B-52 Mitchell

Search Awards

 
Search within:
Search Type:
WOODLEY, William Frederick George Pilot Officer, No.426 Squadron, RAF 158416 Distinguished Flying Cross Commonwealth Air Forces WWII
Description (click to view)
WOODLEY, P/O William Frederick George (RAF 158416) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.426 Squadron - awarded as per London Gazette dated 15 February 1944. Born 1919 in Oxford; home there; educated at Elementary School, Cowley and St.John\'s School, Oxford. Commissioned from the ranks, 1943. Bomb Aimer in F/O R/F. Epps\' crew. Air Ministry Bulletin 12905/AL.748 refers. No published citation other than \"completed many successful operations against the enemy in which he has displayed high skill, fortitude and devotion to duty.\" DHist file 181.009 D.2624 (RG.24 Volume 20628) has recommendation dated 20 December 1943 when he had flown 23 ? sorties (137 hours 55 minutes), 16 February to 26 November 1943. Pilot Officer Woodley has participated in 23 operational sorties, the majority of which were against heavily defended targets in Germany including three of the recent devastating raids on Berlin. Throughout these operations he has at all times displayed a high degree of courage, skill and initiative and has contributed in no small measure to the repeated successes of his crew. I strongly recommend that this officer be awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The sortie list was as follows: 16 February 1943 - Lorient (6.50) 18 February 1943 - Gardening (3.55) 20 February 1943 - Gardening (4.40) 24 February 1943 - Wilhelmshaven (5.00) 26 February 1943 - Cologne (6.15) 28 February 1943 - St. Nazaire (6.35) 3 March 1943 - Hamburg (6.15) 9 March 1943 - Gardening (2.10) 4 April 1943 - Kiel (6.15) 11 April 1943 - Gardening (3.40) 16 April 1943 - Mannheim (5.05) 27 April 1943 - Gardening (7.15) 12 May 1943 - Duisburg (4.55) 13 May 1943 - Bochum (5.50) 16 May 1943 - Gardening (3.05) 23 May 1943 - Air-Sea Rescue (8.05, counted as one-half sortie) 25 May 1943 - Dusseldorf (4.55) 3 June 1943 - Gardening (6.00) 17 August 1943 - Peenemunde (7.20) 22 August 1943 - Leverkusen (4.55) 27 August 1943 - Nuremberg (7.30) 30 August 1943 - Munchen-Gladbach (4.40) 31 August 1943 - Berlin (6.50) 22 November 1943 - Berlin (7.05) 26 November 1943 - Berlin (7.35)