http://medals.nzdf.mil.nz/category/i/img/i3.jpg

Instituted in 1886 for 

“Acts of gallantry by military officers for which a 
Victoria Cross was not considered appropriate”. 

During 1914 to 1916 some were awarded in conditions 
that could not be considered under fire.

Many were awarded to Squadron Commanders for a long 
period of leadership, but in some cases, it was awarded to 
a Junior Officer for one operation.

Prior to 1943, the award could only be awarded to someone 
who had been Mentioned in Dispatches”.


In 1942 the regulations were amended to allow the award 
to be made to officers of the Merchant Navy for gallantry 
in the presence of the enemy.

Total issued up to 1983  
1291 plus 113 First Bars and 18 Second Bars

Over 300 DSO’s were awarded to New Zealanders 
during both World Wars.

Description
 
The Cross is of gold, enamelled white, with gold edges.

Having on one side, in the centre, 
within a wreath of Laurel enamelled green,
The Imperial Crown in Gold.

On the Reverse, within a similar wreath, 
and upon a similar ground, 
The Royal Cypher.

It hangs from its ribbon by a gold clasp 
ornamented with Laurel.

While a similar clasp is worn at the top 
of the ribbon.

The ribbon is 32mm wide 

Membership is only open to commissioned officers 
or their equivalents


F/L,		T W Allen,  NZ413007    
DSO, DFC

11th March 1922 to 11 April 2010

Joined RNZAF in May 1941, 
Trained at Levin on 25th May 1941
Whenuapai on 3 July 1941 and
Ohakea on 16th August 1941
Was posted to No 14 Operational Training Unit 
on 16th February 1942
Posted to Pilots Advanced Flying Unit on 
13th April 1942
Posted to No 14 Operational Training Unit
on 19 May 1942
Posted to No 142 Squadron on 28th August 1942
Posted to No 42 Squadron on 17th March 1943
Posted to No 2 BPD on 3rd August 1943
Posted to HQ No 41 Group 26th September 1943
Posted to No 11 Operational Training Unit 
Posted to NTU at Warboys on 28th June 1944
Posted to No 1665 Mosquito Training Unit on 
3rd July 1944
Posted to No 192 Squadron 1st August 1944 
flying Mosquitos
Posted to No 105 Operational Training Unit 
on 1st Feb 1945

DFC on 21st May 1943 on No 142 Squadron
Flying Wellingtons.
This Officer has participated in 28 operations 
and has displayed a high standard of efficiency
 and fine fighting qualities.
His determination to press home attacks from a 
low level, in the face of heavy fire from the 
ground has been most praiseworthy

F/L	DSO on 23 March 1945 on No 192 Mosquito 
Squadron, Allen is on his third tour of operations.
Since being awarded the DFC he has taken 
part in many operations and has never failed 
to complete his mission.
His sorties have included both Day and Night 
attacks against heavily defended targets in 
Germany, Italy and the Middle East. 
 


[Some 
Info](http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-2RAF-c14.html)
[Some Info](http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C120702)

[Info](https://natlib.govt.nz/records/30730116?search%5Bi%5D%5Bsubject%5D=Royal+New+Zealand+Air+Force+%28RNZAF%29&search%5Bil%5D%5Bsubject%5D=Pilots&search%5Bpath%5D=items)



