Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Sergeant

Unit:

No. 9 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

August 15th, 1941

"Sergeants Saich and Smitten were captain and navigator of an aircraft engaged in an attack on a target at Bremen one night in July. When over Bremen the aircraft was. . caught and held by a large concentration of searchlights and immediately subjected to most intense and accurate fire from the ground defences. One shell burst wounded the rear gunner and cut the hydraulic controls of the turret, and a second set fire to the fabric of the fuselage. In a few seconds the fire spread backwards to the tail fin. Sergeant Smitten endeavoured to reach the rear gunner but being driven back by the fire he attacked it with an extinguisher and successfully subdued it. He then succeeded, with difficulty, in releasing the injured rear gunner who was trapped in his damaged turret. During this time another shell splinter ignited the forced landing flares in the port mainplane but these burnt through and fell away from the aircraft. Despite all these hazards, Sergeant Saich successfully extricated his aircraft from this area and set course for home. In spite of the damage sustained he succeeded, with the skilful navigation of Sergeant Smitten, in reaching the shores of this country where he made a forced landing without further injury to the crew. Both airmen displayed great courage, coolness and determination."


Simultaneously awarded to Smitten