Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Second World War D.F.M. group of six awarded to Flight Sergeant Charles Birtwistle, No. 166 (Huddersfield’s Own) Squadron, Royal Air Force

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (659141 F/Sgt. C. Birtwistle, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp France and Germany; Defence and War Medals; Efficiency Medal, Territorial, G.VI.R., 2nd issue (659141 Cpl., R.A.F.) mounted as worn, very fine (6) £450-550

D.F.M. London Gazette 11 November 1944. The following recommendation is taken from Air Ministry records: ‘This N.C.O. has now completed 30 sorties as navigator over many heavily defended targets in Germany and enemy occupied territory. He has great qualities of resource and coolness in the face of personal danger, an example of which was shown on the night of 27th/28th May, 1944, when attacked by an enemy fighter. The attack caused severe damage to the aircraft, shot away the rudder controls, rendering the hydraulic system unserviceable and setting the aircraft on fire to the rear of the mid-upper turret. The Mid-upper gunner and Wireless Operator tackled the fire, but as the fire was brought under control, they both became unconscious from lack of oxygen and acrid fumes in the fuselage. Flight Sergeant Birtwistle went to the aid of the Wireless Operator reviving him, who in turn revived the mid-upper gunner. He then went back to his position and gave the captain course for an airfield where an emergency landing could be made. Fire broke out on two separate occasions; each time the navigator went to assist the rest of the crew and finally quelled the outbreak. The inter-communication system was unserviceable and the messages had to be passed down the aircraft by other members of the crew. So accurately was the course of the aircraft given, that an emergency landing at the airfield was made without loss of way.’