Newspaper cuttings - always selected for vital targets; Palmer V.C bombed and said nothing; Squadron Leader Palmer V.C.
Title
Newspaper cuttings - always selected for vital targets; Palmer V.C bombed and said nothing; Squadron Leader Palmer V.C.
Description
Left - always selected for vital targets - an outstanding pilot. Gives service background and description of action leading to award of Victoria Cross. Mentions 110 completed operations and final attack on Cologne where his aircraft failed to return, all crew reported missing and lists name. Provides family background. Right - Palmer V.C bombed and said nothing. Concerns Palmers character who was more reserved than most. Gives account of last operations to Cologne from which he failed to return but was awarded the Victoria Cross. Mentioned that the opposition was so strong that half the formation failed to return. Bottom - Squadron Leader Palmer V.C. Mentions that Palmer and five other member of his crew lost their lives when their aircraft crashed. The only survivor was the rear gunner.
Temporal Coverage
Spatial Coverage
Language
Type
Format
Three newspaper cuttings on an album page
Publisher
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.
Contributor
Identifier
SPalmerRAM115772v10027
Transcription
"Always Selected for Vital Targets"
'AN OUTSTANDING PILOT'
ACTING SQUADRON LEADER ROBERT ANTHONY MAURICE PALMER, R.A.F.V.R., 109 Squadron, 24-years-old double D.F.C., who was always selected for special operations against vital targets, has been awarded the Victoria Cross.
He was reported missing after he had made a superb and accurate attack in a blazing Lancaster on the marshalling yards at Cologne, undeterred by the double risk of fire and explosion. His 'plane was last seen spiralling to earth in flames.
The citation said: "Squadron Leader Palmer was an outstanding pilot. He displayed conspicuous bravery. His record of prolonged and heroic endeavour is beyond praise.”
He had completed 110 bombing missions. Many were low-level "marking" operations against vital targets, and all were executed with tenacity, high courage, and great accuracy. "It was known that he could be relied on to press home his attack, whatever the opposition, and to bomb with great accuracy," said the citation. "He was always selected, therefore, to take part in special operations against vital targets."
The finest example of his courage and determination was on December 23, 1944, when he led a formation of Lancasters to attack the marshalling yards at Cologne in daylight. He had the task of marking the target. His formation had been ordered to bomb as soon as the bombs had gone from his aircraft.
DISDAINED AVOIDING ACTION
Some minutes before the target was reached, his aircraft came under heavy anti-aircraft fire, and two engines were set on fire. Enemy fighters attacked in force. Squadron Leader Palmer disdained the possibility of taking avoiding action. He knew that if he diverged the least bit from his course he would be unable to utilise the special equipment to the best advantage. "Nevertheless he made a perfect approach, and his bombs hit the target," the citation says. His aircraft was last seen spiralling to earth in flames.
All the crew of his 'plane are missing. They were Flying Officer O.S. Milne, Flight-Lieut. A.L. Carter, Flight-Lieut. G. Russell, Flying Officer W. Dalgarno, Flight-Sergt. B. Nundy, and Flight-Sergt. R.K. Yeulett. Such was the strength of the opposition tha [sic] more than half of his formation failed to return.
Such was the strength of the opposition that more than half of his formation failed to return.
Squadron Leader Palmer's home was at Gravesend. "A shy boy, very much liked by everyone, but very quiet and reserved," was how Mr Frank Jennings, chief clerk in the Borough Engineer's Office, Gravesend, described the new V.C. "He came here straight from school as a junior clerk – actually, he was my office-boy," Mr Jennings said in an interview yesterday.
"Bob, as everyone called him, would never talk about his exploits in the R.A.F. He came into the office one day with a rather nasty scar on his chin, and I said, "Hullo [sic], what's been happening to you?' He replied, with a perfectly straight face, 'Well as a matter of fact, I took another fellow's girl out and he happened to spot me.' His young brother, now a sergeant-pilot, told me later that Bob had narrowly escaped being killed in a crash."