F/O,  	A Ashworth, NZ 436099 
	DSO, DFC, & Bar, AFC & Bar

3 May 1920 to 

Applied to join the RAF in 1939, but due to the 
outbreak of war he was told to join the RNZAF.
Joined in September 1939, did his ground training 
at Rongotai, and initial flight training at Tairei 
in December 1939.
Finished training at Wigram in March 1940, 
having flown Tiger moths, Vilderbeasts, and 
Gordons.
Sent to England, arriving in June 1940 and 
posted to Uxbridge and Kemble where he 
flew Ansons.
Promoted to P/O and posted to 75[NZ] Squadron 
at Feltwell, flying Wellingtons on 25 January 1941, 
where he did 10 more trips flying as second Pilot, 
including an operation on Berlin.
On 8th May he took his first ‘Captain’ trip to 
Hamburg, despite never having landed at night.
The target was the Submarine Shipbuilding 
Yards, and following the release of his bombs 
his aircraft was caught in the searchlights.
He was promoted to F/O on 8th June 1941.
On the 12th June, he was posted to No 38 Squadron, 
first at Malta then at Egypt.
On 18th June the target was the “Scharnhorst” 
at Brest, the ship was not where they had been 
briefed to find it but they attacked another ship 
in the harbour, for this he was awarded the DFC.
Posted to 216 Squadron until 25 April 1942 and 
based at El Khanka, in the Nile Delta. 
Mostly flying DH 86 Expresses on casualty evacuation,  
Later to act as the personal pilot to an US General 
who was in charge of “double tracking” the railway 
line from Basra to Teheran.
He also became second pilot and later Captain of 
Bristol Bombays before being posted back to England 
and took part in the first of the 1,000 bomber raids 
on Cologne.
During his period in West Africa, he contracted Malaria, 
from which he suffered for the rest of his life.
He was posted back to 75 [NZ] Squadron in late 
May 1942, and promoted to F/L on 8th June 1942.
An attack on Hamburg on 28th June 1942 was 
successful and without much support from other 
aircraft he crossed the city 3 times taking photographs,
He was congratulated by the Air Officer No 3 
Group for these photos. 
Promoted to Acting S/L on 27th July.
At this point he had flown 338 hours on operations.
Posted to Pathfinders HQ in August 1942 his 
65th sortie was to Saarbrucken, Germany, with a 
new crew, the bomb load was 12 x 3” flares to 
illuminate the target for the other bombers and 
6 x 250 lb bombs.
The first sign of trouble was a smell of burning, 
no smoke at the pilot's position, while they were 
flying over the target area trying to find 
the target through the haze on the ground.
The Wireless Operator called through the 
intercom that there were sparks coming through 
the floor.
As this could have been an electrical short or 
something else they did another 5 minutes 
searching for the target.
The W/O then came through on the intercom 
again saying there were more sparks coming 
through the floor and he was standing by with 
the fire extinguisher.
Ashworth realized that it was one of the 
flares in the bomb bay, so he ordered the 
Bomb Aimer to release them.
Suddenly there was a blinding light all around 
the aircraft and what appeared to be flames 
underneath the aircraft.
Knowing that Wellingtons don’t fly for long 
when they are on fire, he ordered the crew 
to bale out.
He felt the tail gunner go due to the turret turning 
into the slipstream.
The rest of the crew seemed to be taking a long 
time despite being sworn at.
At last, they were all gone, so he went to grab 
his parachute from its stowage just forward and to 
the Starboard of the Pilots position and found it 
was gone.
He checked the other stowage positions to find 
that all the parachutes had disappeared.
Returning to the cockpit he thought of trying 
to reach the ground before the aircraft broke up.
He did the classic action to be taken in case 
of fire in the air,
“throttle back and side slip from side to side”.
When he reached about 800 feet the fire suddenly 
went out. [the burning bit of the flare finally 
broke free].
Finding that the control of the aircraft was satisfactory 
he climbed to 5,000 feet and went back to the 
Navigators position to see what he could find,
There he found a map but very little else, so he 
drew a line from roughly where he was to his 
home base to give him a bearing to fly along.
As he hit the French Coast there was flak and 
searchlights that were recognizable as being at 
Dieppe from the angle of the coast.
As he crossed the coast he turned the IFF to 
Distress, as he saw the English coast both engines 
died through lack of fuel, so he raced 
back to turn on the Nacelle tanks.
Fortunately, the searchlights led him to West 
Malling in Kent where he landed and was directed to a 
parking spot on the edge of the airfield,
Then he found that the engines would not stop, so 
he left them running and exited through the 
bomb bay.
He saw a parachute caught in one of the bomb racks, 
and there was a round object at the end of it, that 
turned out to be part of the broken flare.
Early in 1943, he was posted to No 1 [Islands] 
Group RNZAF and served on the Air Staff on 
Espiritu Santo and Guadalcanal.
When he was posted back to NZ he requested the 
opportunity to train as a fighter pilot, becoming 
one of the few to have flown bombers and fighters.
He was operational in the Pacific until 29th October 
1944, when he was recalled to Europe and Lancasters 
on the 635 Pathfinders Squadron.
Given a Permanent Commission of F/L on 1st September 
1945 he served as an Instructor at the Middle East 
Training School at Amman. 
He continued his carer, rising to the rank of W/C 
on 1 July 1956.
He was forced to retire on 31st August 1967 due 
to increasing blindness.
His wartime service was 110 sorties which involved 
nearly 500 hours of Operations 

