Orders, Decorations and Medals

A fine Second World War D.F.M. group of four awarded to Flight Sergeant M. E. Foreman, Royal Air Force, a Wireless Operator who flew several sorties to the “Big City” at the height of the Bomber Command’s offensive over the winter of 1943-44, in addition to participating in the Hamburg “firestorm” raids and in the famous strike against Peenemunde in August 1943

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1312653 F./Sgt. M. E. Foreman, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine and better (4) £1800-2200

D.F.M. London Gazette 11 February 1944. The original recommendation states:

‘Flight Sergeant Foreman is a Wireless Operator / Air Gunner and has now taken part in 26 bombing sorties against the enemy. These have included targets at Mannheim, Hanover, Hamburg, Dusseldorf and Berlin. The success of these operations is due in no small measure to Flight Sergeant Foreman’s exceptional technical skill and he has shown himself to be an indispensible member of a very gallant crew. Such skill is only surpassed by his unyielding courage and fearlessness of the highest order. A fitting recognition of this N.C.O’s valuable services would be the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.’

Maurice Eric Foreman commenced his operational career with No. 12 Squadron, a Lancaster unit based at Wickenby, Lincolnshire, in June 1943, when he flew a sortie against Oberhausen on the night of the 14th, his aircraft on this occasion piloted by Wing Commander R. S. Wood - but thereafter by Pilot Officer D. G. Lighton. A “Gardening” trip followed shortly afterwards, so too sorties to Wuppertal, Gelsenkirchen and Cologne.

July witnessed No. 12 Squadron supporting the offensive against Hamburg, Foreman participating in the “firestorm” raids of the 24th and 29th, in addition to a return trip on the 2 August. Mannheim, Milan and Leverkausen quickly followed, but his most memorable outing in the latter month was undoubtedly the famous strike against the secret rocket installation at Peenemunde on the 17th, when he flew in Lancaster LM 301 “O” - as one member of his crew, the Flight Engineer, Sergeant F. Wadsworth, later observed, ‘Even today, when I see a cloudless sky with a full moon, I think about that night we went to Peenemunde’ (Martin Middlebrook’s Peenemunde Raid refers). While Foreman’s skipper, the newly promoted Flying Officer Lighton, reported, ‘Good concentrated attack right on target - returned with feeling of having done an excellent job.’

Returning to more regular targets in September, No. 12 made a brace of attacks on both Hanover and Mannheim, in addition to strikes against Bochum and Berlin, Foreman occupying the Mid-Upper Gunner’s seat for one of the former trips - of the attack on Bochum, Lighton concluded, ‘Excellent trip - Hun’s half-day off’. October witnessed Foreman completing his third sortie to Hanover, and a strike against Hagen, while in November, after raids on Dusseldorf and Modane, he flew his first “Battle of Berlin” period sortie to the “Big CIty” - ‘Due to 10/10 cloud in target area, very lucky if we hit Berlin’.

A week or two later, Foreman was recommended for his D.F.M., but he still had to complete another four sorties to bring his tour of operations to a close, all of them of the heavily defended kind: namely his fourth visit to Mannheim and three further sorties to Berlin, these last in an offensive in which Bomber Command lost nearly 500 aircraft. He survived and was “posted-out” in January 1944 to less hazardous employment.