Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (CGM)

 

Awarded to Lancaster Aircrew

 

Update: November 2008

In the early years to World War II, gallantry awards from RAF pilots and aircrew were generally restricted to the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for Commissioned and Warrant Officers or the Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) for all Non-Commissioned and occasionally airman below the rack of Sergeant. For more significant acts of gallantry or for a period of extended exposure to enemy action the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) was also available to Commissioned Officers. However, there was no equivalent award available for Non-Commissioned ranks; who were being awarded the DFM for such acts or service.

 

All awards could be granted more than once and shown with an additional bar for each subsequent award to the to the medals ribbon.

 

For the overwhelming acts of heroism, Britian's highest award the Victoria Cross (VC) was given and for this both Officer and Non-Commissioned ranks were eligible.

 

With a large contingent of Non-Commissioned officers severing within Bomber Command, it become obvious that when a direct comparison was made of available awards that an obvious gap existed between the DFM and the VC for Non-Commissioned ranks against the availability of the DFC, DSO and VC for officers.

 

As Bomber Commands role expanded and its strength, after 1942 increased into an effective offencive force, acts of heroism within the Non-Commissioned aircrew personnel were growing. But the lack of a suitable recognition for exceptional gallantry still remained. This problem was put before the Air Ministry, who after much discussion agreed to recommend the use of the already existing award of the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Naval) by expanding its award to include a flying version. By November 1942 a Royal Warrant was issued stating the the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (CGM) was to be extends to Army and Air Force personnel "whilst flying in active operations against the enemy."

 

The actual medal was to be identical to the "Naval" version of the medal, but was to have its own ribbon; consisting of a 1 1/2" wight Light Blue band with a Dark Blue marginal stripe 1/8" wide on each side.

 

By wars end 109 CGM's. one of which was actually awarded after the war, had been awarded to operational aircrew. Of these 89 were award to Bomb Command with 59 going to aircrew flying on Lancaster aircraft. No bars (second awards) were issued.