F/O, 	DFC for actions on 18th June 1941
A S/L, 	Bar to DFC for actions in September 1941
A S/L, 	DSO for actions 31st July 1942
S/L, 	AFC on 5th June 1952 for service at 
Farnborough
Bar to AFC on 31st May 1956 for his work on 
139 [Jamaica] Squadron


[Info](http://arthur.corranashworth.info/)
  
 	
 	
A W/C,	D R Bagnal,  NZ40790               
     	DSO, DFC, DFC [US]

23 September 1918 to 3 January 2001

Joined the RAF in 1937 
In May 1938 he was posted to 216 Squadron flying 
Vickers Valentia biplanes at Heliopolis. Egypt.
After the outbreak of the war, the Squadron was 
re-equipped with Bristol Bombay’s, bringing bombing 
into the transport role he had been flying.
Bombing from a Bombay could be somewhat 
unorthodox.
During General Wavell’s desert campaign in the 
New Year of 1941, Bagnall lobbed grenades on 
Sidi Barrani from the windows of the cockpit.
During the Greek/Crete campaigns his aircraft 
was shot up while on the ground at Heraklion 
Airfield, while under fire he managed to get 
some valuable supplies form the aircraft 
before it burnt.
In August 1941 he was posted to 108 Squadron 
Flying Wellingtons at Fayid, in the Canal Zone.
Promoted to S/L and command of the Squadron 
in February 1942, for the next three months he 
was employed, with a large detachment from the 
Squadron in support of the troops and armour.
In June 1942 he was rested in a combined service 
course in the Haifa Staff College at Palestine.
In November he was posted to a Staff Post in 
HQ Cairo. 
In March 1943 he was promoted to W/C [at 24] 
and posted to take over No 40 Squadron from a 
fellow NZer W/C Norton.
For the next 12 months, the Squadron became part 
of the US 15th Air Force in General Carl Spaatz’s 
North West African Air Force.
They supported the final Tunisian battles and the 
Sicilian and Italian landings.
Shortly before D-Day, he was posted to help planning 
at HQ Allied Expeditionary Forces.
After the war he remained in the RAF, reverting 
to F/L.
Posted to Singapore as an Intelligence Officer, 
returning to England in 1953 to assist planning the 
Coronation Review.
In 1954 he served with the USAAF 20th Fighter 
Bomber Wing, 
Resumed staff duties until he retired in 1965.
Over his career, he flew 70 operations, and 56 types 
of aircraft, including most of the Jets of his era 

DFC
S/L	DSO, immediate award, attacking the marshalling 
yards at Battipaglia in 1943   
DFC[US] in 1943

[info](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1312909/Wing-Commander-Douglas-Bagnall.html)



W/C, 	C H Baigent,  NZ 411973         
DSO, DFC & Bar, AFC,

He enlisted in March 1941, aged 17,

Was posted to 15Squadron where he did his
first 32 operations.  
Posted to 115 Squadron for another 33 operations 
in 1943.
He was promoted to S/L in November 1943
Took over as CO of 75 [NZ] Squadron after the loss of
W/C Ray Newton on the 1st January 1945
He was still 10 days short of his 22nd birthday, the 
youngest Squadron Commander in the RAF.
He continued to fly operations with new crews and 
had completed 70 by the end of the war.
Rejoined the RNZAF for the DH Mosquito ferry 
Flights from the UK to NZ.
Took command of 75 Squadron RNZAF in 1947 to 49

F/L		DFC for 32 operations with 15 Squadron
F/L		Bar to DFC for 33 operations with 115 Squadron
W/C	DSO, for his leadership prior to and including 
75 [NZ] Squadron
AFC 1 January 1948 for leading the Mosquito 
ferry flights 
Up to 1572 hours total flying with 279 hours 
in the last 6 months

