AWARDS FOR GALLANTRY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25014, 7 September 1942, Page 2

AWARDS FOR GALLANTRY

AIR GUNNERS DECORATED OPERATIONS FROM MALTA (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Sept. 6. Official advice has been received by Air Headquarters. Wellington, of. the awards of the Distinguished Flying Medal to two New Zealand air gunners. Sergeants Alexander Raymond Brown and John Aston Wilkinson. Both airmen were based in Malta when the awards were made.

" Sergeants Wilkinson and Brown." the citation states, 'were members of the crews of aircraft operating from Malta during June and July of this year. During this period their aircraft were engaged in harassing the enemy shipping in the Mediterranean. Both airmen performed excellent work in attacking both enemy merchant vessels and naval forces. In all these operations they displayed outstanding initiative, courage and devotion to duty of the highest order." Sergeant Wilkinson was born at Gisborne in November. 1919, and was educated at the Hastings Street School. Napier, the Kaiti School, Gisborne, and the Education Department's Correspondence School. He applied for service with the R.N.Z.A.F. shortly after the outbreak of war, and began his training in 1940. His mother is Mrs M. R. Wilkinson, of Ponsonby road, Auckland.

Sergeant Brown was born at Timaru in September, 1915. and was educated at the Fairview School. Timaru, and the Timaru Technical School. He applied for service in the Air Force in the early months of 1940. and began his training in April of that year. His mother is Mrs M, A Brown, of Fairview, Timaru.