Awards Against Specific Targets
Award Lancaster Serial Number Target Date Crew Name Position
1 W4193 Munich 21/22 December 1942 F/Sgt. L.B. Wallace, RNZAF W/Op
2 ED377 Milan 14/15 February 1943 Sgt. I.H. Hazard P
3 ED377 Milan 14/15 February 1943 Sgt. J.F. Bain FE
4 ED377 Milan 14/15 February 1943 Sgt. W.E. Willaims N
5 ED377 Milan 14/15 February 1943 F/Sgt. G. Dove, DFM MU
6 ED377 Milan 14/15 February 1943 F/Sgt. L. Airey RG
7 ED434 Gardening (mining) 27/28 February 1943 Sgt. E.W. Tickler P
8 W4899 Gardening (mining) 10/11 March 1943 Sgt. R.K. Hewitt, DFM W/Op
9 ED886 Dams Raid 16/17 May 1943 Sgt. W. C. Townsend, DFM P
10 ED918 Dams Raid 16/17 May 1943 F/Sgt. K.W. Brown P
11 ED753 Cologne 28/29 June 1943 Sgt. C.J.M. Wilkie P
12 DS669 Cologne 28/29 June 1943 Sgt. E.W.G. Hall MU
13 unknown Peenemünde 17/18 August 1943 Sgt. G.W. Oilver MU
14 ED985 Peenemünde 17/18 August 1943 F/Sgt. D. Rees P
15 ?? (same a/c as #16) Hannover 27/28 September 1943 P/O A.J.S. Walker P
16 ?? (same a/c as #15) Hannover 27/28 September 1943 P/O S. Mayer FE
17 EE197 Hannover 18/19 October 1943 Sgt. W.H. Cowham RG
18 DV189 Leipzig 20/21 October 1943 W/O C.E. White P
19 DS686 Leipzig 20/21 October 1943 F/Sgt. F.J. Stuart P
20 LM360 Düsseldorf 3/4 November 1943 Sgt. J.W. Norris FE
21 DV365 Berlin 18/19 November 1943 Sgt. G.W. Meadows, RCAF RG
22 DV362 Berlin 2/3 December 1943 W/O E.S. Ellis P
23 LM584 Berlin 30/31 January 1944 W/O R.J. Meek, RCAF N
24 ND444 Berlin 15/16 February 1944 F/Sgt. G.C.C. Smith, RAAF RG
25 LM382 Leipzig 19/20 February 1944 Sgt. B.C. Wright FE
26 R5856 Nuremberg 30/31 March 1944 Sgt. L. Chapman W/Op
27 ME751 Nantes 10/11 June 1944 W/O A.W. Hurse, RAAF BA
28 HK568 Normandy Battle Area 18 July 1944 F/Sgt. D.J. Moriarty, RNZAF P
29 JA922 Emieville 18 July 1994 Sgt. J. Pialucha, PAF FE
30 unknown Rüsselsheim 25/26 August 1944 F/Sgt. R.B. Maxwell, RCAF P
31 PD219 Stettin 29/30 August 1944 F/Sgt. A.C. Cole P
32 PD224 (?) Neuss 23/24 September 1944 Sgt. W. Cridge N
33 LL964 Cologne 9 September 1944 Sgt. J.C. Cooke, RCAF P
34 LM650 Homberg 1 November 1944 F/Sgt. S.W. Walters BA
35 DV396 Düsseldorf 2/3 November 1944 Sgt. D.J. Allen MU
36 NG202 Ludwigshafen 1/2 February 1945 F/Sgt. W.E. Crabe, RCAF MU
37 LM187 Neuss 6/7 January 1945 F/Sgt. R.P. Longley W/OP
38 unknown Bohlen 13/14 February 1945 F/Sgt. T.W.D. Kelly S/Op
39 PB815 Pforzheim 23/24 February 1945 F/Sgt. J. Bettany W/Op
40 unknown Dessau 7/8 March 1945 W/O A. Robb MU
41 unknown Bremen 23 March 1945 Sgt. J.G. Wheeler FE
42 RA542 Tonsberg 25/26 April 1945 Sgt. G.W. Simpson FE
Awards For Continuous Acts Of Courage
Award Crew Name Unit(s) Total Operations Flown Date Of Award Position
43 F/Sgt. A. Elcoate, DFM 10 Sqn, 156 Sqn 62 21 February 1943 W/Op
44 W/O F.McP. Taylor ?? 59 21 February 1943 P
45 F/Sgt. R.S. Hogg 49 Sqn 64 March 1943 W/Op
46 W/O B.W. Clayton, DFC 51 Sqn, 617 Sqn 77 30 April 1943 P
47 W/O R. Haywood 7 Sqn 83 November 1943 W/Op
48 W/O J.M. Alexander Middle East, 7 Sqn 69 November 1943 N
49 F/Sgt. I.W. Preece 9 Sqn, 38 Sqn, 106 Sqn, 83 Sqn 57 + c. 1943 RG
50 W/O C.C. Busby 156 Sqn 53 + 21 May 1943 P
51 W/O G.W. Brook 550 Sqn 29 - 10 to Berlin 19 February 1944 P
52 W/O W.G. Bickley 613 Sqn, 44 Sqn, 617 Sqn 71 19 April 1944 AG
53 F/Sgt. A.H. Jefferies 550 Sqn 25 - 8 to Berlin 17 March 1944 P
54 W/O V.A. Roe, DFM 35 Sqn 66 18 January 1945 AG
55 W/O L.E. Gosling 619 Sqn, 617 Sqn 56 30 April 1945 N
56 W/O S. Nuttall, DFM 35 Sqn 91 19 May 1945 AG
57 F/Sgt. S.J.H. Andrew, DFM 35 Sqn 89 19 May 1945 AG
58 Unknown
59 Unknown

Legend:

 

P = Pilot; F/E = FLight Engineer; N = Navigator; S/O = Special Equipment Operator; B/A = Bomb Aimer; W/Op = Wireless Operator; MG - Mid-Upper Gunner; RG = Rear Gunner; AG = Air Gunner (unknown position)