BROWN, Raymond Novarro. 1294365. Flt/Sgt, No.9 Squadron.
Sorties 27, Flying Hours 159.45. (Air Gunner) Air2/9339.
“This N.C.O. has completed 27 operational sorties including
160 flying hours as Mid-Upper Gunner. He has inspired the most complete confidence on his crew. His vigilance and calmness on many occasions when followed by enemy night fighters have enabled his captain to take the necessary counter action. His keenness and devotion to duty have been of the highest order and he has at all times set a fine example both in the air and on the ground.”
(17th January 1944)
Flt Sgt Brown flew with No.9 Squadron from RAF Bardney in Lincolnshire and had the distinction of having flown on operations in one of only 35 Lancaster bombers which flew more than 100 missions. This was Lancaster III EE136 “Spirit of Russia” in which he bombed Hamburg on the night of 27/28th July 1943.
His fellow crew members on this sortie were:
Flt/Sgt K. LIVINGSTONE (DFC)
Sgt F.T. WATSON (Nav) (DFC)
Sgt J. PRENDERGAST (WOP) (DFM) -KILLED IN ACTION -23.11.43 with 83 Sqd
Sgt F. PARSONS (Bomb Aimer)
Sgt H.C. BREWER (Gunner)
Sgt T.C. TAYLOR (Gunner)
With only 6,500 awards of the DFM being made during the whole of World War 2 ,(as compared with 20,000 DFC’s ) this medal was always a scarce item. Seventy Five years after the end of the war, they are now becoming extremely thin on the ground with ever fewer being offered year by year.
In our opinion the reverse design carried by the DFM is perhaps the finest of all the British gallantry awards.
We feel that the inscription “FOR COURAGE” really does sum up the unyielding attitude and the “go again” displays of sheer selfless bravery which were displayed each night by our brave airmen, many of whom won the DFM during impossible circumstances hundreds of miles from home in the black and lethally dangerous skies over Nazi Germany.
OF THE 7,366 AVRO LANCASTERS FLOWN BY RAF BOMBER COMMAND DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR SOME 3,400 (46%) WERE LOST ON OPERATIONS.
JUST 35 SURVIVED TO FLY MORE THAN 100 MISSIONS
This is a Seriously Excellent Lancaster Gunner’s Medal to a man who flew with No.9 Squadron which was one of the two early “precision” bombing units of the Royal Air Force.
Lancasters of this squadron sank the German battleship TIRPITZ on 12th November 1944.
“PER ARDVA AD ASTRA”
The DFM is near mint and is still on its original ribbon & clip and the campaign medals are all EF on original ribbon.
SOLD