Petition for award
Title
Petition for award
Description
Petition for the award of Distinguished Flying Cross to Pilot Officer William Frank Tudhope and Distinguished Flying Medal to Sergeant Lewis Smith Belton. Provides details about the operation on Wilhelmshaven, damage by anti-aircraft fire, then the bomb run in their damaged aircraft.
Date
1940-08-01
Language
Format
One page handwritten letter
Publisher
Rights
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Contributor
Identifier
MBeltonSLS190305-151120-08
Transcription
Public Record Office ref Aid 30/157/98
Petition to the King for the the [sic] awards of
DFC to William Frank Tudhope
DFM to Lewis Smith Belton
On the night of 20 July 1940 Pilot Officer Tudhope was captain of an aircraft which delivered an attack on enemy warships in Wilhemlshaven [sic] from an altitude of only 50 feet. The aircraft was subject to terrific anti-aircraft fire and was badly hit by a high explosive shell
In spite of this a second attack was attempted, but owing to the extreme density of the gunfire, one engine was badly damaged and the navigator’s cabin was riddled with holes. In spite of this ordeal Sergeant Belton the navigator and bomb aimer with great coolness and courage continued his duties and enabled Pilot Officer Tudhope to bring [deleted] home [/deleted] the damaged aircraft safely home. This officer and non comissioned [sic] officer have shown conspicuous gallentry [sic] and devotion to duty on many previous occasions
Petition made 1st August 1940
Petition to the King for the the [sic] awards of
DFC to William Frank Tudhope
DFM to Lewis Smith Belton
On the night of 20 July 1940 Pilot Officer Tudhope was captain of an aircraft which delivered an attack on enemy warships in Wilhemlshaven [sic] from an altitude of only 50 feet. The aircraft was subject to terrific anti-aircraft fire and was badly hit by a high explosive shell
In spite of this a second attack was attempted, but owing to the extreme density of the gunfire, one engine was badly damaged and the navigator’s cabin was riddled with holes. In spite of this ordeal Sergeant Belton the navigator and bomb aimer with great coolness and courage continued his duties and enabled Pilot Officer Tudhope to bring [deleted] home [/deleted] the damaged aircraft safely home. This officer and non comissioned [sic] officer have shown conspicuous gallentry [sic] and devotion to duty on many previous occasions
Petition made 1st August 1940
Collection
Citation
“Petition for award,” IBCC Digital Archive, accessed April 25, 2024, https://ibccdigitalarchive.lincoln.ac.uk/omeka/collections/document/803.
Item Relations
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