Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The scarce and remarkable Second War 1945 ‘Mitchell Air Gunner’s’ C.G.M. group of five awarded to Flight Sergeant J. M. Hall, 180 Squadron, Royal Air Force, who flew in at least 73 operational sorties, including his epic return flight from the Bocholt Marshalling Yards, 21 March 1945. On the latter date a flak shell tore open the Mitchell’s cockpit, incapacitating the pilot, and severely damaging the aircraft. Having stemmed the flow of blood emanating from his pilot, and removed him to the 2nd Pilot’s seat, Hall took over the controls of the damaged aircraft. Despite failing pilot training some 18 months before, Hall now got his chance under the most testing of circumstances - ‘looking at the instrument panel, Hall found he had no airspeed indicator, no rev counter, and no boost gauges working, and the port engine was still giving concern. To add to his problems, the hydraulics were found to be damaged and the bomb doors were hanging down.’ Overcoming all the odds Hall identified a tiny fighter strip, and with verbal instruction from his grievously wounded pilot, managed to ease the bomber down over the runway at 50 feet effecting the perfect crash landing

Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying), G.VI.R. (605494 F/Sgt J. M. Hall. R.A.F.) minor official correction to rank; 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, the campaign medals privately engraved ‘605494 F/Sgt. James M. Hall C.G.M. R.A.F.’, minor edge bruising, therefore very fine (5) £12000-15000

Provenance: Buckland Dix Wood, December 1994.

C.G.M. London Gazette 27 April 1945, in joint citation with Pilot Officer Dick Perkins:

‘This officer and airman were pilot and air gunner respectively in an aircraft detailed to attack the railway yards at Bocholt in March, 1945. During the bombing run the aircraft was hit by fire from the ground defences. Pilot Officer Perkins was severely wounded. His right thigh was smashed; he also sustained injuries to his back. His suffering became intense. Nevertheless this brave pilot, tended by Flight Sergeant Hall who stood at his side, flew the aircraft to an allied airfield. As the airfield was reached Pilot Officer Perkins was in great distress. Although the aircraft had sustained serious damage it was decided to attempt a landing. Flight Sergeant Hall assisted to remove his wounded comrade into the second pilot’s seat and then himself took over the controls in an effort to bring the aircraft down. During the descent, Pilot Officer Perkins, injured as he was, advised and directed his resolute air gunner in the control of the aircraft so well that a successful crash-landing was affected. Pilot Officer Perkins displayed outstanding fortitude, great courage and unbeatable determination in the face of extreme suffering. Flight Sergeant Hall also proved himself to be a valiant crew member. His coolness and resource set a fine example.’

The following extract taken from In Action With The Enemy adds additional detail to the remarkable actions of above:

‘James Mansfield Hall came from Jamaica, where his father was the Assistant Director of Medical Services. He had completed seventy-two operations with 180 Squadron, as an air gunner in their Mitchell bombers, when he was detailed to fly a mission to bomb the marshalling yards at Bocholt, on 21st March, 1945. They took off at 9.15 that morning, in Mitchell HD386, from their Belgian base at Melsbroek, so their target was only 120 miles distant to the north-east. The pilot was Pilot Officer Dick Perkins.

The Allied armies were massing for the Rhine crossing but were still relying on the men of the R.A.F. and U.S.A.A.F. to pave the way and ensure the enemy’s lines of supply were disrupted so as to enable the crossing to be made with the minimum of casualties.

On arriving at the target they found the flak defences quite severe and the raiding force had a tough time. One aircraft was seen to suffer a direct hit whilst accurately dropping its bombs, and exploded, whilst another Mitchell was seen with its port engine on fire and a large hole torn in its fuselage. Yet another B25 was hit and damaged, its wireless operator having one leg almost shot away. The pilot had to make an emergency landing.

Meanwhile, Perkins was taking his Mitchell into the bomb run. On and on they flew, flak exploding about them and Jim Hall began to wonder if their bombs were ever going to drop. Only moments before he’d seen the exploding Mitchell cartwheel down. Then the gun turret was hit. Hall lost consciousness and when he came to a few seconds later, the Mitchell was in a dive. He was choking with smoke that swirled about him and quickly extricated himself from the turret. As he did so he heard someone calling the pilot.

When the flak hit them, they had just released their bombs, and Perkins had felt a heavy blow, and his right leg was knocked off the rudder pedal, just as the Mitchell began to dive. He fought to regain level flight but the controls felt like lead. He tried with his feet to get more leverage but found his right leg useless. There was a jagged hole in the cockpit where the flak shell had burst. One shell fragment had smashed through his right thigh and also entered his left leg, coming out the other side.

The first man to reach him was Jim Hall. Jim looked down and saw the blood pumping out of Perkins’ leg at an alarming rate. As the Mitchell had dual control, Hall clambered into the right hand seat and grabbed the control column. It had been eighteen months since he had last flown, apart from a few minutes’ dual that Perkins had given him. However, Hall found the control column was useless, and it just flapped about in his hands. Their only chance was to get Perkins out of the pilot seat. Hall and the navigator, Pilot Officer Robinson, managed to do this, and Hall sat down and took over the controls. The other gunner, Flying Officer Butler, tended to the wounded pilot, applying a tourniquet to his leg and giving him a shot of morphine.

The port engine was now giving problems and the intercom was dead, so on the VHF set, Hall sent out a ‘Mayday’ call but then that radio too became u/s. At that moment Hall saw an airstrip ahead, but it looked terribly small and made out of steel planking. It was British but obviously just a fighter strip as he could then see Spitfires dispersed on the ground.

Perkins began to talk Hall down. Looking at the instrument panel, Hall found he had no airspeed indicator, no rev counter, and no boost gauges working, and the port engine was still giving concern. To add to his problems, the hydraulics were found to be damaged and the bomb doors were hanging down. His main concern was losing vital flying speed as he came in, and stalling. They fired off two distress flares, and flak helmets were put on Hall and the wounded Perkins.

Hall eased the Mitchell down gently, coming over the runway at 50 feet, then they struck the ground. Metal screeched on metal, tearing off the bomb doors. They bounced to 60 feet or so; Perkins shouted to him to turn off all the switches. Hall did so, avoiding the possibility of fire. Then the Mitchell was on its belly, finally sliding to a halt. No one was hurt in the crash landing and all were safe. Perkins’ injuries kept him in hospital for the next two years but he survived, although he was left with a limp. On the following day, Hall was recommended for the C.G.M. and Perkins the D.S.O., both awards being announced in the following month.’