[Info](https://75nzsquadron.wordpress.com/c-h-baigent-crew-13-01-45/)



A F/L, 	J F Barron,                   	 
     	DSO & Bar DFC, DFM,

9 January 1921 to 20 May 1944

Enlisted in June 1940, went through training with 
Jimmy Ward VC, at Taieri and Wigram.
Posted to 15 Squadron flying Short Stirlings.
Promoted to F/S and P/O and completed 42 
operations before being posted to 1651 
Conversion Unit.
He preferred operational flying, so he joined 
No 7 Squadron, a founding Pathfinder Unit.
He flew 16 operations with this Squadron, 
being promoted to F/L, and, in December 
1942 his Pathfinder Badge.
Posted to No 11 Operational Training Unit 
in May 1943 and promoted to S/L.
Rejoined No 7 Squadron again, now flying 
Lancasters, in December 1943, and continued 
to fly, including the raid on 19th February 1944 
with the target being Leipzig, the RAF 
lost 78 bombers on this one raid.    
Promoted to W/C in February 1944.
On 19 May 1944, while acting as Master Bomber 
on an attack on the railway yards at Le Mans, 
[his 79th operation] two of the Squadrons aircraft 
are thought to have had a mid-air and both crashed. 
 
P/O, 	DFM on May 42, after 42 Ops
15 Squadron
P/O, 	DFC on Feb 43, after a tour in Pathfinders 
No 7 Squadron
F/L, 	DSO on Mar 43, for exceptional Gallantry 
and Devotion to duty 
W/C, 	Bar to DSO  immediate award on 16 June 44, 
acting as Master Bomber over Nantes 

One of four NZ to win a Bar to the DSO
  
[Info](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraser_Barron)



W/C,	D M Brass   40337                
DSO, MID,

1st December 1916

Joined RAF in 1937
Served on the Atlantic Ferry in 1941
Instructor at No 3 School of General Reconnaissance
In 1941 to 1942
CO No 612 Squadron from January 1944 to February 1945
flying specially adapted GR Wellingtons
Chief Instructor at No 3 School of General Reconnaissance in 1945 

W/C	DSO on 20 March 1945 on 612 Squadron
MID on 1 January 1946 

[Some Info](http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-1RAF-c10.html)



W/C, 	R E Bary                  
DSO, DFC 

9 June 1915 to 12 April 1945

Joined the RAF 9th June 1939,
Promoted to P/O 3rd September 1939
Flew Hurricanes in UK, and Crete as well as the Western 
Desert, had been promoted to S/L
Posted to the Middle East to take command of No 80 
[Tomahawk]Squadron.  
Wing Leader No 239 Wing 1943 to 44
Wing Leader No244 Wing 1944 to 45
Killed in Action on 12 April 1945

6 destroyed 


[Some Info](.http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-3RAF-c3.html)
[Some Info](https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1939/1939-1-%20-%201513.PDF)



A W/C,	M V Blake,           
       DSO                                           
13 February 1913 to 30 November 1981

Joined RAF November 1936
On 8th September 1939, he was approaching Croydon to land
when, realizing that he was going to overshoot, he opened the 
throttle to go around again, but the engine stopped.
At 300 feet he slowed to stalling speed, hit the chimney of a 
Nurses home and flipped onto his back into the foundations 
of the new Purley Hospital.
The cause was found to be hay in the intake, the result of 
parking the aeroplanes in the open.
He escaped with a cut head. 
Took command while the CO of 238 Squadron was 
hospitalized after being shot down on 8th August 1940
21st August 1940 he destroyed a Ju 88 and
Shared a Do 17 on the 27th August,
Destroyed a Ju 88 on 11th September and
a He 111 on 15th September
Relinquished his command when S/L Fenton returned
on 13th September 1940.
CO 254 Squadron from 21st September 1940.
Shared a Do 215 on 24h November and 
Destroyed two Do 17 when escorting the damaged 
Destroyer HMS Javelin into the harbour on 29th 
November 1940 
Shared a Me 110 on 11th March 1941, and 
Destroyed a Ju 88 on 8th May and  
Destroyed a Me 109 on the 12th May 1941.
On 10th July while escorting Blenheims to attack shipping
at Cherbourg, he shot down two Me 1009’s and probably 
a third when he was hit and was forced to ditch into the 
sea seven miles from the French Coast.
In twelve hours, with a favourable wind, he had paddled 
his dingy to within two miles of the Isle of Wright when 
he was picked up.
In July 1941 he was appointed Wing Leader of the Polish 
Wing at Exeter, in September he was posted as Wing Leader 
at Portsmouth.
Over Dieppe, on 19th August 1942, he destroyed a Fw 190 
but was then shot down himself and landed in the sea.
After paddling all day and the following night he was picked 
up by a German Launch when five miles from Dover.


