Newspaper clippings announcing award of Patrick Geary's DFM

Newspaper clippings announcing award of Patrick Geary's DFM

Clippings announcing awards to 51 officers and airmen for the daylight attacks on Brest and La Pallice which included Patrick then on No 150 Sqdn. The Gneisenau and Scharnhorst were targets.

Newspaper clipping

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NGearyPC171012-020001, NGearyPC171012-010001

MEN WHO BOMBED NAZI WARSHIPS

51 DECORATED

Awards are announced to=day to 51 R.A.F. Officers and airmen who were largely responsible for the great success of the daylight attacks in July on Brest and La Pallice, where the targets were German warships which included the Gneisenau, Scharnhorst and Prinz Eugen.

A smaller attack was made on Cherbourg. "Extremely heavy and accurate anti-aircraft fire and fighter opposition were encountered by all aircraft." says the Air Ministry. Brest was protected by a balloon barrage.

Nevertheless, the attackers secured direct hits on their objectives and inflicted very severe damage in the target area. Twenty-one enemy aircraft were destroyed, others damaged. The precise timing of attack by the various formations, correct approach, and accurate bombing demanded great skill and high courage.

The awards are as follows, figures denoting squadron numbers, viz.:

D.S.O. – Wing Cmdr. R.A.C. Carter (150).
Wing Cmdr. G.T. Jarman, D.F.C. (76).
A./Wing Cmdr. R.S. Allen, D.F.C., R.A.F.O. (106),
A./Sqdn. Ldr. T.P.A. Bradley, D.F.C. (35),
A./Sqdn. Ldr. H. Budden. D.F.C., missing (104).

D.F.C. – Wing Cmdr. F.W. Dixon-Wright (99),
Wing Cmdr. R.H. Maw (12),
Wing Cmdr. W.S.P. Simonds (104),
A/Wing Cmdr. V.S. Butler (226),
Sqdn. Ldr. C.N. Fleming (142),
Sqdn Ldr. L.J. Stickley (40),
A./ Sqdn. Ldr. W.B. Keddy, R.C.A.F. (405),
A./ Sqdn. Ldr. G.V. Lane (103),
Flt. Lt. P.E. Dodson (142),
Flt. Lt. R.D. Max (103),
A./Flt. Lt. K.M. Bastin, R.A.F.V.R. (76),
A./Flt. Lt. R.I. Pooley, R.A.F.V.R. (115),
Flying Offr. N. Butler (99),
Flying Offr. G.A. Isbell, R.A.F.V.R. (218),
Flying Offr. W.St.C. McNeilly (142),
Flying Offr. E.A. Morrison, R.A.F.V.R. (99),
Flying Offr. A.J.H. Roberts (103),
Flying Offr. A.J. Smitz. R.A.F.V.R. (57),
Flying Offr. C. Stokes (75 N.Z.),
A./Flying Offr. G.M. Brisbane, D.F.M. (76),
Pilot Offr. J.A. Duncan. R.C.A.F. (40),
Pilot Offr. J.P. Erly, R.C.A.F. (106),
Pilot Offr. J. Henderson, R.A.F.V.R. (106),
Pilot Offr. A.B. Payne, R.A.F.V.R. (12),
Pilot Offr R.H. Sutton, R.C.A.C. (104),
Warrant Offr G.W. Holden, R.A.F.V.R. (25).

D.F.M. – Flt. Sgt. A. Adderley (115),
Flt. Sgt. F.F. Barker (103),
Flt. Sgt. H. Johnston (115),
Flt. Sgt. R.V.C. Oliver (44),
Flt. Sgt. R.E. Parsons, R.C.A.F. (405),
Flt. Sgt. T. Williams (44),
Sgt. J.D. Armstrong (104),
Sgt. H. Broadbent (99),
Sgt. E. Callander, (N.Z. 75),
Sgt. J.F.K. Cork (115),
Sgt. H.R. Corrin, R.N.Z.A.F. (75),
Sgt. G.A. Fraser (76),
Sgt. P.C. Geary (150),
Sgt. T. Gould, R.A.F.V.R. (40),
Sgt. H.R. Higgins (35),
Sgt. G. Martin (N.Z. 75),
Sgt. A.D. Morris (40),
Sgt. A.P. Overall (106),
Sgt. M.A. Sachs (35),
Sgt. A. Weldon (150).

