ground. The fire was so intense that no assistance could be given the navigator or the passenger. When the blaze subsided Sergeant Parish’s body was found leaning against the rear gun turret. The passenger was beside; him, with his arm over the airman s shoulders. It was clear that Sergeant Parish had carried him from the emergency door to the rear turret, a distance of eight yards, in the hope that both could escape through the turret. Sergeant Parish could have made his escape through the astro hatch, but his unselfish desire to assist the passenger cost him his life. .He displayed gallantry of the highest order. Corporal James Hendry, of the Royal Canadian Engineers, was killed in an explosion which he tried to, prevent after warning others to take cover. Corporal Hendry, who was an experienced miner, was in charge of a tunnelling shaft when fire broke out in the powder magazine. After warning civilian helpers, he himself obtained water in a vain attempt to-PUt out the fire before the magazire#»Sy up.