[inserted] THE SCOTSMAN [/inserted]
[page break]
SQUADRON-LEADER PALMER, V.C.
News has now been received that Squadron-Leader R.A.M. Palmer, V.C., D.F.C. and Bar, and five other members of the crew lost their lives when their plane crashed. The only survivor was the rear-gunner, and his parents have written to Mr. A.R.F. Palmer, of 52, Bellman-avenue, Gravesend, the father of the Squadron-Leader, giving this news. The members of the crew were laid to rest ten miles south of Cologne.
[page break]
"For four years of bravery . . ."
[photograph]
[italics] Portrait of Robert Palmer, the new V.C., at his parent's home, Gravesend . . . Beside it a model aircraft made by his 19-year-old brother Douglas, officer cadet in the R.A.F. – [/italics] Daily Express picture.
PALMER, V.C., BOMBED AND SAID NOTHING
Express Staff Reporter
Of many Royal Air Force men can it be said that they are quiet, shy even, and that they like their flying tough. But the man they talked about last night in the R.A.F. messes was more reserved than most . . . and on his 110th mission of attack he won the V.C.
Palmer is his name, Squadron-Leader Robert Anthony Maurice Palmer, D.F.C. and Bar, of 109 Squadron. A good type, they said of him.
Four years he had been bombing. But few knew much of Palmer's last flight. Because few returned from it.
That flight was an all-Lancaster attack on Rundstedt's supplies – stacked high at Cologne for the Ardennes offensive.
Palmer led, because, said the citation of his award, "he could be relied on to press home his attack whatever the opposition and to bomb with great accuracy."
To him, as leader, fell the job of marking the target.
So the man who never talked much took his Lancaster straight in through a blanket of flak, through the German fighters' bullets.
The citation tells what happened then:-
"He disdained the possibility of taking avoiding action.
"His bombs hit the target. His aircraft was last seen spiralling to earth in flames.
"Such was the strength of the opposition that more than half of his formation failed to return."
It is three months since Squadron-Leader Palmer and his crew were reported missing.
Since then, his mother, Mrs. A.R.F. Palmer, has opened no Air Ministry letter that arrived at his home, 52 Bellman-avenue, Gravesend.
One came yesterday.
Nervously, Mrs. Palmer put it on the sideboard until her husband came in.
Then they opened it together. Their son, it said, had won the V.C.
'AN OUTSTANDING PILOT'
ACTING SQUADRON LEADER ROBERT ANTHONY MAURICE PALMER, R.A.F.V.R., 109 Squadron, 24-years-old double D.F.C., who was always selected for special operations against vital targets, has been awarded the Victoria Cross.
He was reported missing after he had made a superb and accurate attack in a blazing Lancaster on the marshalling yards at Cologne, undeterred by the double risk of fire and explosion. His 'plane was last seen spiralling to earth in flames.
The citation said: "Squadron Leader Palmer was an outstanding pilot. He displayed conspicuous bravery. His record of prolonged and heroic endeavour is beyond praise.”
He had completed 110 bombing missions. Many were low-level "marking" operations against vital targets, and all were executed with tenacity, high courage, and great accuracy. "It was known that he could be relied on to press home his attack, whatever the opposition, and to bomb with great accuracy," said the citation. "He was always selected, therefore, to take part in special operations against vital targets."
The finest example of his courage and determination was on December 23, 1944, when he led a formation of Lancasters to attack the marshalling yards at Cologne in daylight. He had the task of marking the target. His formation had been ordered to bomb as soon as the bombs had gone from his aircraft.
DISDAINED AVOIDING ACTION
Some minutes before the target was reached, his aircraft came under heavy anti-aircraft fire, and two engines were set on fire. Enemy fighters attacked in force. Squadron Leader Palmer disdained the possibility of taking avoiding action. He knew that if he diverged the least bit from his course he would be unable to utilise the special equipment to the best advantage. "Nevertheless he made a perfect approach, and his bombs hit the target," the citation says. His aircraft was last seen spiralling to earth in flames.