DFC 20th December 1940
DSO 27th July 1942

[Info](http://bbm.org.uk/airmen/BlakeMV.htm)


S/L,   	P R Caldwell, Navigator 
      	DSO, DFM,


S/L,		J M  Checketts,     
    	
CO 485 [NZ] Squadron
DFC,
DSO on 3rd December 1943


A G/C, A E Clouston,            	 
     	DSO, DFC, AFC, & Bar,  
 
7th April 1908 to 1st January 1984

Joined the RAF in October 1930, and was posted to 
No 25 Squadron, flying Hawker Fury, biplane Fighters, 
and was one of the nine display pilots who did formation 
aerobatics and loops at the April 1934 display at Henson.
In 1935 at the end of his ‘short-term commission’ he 
became a test pilot at RAE Farnborough.
He took an interest in civil aviation and race flying.
In 1937, with Betty Kirby-Green they broke the Croydon 
Aerodrome to Cape town record in 45 hours and 2 minutes.
The return also broke several records and was completed in 
57 hours and 23 minutes. This was flown in a DH Comet.
They covered 14,690 miles in less than 6 days.
On 15th March 1938 with Victor Ricketts in the DH Comet, 
they set off to break the "England to Australia" record set by 
C W A Scott and T C Black in the same aircraft in 1934. 
They flew to Cairo, Basra, Allahabad, Penang, Singapore, Darwin
But were unsuccessful in their attempt, so they continued 
on to Sydney without being aware of the London to Sydney 
Record, which they broke, arriving on the 19th March.
The next day they flew to Omaka, Blenheim, NZ and 
set further records.  
They returned to England, arriving on 26th March 
having set 11 records in a round trip of 26,000 miles.
He re-enlisted on 1 October 1939 and continued as 
a test pilot ranked as a F/L.
At this time it was forbidden to arm the weapons of 
the high-speed fighters they were testing, so he chased 
the Germans without harming them.
Later this was later rescinded, and he claimed a 
He 111 and a Bf 110 on the same flight, in a Spitfire.
On 12 May 1941, he was posted as CO 1422 Flight of 
the RAF at Heston.
Promoted to S/L in June 1941, and oversaw the testing 
of the Turbilite searchlight in Havoc Night Fighters, 
and the Leigh Light in Wellington bombers on 
Anti-submarine patrols.
In March 1943 he was promoted to W/C and 
command of No 224 Squadron, operating B24 Liberators 
over the Bay of Biscay.  
In May 1945 he was promoted to G/C and posted 
as CO of ALG B151 that was being developed into 
HQ of British Air Forces of Occupation and named 
RAF Buckeburg. 
In April he was given a permanent commission at 
the reduced rank of S/L.
He was offered the job of Director General of 
Civilian Aviation in NZ.
Instead of releasing him the RAF promoted him 
to G/C and he was given a two year posting as 
CO RNZAF Ohakea, who were 
starting to operate DH Mosquitos.
In February 1850 he was posted as CO RAF Leeming
 and in July 1953 as CO Empire Test Pilot School 
at Farnborough.
In October 1953 he was posted as Senior Air Staff 
Officer at No 19 Group RAF Coastal Command
In July 1954 he was promoted to Air Commodore 
and posted as Air Officer Commanding, Singapore.
His final posting was Commandant of the Aeroplane 
and Armament Experimental Establishment at 
Boscombe Downs.
He retired on 1 January 1984 
 
