HughAHalliday
17th February 2022, 13:44
GURNETT, John Stanley P/O (190035) No. 102 Squadron Distinguished Flying Cross awarded as per London Gazette dated 25 May 1945. No published citation. Public Record Office Air 2/9070 has recommendation drafted 24 February 1945 when he had flown 30 sorties (164 hours). Originally drafted for a DFM when he was a Flight Sergeant.
Flight Sergeant Gurnett has completed an operational tour as an Air Bomber in Halifax aircraft of Bomber Command. His thirty sorties have included heavily defended targets in the Ruhr and elsewhere in Germany, as well as objectives in occupied territories and sea-mining operations.
Throughout his tour, he has shown commendable courage and devotion to duty. On one occasion, whilst attacking a close support tactical target, he directed his pilot across the Aiming Point seven times giving release instructions to the flight engineer for the fuselage bombs which had failed to go in the normal manner. His courage and devotion to duty have contributed in a large measure to the excellent record of his crew.
I consider that Flight Sergeant Gurnetts record as an Air Bomber and a crew member fully merits for him the award of the DFM.
(Signed E.F.E. Barnard, Wing Commander, Commanding, No. 102 (Ceylon) Squadron, on 24.2.45)
Flight Sergeant Gurnett has completed a tour of operations as Bomb-Aimer and has an outstandingly good photographic record. In nearly every case, he has photographed the aiming point and his steadiness on a bombing run was frequently commented upon by his captain. I recommend him for the award of the DFM.
(Signed by Group Captain, Commanding, R.A.F. Base Station, Pocklington, on 24.2.45)
I strongly recommend the Non-Immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. This Non-Commissioned Officer has now been commissioned Personal No. 190035.
(Signed by Air Vice-Marshall, Air Officer Commanding, No. 4 Group, R.A.F. on 27.2.45)
Sorties carried out as an Air Bomber:
DATE - TARGET - DURATION - REMARKS
11.8.44 - Somain - 4.35
15.8.44 - Eindhoven - 4.00 - Damaged by flak.
17.8.44 - Sterkrade - 3.55 - P.O. Engine on fire at Dutch coast. Turn back.
24.8.44 - Brest - 4.55 - Made 2 bombing runss owing to cloud,- Predicted flak. Severe damage.
31,8.44 - Lumbres - 3.45 - Orbitted target for five minutes.
3.9.44 - Venlo - 5.05
10.9.44 - Alvis I Le Havre - 3.55
13.9.44 - Munster - 4.25
7.10.44 - Cleves - 4.35
14.10.44 - Duisburg - 5.20
14.10.44 - Duisburg - 5.00 - Sighted Me.109. No attack.
31.10.44 - Cologne - 5.55
2.11.44 - Dusseldorf - 5.15 - Sighted many fighters. No attack.
6.11.44 - Gelsenkirchen - 4.35 - Flak damage.
Date ? - Silverthorn VI - 6.15 - Gardening.
18.44.44 - Munster - 5.05
29.11.44 - Essen - 6.20
30.11.44 - Duisburg - 5.10
5.12.44 - Soest - 6.10
17.12.44 - Duisburg - 5.55 - Encountered electrical storm.
24.12.44 - Mulheim - 4.55
26.12.44 - St. Vith - 5,25 - Fuselage bomb-load hung up. All released manually in seven runs on target.
28.12.44 - Munchen- Gladbach - 5.05
30.12.44 - Cologne -Kalk - 6.25
1.1.45 - Dortmund - 4.55 - Bombed on Gee. FW.190 sighted. No attack.
5.1.45 - Hanover - 4.55 - Attacked by Ju.88. Successfully evaded.
6.1.45 - Hanau - 6.50 - Bombed on Y. Landed on 3 engines.
13.1.45 - Saarbruecken - 6.55
14.1.45 - Dulmen - 6.15
16.1.45 - Magdeburg - 6.25 - Sighted Me.109. No attack.
22.1.45 - Gelsenkirchen - 5.30
TOTAL SORTIES: 30 - TOTAL HOURS: 164
Flight Sergeant Gurnett has completed an operational tour as an Air Bomber in Halifax aircraft of Bomber Command. His thirty sorties have included heavily defended targets in the Ruhr and elsewhere in Germany, as well as objectives in occupied territories and sea-mining operations.
Throughout his tour, he has shown commendable courage and devotion to duty. On one occasion, whilst attacking a close support tactical target, he directed his pilot across the Aiming Point seven times giving release instructions to the flight engineer for the fuselage bombs which had failed to go in the normal manner. His courage and devotion to duty have contributed in a large measure to the excellent record of his crew.
I consider that Flight Sergeant Gurnetts record as an Air Bomber and a crew member fully merits for him the award of the DFM.
(Signed E.F.E. Barnard, Wing Commander, Commanding, No. 102 (Ceylon) Squadron, on 24.2.45)
Flight Sergeant Gurnett has completed a tour of operations as Bomb-Aimer and has an outstandingly good photographic record. In nearly every case, he has photographed the aiming point and his steadiness on a bombing run was frequently commented upon by his captain. I recommend him for the award of the DFM.
(Signed by Group Captain, Commanding, R.A.F. Base Station, Pocklington, on 24.2.45)
I strongly recommend the Non-Immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. This Non-Commissioned Officer has now been commissioned Personal No. 190035.
(Signed by Air Vice-Marshall, Air Officer Commanding, No. 4 Group, R.A.F. on 27.2.45)
Sorties carried out as an Air Bomber:
DATE - TARGET - DURATION - REMARKS
11.8.44 - Somain - 4.35
15.8.44 - Eindhoven - 4.00 - Damaged by flak.
17.8.44 - Sterkrade - 3.55 - P.O. Engine on fire at Dutch coast. Turn back.
24.8.44 - Brest - 4.55 - Made 2 bombing runss owing to cloud,- Predicted flak. Severe damage.
31,8.44 - Lumbres - 3.45 - Orbitted target for five minutes.
3.9.44 - Venlo - 5.05
10.9.44 - Alvis I Le Havre - 3.55
13.9.44 - Munster - 4.25
7.10.44 - Cleves - 4.35
14.10.44 - Duisburg - 5.20
14.10.44 - Duisburg - 5.00 - Sighted Me.109. No attack.
31.10.44 - Cologne - 5.55
2.11.44 - Dusseldorf - 5.15 - Sighted many fighters. No attack.
6.11.44 - Gelsenkirchen - 4.35 - Flak damage.
Date ? - Silverthorn VI - 6.15 - Gardening.
18.44.44 - Munster - 5.05
29.11.44 - Essen - 6.20
30.11.44 - Duisburg - 5.10
5.12.44 - Soest - 6.10
17.12.44 - Duisburg - 5.55 - Encountered electrical storm.
24.12.44 - Mulheim - 4.55
26.12.44 - St. Vith - 5,25 - Fuselage bomb-load hung up. All released manually in seven runs on target.
28.12.44 - Munchen- Gladbach - 5.05
30.12.44 - Cologne -Kalk - 6.25
1.1.45 - Dortmund - 4.55 - Bombed on Gee. FW.190 sighted. No attack.
5.1.45 - Hanover - 4.55 - Attacked by Ju.88. Successfully evaded.
6.1.45 - Hanau - 6.50 - Bombed on Y. Landed on 3 engines.
13.1.45 - Saarbruecken - 6.55
14.1.45 - Dulmen - 6.15
16.1.45 - Magdeburg - 6.25 - Sighted Me.109. No attack.
22.1.45 - Gelsenkirchen - 5.30
TOTAL SORTIES: 30 - TOTAL HOURS: 164