Two newspaper cuttings

BCleggPVMartinCv10001.jpg

Title

Two newspaper cuttings

Description

Left - Notifies of award of Distinguished Flying Cross to Flying Officer Charles Martin. Provides some biographical details and description of action which led to the award.
Right - Notified of award of Distinguished Flying Cross, some biographic details and description of actions.

Temporal Coverage

Language

Type

Format

One b/w photocopied sheet

Rights

This content is available under a CC BY-NC 4.0 International license (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0). It has been published ‘as is’ and may contain inaccuracies or culturally inappropriate references that do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the University of Lincoln or the International Bomber Command Centre. For more information, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ and https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/legal.

Identifier

BCleggPVMartinCv10001

Transcription

A.D.F.C. Airman. – The son of a retired schoolmaster, Flying Officer Charles Martin, R.A.F., of 301, Brook-street, Erith, and formerly of 12, Hillcrest-road, Chatham, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Born in 1922, he was educated at Ordnance-street Council School, whence he gained a scholarship to the Gillingham County School, where he spent six years. In 1940 he entered the Civil Service (Ministry of Supply), and the next year enlisted for air crew in the R.A.F. He was trained in South Africa, and was commissioned in 1943.
“This officer,” states the citation, “has participated in attacks on some of the most heavily defended targets in Germany and enemy-occupied territory. He is [missing word] efficient and capable naviga[missing letters] who during adverse weather has successfully guided his aircraft to the target and back to base.
“In May, 1944, following an attack on Mailly, his aircraft was engaged by an enemy fighter. Severe damage was sustained before the hostile aircraft was shot down. The petrol tanks were holed, but largely owing to F.-O. Martin’s navigational skill, his aircraft landed in the United Kingdom.
“By his fine record of operational flying and technical skill, this officer has set a splendid example to other navigators.”
Flying Officer Martin’s father taught in this district for over thirty years. Charles is the youngest of three sons, and there is also a daughter. All of them gained secondary school scholarships whilst resident in Chatham.

FOR GALLANTRY.

F/O. Charles Martin, D.F.C.

Flying Officer Charles Martin, R.A.F.V.R., whose home is at Erith, has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Born at Chatham in 1922, he enlisted for air crew in 1941, trained in South Africa and was commissioned in 1943.
This officer, stated the citation, has participated in attacks on some of the most heavily defended targets in Germany and enemy-occupied territory. He is an efficient and capable navigator, who during adverse weather has successfully guided his aircraft to the target and back to base.
In May, 1944, following an attack on Mailly, his aircraft was engaged by an enemy fighter. Severe damage was sustained before the hostile aircraft was shot down. The petrol tanks were severely holed, but, largely owing to Flying Officer Martin’s navigational skill, the aircraft landed in the United Kingdom.
By his fine record of operational flying and technical skill, this officer has set a splendid example to other navigators.

Citation

“Two newspaper cuttings,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed March 28, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/31056.

Item Relations

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