All the crew of his 'plane are missing. They were Flying Officer O.S. Milne, Flight-Lieut. A.L. Carter, Flight-Lieut. G. Russell, Flying Officer W. Dalgarno, Flight-Sergt. B. Nundy, and Flight-Sergt. R.K. Yeulett. Such was the strength of the opposition tha [sic] more than half of his formation failed to return.
Such was the strength of the opposition that more than half of his formation failed to return.
Squadron Leader Palmer's home was at Gravesend. "A shy boy, very much liked by everyone, but very quiet and reserved," was how Mr Frank Jennings, chief clerk in the Borough Engineer's Office, Gravesend, described the new V.C. "He came here straight from school as a junior clerk – actually, he was my office-boy," Mr Jennings said in an interview yesterday.
"Bob, as everyone called him, would never talk about his exploits in the R.A.F. He came into the office one day with a rather nasty scar on his chin, and I said, "Hullo [sic], what's been happening to you?' He replied, with a perfectly straight face, 'Well as a matter of fact, I took another fellow's girl out and he happened to spot me.' His young brother, now a sergeant-pilot, told me later that Bob had narrowly escaped being killed in a crash."
[inserted] THE SCOTSMAN [/inserted]
[page break]
SQUADRON-LEADER PALMER, V.C.
News has now been received that Squadron-Leader R.A.M. Palmer, V.C., D.F.C. and Bar, and five other members of the crew lost their lives when their plane crashed. The only survivor was the rear-gunner, and his parents have written to Mr. A.R.F. Palmer, of 52, Bellman-avenue, Gravesend, the father of the Squadron-Leader, giving this news. The members of the crew were laid to rest ten miles south of Cologne.
[page break]
"For four years of bravery . . ."
[photograph]
[italics] Portrait of Robert Palmer, the new V.C., at his parent's home, Gravesend . . . Beside it a model aircraft made by his 19-year-old brother Douglas, officer cadet in the R.A.F. – [/italics] Daily Express picture.
PALMER, V.C., BOMBED AND SAID NOTHING
Express Staff Reporter
Of many Royal Air Force men can it be said that they are quiet, shy even, and that they like their flying tough. But the man they talked about last night in the R.A.F. messes was more reserved than most . . . and on his 110th mission of attack he won the V.C.
Palmer is his name, Squadron-Leader Robert Anthony Maurice Palmer, D.F.C. and Bar, of 109 Squadron. A good type, they said of him.
Four years he had been bombing. But few knew much of Palmer's last flight. Because few returned from it.
That flight was an all-Lancaster attack on Rundstedt's supplies – stacked high at Cologne for the Ardennes offensive.
Palmer led, because, said the citation of his award, "he could be relied on to press home his attack whatever the opposition and to bomb with great accuracy."
To him, as leader, fell the job of marking the target.
So the man who never talked much took his Lancaster straight in through a blanket of flak, through the German fighters' bullets.
The citation tells what happened then:-
"He disdained the possibility of taking avoiding action.
"His bombs hit the target. His aircraft was last seen spiralling to earth in flames.
"Such was the strength of the opposition that more than half of his formation failed to return."
It is three months since Squadron-Leader Palmer and his crew were reported missing.
Since then, his mother, Mrs. A.R.F. Palmer, has opened no Air Ministry letter that arrived at his home, 52 Bellman-avenue, Gravesend.
One came yesterday.
Nervously, Mrs. Palmer put it on the sideboard until her husband came in.
Then they opened it together. Their son, it said, had won the V.C.
Collection
Citation
“Newspaper cuttings - always selected for vital targets; Palmer V.C bombed and said nothing; Squadron Leader Palmer V.C.,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed April 21, 2025, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/38284.
Item Relations
This item has no relations.