[page break]

THE KING has been graciously pleased to approve the undermentioned awards, in recognition of gallantry displayed in flying operations against the enemy:-

In July, 1941, large scale attacks were made on German warships at Brest and La Pallice, including the [italics] Gneisenau, Scharnhorst and Prinz Eugen [/italics]. A smaller attack was made on Cherbourg. The operations were carried out in daylight and extremely heavy and accurate anti-aircraft fire and fighter opposition were encountered by all aircraft when approaching the target, which at Brest was protected by a balloon barrage.

The air crews engaged succeeded, nevertheless, in securing direct hits on their objectives and in inflicting very severe damage in the target area. During the combats with enemy fighters twenty-one hostile aircraft were destroyed and others were severely damaged. The precise timing of attack by the various formations of aircraft and their correct approach to and accurate bombing of the objectives, in the face of such powerful opposition, demanded great skill and high courage. The great success of these operations was largely due to the bravery, determination and resource displayed by the following officers and airmen, who participated in various capacities as leaders and members of the aircraft crews:-

The number after each name represents the squadron with which the recipient is serving.

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER.
Wing Commander R.A.C. CARTER, No. 150.
Wing Commander G.T. JARMAN, D.F.C., No. 76.
Acting Wing Commander R.S. ALLEN, D.F.C., R.A.F.O., No. 106.
Act. Squadron Leader T.P.A. BRADLEY, D.F.C., No. 35.
Act Squadron Leader H. BUDDEN, D.F.C., No. 104 (missing).

DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS.
Wing Commander F.W. DIXON-WRIGHT, No. 99.
Wing Commander Roger H. MAW, No. 12.
Wing Commander W.S.P. SIMONDS, No. 104
Act. Wing Commander V.S. BUTLER, No. 226.
Squadron Leader Charles N. FLEMING, No. 142.
Squadron Leader Laurence J. STICKLEY, No. 40.
Act. Squadron Leader W.B. KEDDY, No. 405 (R.C.A.F.).
Act. Squadron Leader Gordon V. LANE, No. 103.
Flight Lieutenant Peter E. DODSON, No. 142.
Flight Lieutenant Roy Douglas MAX, No. 103.
Act. Flight Lieutenant K.M. BASTIN, R.A.F.V.R., No. 76.
Act Flight Lieutenant R.I. POOLEY, R.A.F.V.R., No. 115.
[missing word] Officer Norman BUTLER, No. 99.
Flying Officer G.A. ISBELL, R.A.F.V.R., No. 218.
Flying Officer W. St.Clair McNEILLY, No. 142.
Flying Officer E.A. MORRISON, R.A.F.V.R., No. 99.
Flying Officer Arthur James H. ROBERTS, No. 103.
Flying Officer A.J. SMITZ, R.A.F.V.R., No. 57.
Flying Officer Charles STOKES, No. 75 (N.Z.).
Act. Flying Officer G.M. BRISBANE, D.F.M., No. 76.
Pilot Officer J.A. DUNCAN, R.C.A.F., No. 40.
Pilot Officer James Paul ERLY, R.C.A.F., No. 106.
Pilot Officer J. HENDERSON, R.A.F.V.R., No. 106.
Pilot Officer A.B. PAYNE, R.A.F.V.R., No. 12.
Pilot Officer R.H. SUTTON, R.C.A.F., No. 104.
Warrant Officer G.W. HOLDEN, R.A.F.V.R., No. 25.

DISTINGUISHED FLYING MEDAL.
Flight Sergeant Albert ADDERLEY, No. 115.
Flight Sergeant Frederick F. BARKER, No. 103.
Flight Sergeant Henry JOHNSTON, No. 115.
Flight Sergeant Ronald V.C. OLIVER, No. 44.
Flight Sergeant R.E. PARSONS, R.C.A.F., No. 405.
Flight Sergeant Tegwyn WILLIAMS, No. 44.
Sergeant John Dudley ARMSTRONG, No. 104.
Sergeant Harold BROADBENT, No. 99.
Sergeant Edward CALLANDER, No. 75 (N.Z.).
Sergeant John Frederick Keith CORK, No. 115.
Sergeant H.R. CORRIN, R.N.Z.A.F., No. 75 (N.Z.).
Sergeant George Alexander FRASER, No. 76.
Sergeant Patrick Clement GEARY, No. 150.
Sergeant Thomas GOULD, R.A.F.V.R., No.40.
Sergeant Herbert Reginald HIGGINS, No. 35.
Sergeant Gwyn MARTIN, No. 75 (N.Z.).
Sergeant Alexander Douglas MORRIS, No. 40.
Sergeant Arthur Percy OVERALL, No. 106.
Sergeant Mark Antony SACHS, No. 35.
Sergeant Arnold WELDON, No. 150.