DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, DFM, GSM (Near East), Group of Seven
A Superb and Very Rare ‘DOUBLE GALLANTRY’ Group of seven, (with miniatures)
To: Flt/Sgt –Sqd/Ldr JOHN ASTON COSTELLO, 49 Squadron R.A.F. and 463 Squadron R.A.A.F.
DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, (DFC) DISTINGUISHED FLYING MEDAL (DFM),
DFM (1945) DFM. 1382972. F/Sgt J. A. COSTELLO. RAF.
1939-45 Star, Aircrew Europe (France &Germany clasp) War Medal, Defence Medal,
QEII GSM (Near East) Sqd Ldr John Aston Costello RAF, for the “Suez Crisis”
Plus matching miniature group, navigators wing and squadron blazer badge.
John Costello was a Navigator on 49 Squadron RAF and 463 Squadron RAAF and he
completed almost two full tours on Lancaster bombers.
His service included raids on some of Germany’s most heavily defended targets
including the V1 rocket sites and Coastal batteries and gun emplacements in Normandy prior to the D-DAY landings. He was on many occasions ‘Nav, Leader’ for his squadron.
It was on one such raid on the night of 21/22 February 1944 while with 463 Squadron that his Lancaster PB 804 (JO-A) was hit by flak and attacked by a German FW190 while bombing Gravenhorst (Mittelland Canal). The aircraft was abandoned on fire in mid-air over the target. That night the aircraft was carrying an extra crewman (Camera Operator) as 463 Squadron was used by the RAF film unit to film and record footage of the raids on Germany. Three of the crew ( including the pilot W/Cdr ‘Bill’ Forbes R.A.A.F) failed to leave the aircraft and were killed, the remaining five men parachuted to safety and were captured and made POW’s until May 1945. Costello continued his service with the RAF and he earned his GSM (Near East) when he took part in the Suez Crisis of 1956, it is thought presumably as a Mosquito NF Mk36 Night –Fighter Navigator. His service during the Suez period would make a good further research project.