AWARDS TO AIRMEN

Waikato Times, Volume 194, Issue 22321, 12 April 1944, Page 4

AWARDS TO AIRMEN

FIVE RECEIVE D.F.C. OPERATIONS IN SOUTH PACIFIC (By Telegraph.—Pres* Association) WELLINGTON. Tuesday The Governor-General, Sir Cyril New a 11, announces that the King has approved immediate awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross to the following personnel of the Royal New Zealand Air Force in recognition of gallantry displayed in flying operations against the enemy in the South Pacific area:— Acting Squadron - Leader Percival Guy Hajg Newton, of Wellington. Acting Flight-Lieutenant Jesse Julius de Willimoff, of Auckland. Flying-Officer Alexander Gardyne Stanley George, of Auckland. Flying-Officer Geoffrey Reid Burton Highet, of Wellington. Flying-Officer Donald Stanley Beau- . champ, of Dannevirke. “Exemplary valour in leading his section back to enemy territory to cover a damaged Allied bomber returning from Rabaul under a fierce attack on January 20 was instrumental in the crew of the bomber being saved,” says the citation accompanying the award to Flight-Lieu-tenant de Willimoff, who was formerly in the Matamata district. “Learning that one bomber, on fire and under sustained attack, had fallen out of formation, he took his section back and engaged the enemy to such purpose that the bomber was able to make a safe water landing, from which the crew -was picked up. A similar incident occurred on February 10, when an Allied torpedobomber was covered against a violent attack. After it had landed safely Flight-Lieutenant de Willimoff and his section had to fight their way out against a numerically superior force of Japanese aircraft. This pilot has destroyed two enemy aircraft and damaged two others and in service throughout the greater part of the Solomons campaign has proved an outstanding leader.”