GALLANTRY AWARDS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21151, 20 July 1943, Page 2

GALLANTRY AWARDS

11 DOMINION AIRMEN WAIPIRO BAY RECIPIENT tp.A.) WELLINGTON. July 20. The Battle of the Ruhr and other blows against the Axis war industries and transport are prominent in the air operations which have brought another group of awards to men of the Royal New Zealand Air Force serving overseas. Seven Distinguished' Flying Crosses and Four Distinguished Flying Medals make up the new list announced by the Air Department. The men decorated are:— Distinguished Flying Cross Temporary Squadron Leader Richard Broad bon t. Auck 1 and. Acting Squadron Leader Cedric Leslie Garland Holmes. Te Rapa. Flight. Lieutenant Frank Albert Andrews, Auckland. Flying Officer Owen Raymond Chapman. Geraldine. Pilot Officer John Richard McCormack, Dunedin. Pilot Officer John Forbes Thomson, Rotorua. Pilot Officer Richard Otway French, Feilding. Distinguished Flying Medal Flight Sergeant Dared Dennis Morris Wilkinson. Wellington. Flight Sergeant Forrest Harold Thompson. Father: Mr. W. Thompson. Waipiro Bay. Sergeant Raymond Ernest Joseph Hogg. Ohau. Sergeant Colin Rees Pearce, Coutts Island. North Canterbury. The citation states: Flight Sergeant Thompson, as rear gunner, has taken part in many sorties and his coolness, determination and resource in difficult circumstances have played a large part in the successes achieved by his aircraft. Once, when returning from a mining operation, he put out a searchlight. On other occasions he lias successfully attacked enemy trains and airfields, starting fires. He has at all times set a fine example to the younger members of his crew. Born at Auckland and educated at Waipiro Bay. Gisborne, and Ruakura, he was employed as a shepherd at Tokomaru Bay before beginning his training in April, 1941. He is 25 years of age.