AFC on 1 Jan 1938
DFC on 1 Oct 1943 for operations on 224 Squadron
DSO on 14 Apr 1944 For Operations on 224 Squadron   
CB on 1 Jan 1957
[Info](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.E._Clouston)




A S/L, W G Cochrane,              
    	DSO, DFC,

10 October 1916 to 29 October 1994

Enlisted in the RNZAF in September 1940.
Flew 33 operations with 156 Squadron, flying 
Wellington Bombers.
He spent the next 18 months in Operational Training Units 
teaching others how to fly multi-engined aircraft.
He was posted to 156 Squadron flying Lancasters in June 
1944 and completed 55 operations over the next 11 months, 
often acting as Master Bomber, who directed the other aircraft 
as he circled the target.
He completed the war being one of four NZ born airmen who 
won two bars to the DFC, He had completed 88 Operations 
After the war, he joined BOAC that later became British Airways,
 flying Yorks, Hermes, Stratocruisers, Comets and Boeing 707’s
He retired after 25 years of service

AFC in January 1938 for Test Pilot work
Bar to AFC
W/C	DFC in August 1942 on completion of his first tour
DSO in late 1944 on completion of his second tour


[Info](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.E._Clouston)



W/C, 	W V Crawford-Crompton	        	
    	DSO, DFC, & Bar, US Silver Star 
 
2nd March 1915 to 2nd January 1988

Joined the RNZAF in 1939 as a Sergeant Pilot 
Posted to No 603 Squadron, and was Commissioned 
as Pilot Officer 23 April 1941.
Posted to 485 [NZ] Squadron in May 1941, and he was 
injured in April 1942.
Posted as Flight Commander to 611 Squadron in Aug 1942
Promoted to S/L and posted as CO to 64 Squadron in 
December 1942.
Posted to Air Staff at HQ No 11 Group in March 1943
Promoted to W/C, Wing Leader of Hornchurch Wing on
30th July 1943.
He was sent on a Lecture Tour of the USA in October 1943.
He returned and was posted as Wing Leader No 145 [French] 
Wing.
Posted to Plans HQ No 11 Group on 2nd January 1945
And fitted in a Staff College Course at No 15 Staff College 
in Hafia from 9th Aug 1945 to 9 February 1946.
Posted to Air Staff, HQ RAF Mediterranean and Middle East
Appointed a permanent Commission as S/L on 10th December 1946
Promoted to W/C on 1 July 1947
On 2nd March 1950, he was Air Attache in Oslo
Posted to CO RAF Bruggen in May 1953
Promoted to G/C on 1 January 1955 and was posted as
OC No 215 Wing at RAF Gamil
Promoted to Acting Air Commodore on 28 Jul 1959 and
posted as Senior Air Staff Officer at HQ No 11 Group
And was made substantive A C on 1 Jul 1960.
During 1961 he attended the Imperial Defence College
Posted as Air Operations at HQ Near East Air Force on 
28th April 1962.
Promoted to Air Vice Marshall and posted as Senior Air 
Staff Officer, at HQ Near East Air Force/Chief of Staff, 
HQ British Forces [Cyprus]
Posted as Air Officer Commanding No 22 Training Group 
on 15 Jan 1966.
His record was 20 destroyed, 1 shared, 3 probable, and 1 
shared probable, and 13 damaged
  
   
AVM	CB on 1 January 1965
G/C	CBE on 13 June 1957
A W/C DSO on 24 September 1943
A W/C	Bar to DSO on 26 January 1945
A F/L 	DFC on 10 March 1942 on 485 [NZ] Squadron
A F/L 	Bar to DFC on 11 Dec 1942 
F/L		SS on 20 July 1943

[Info](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Crawford-Compton)
[Info](http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Crawford-Crompton.htm)


F/L,  	S G Culliford,  NZ 412659         
       DSO, VM [Virtuti Militari -Poland]

18 July 1920 to 29 December 2001


On 25th July 1944, he flew a No 267 Squadron C47 from 
Brindisi, Southern 	Italy into an abandoned airfield at 
Matczyn, near Lubin, Poland.
The code name for this airfield was Motyl.
Due to the length of the flight, additional fuel tanks had been 
fitted to give the C47 up to 18 hours flying time.
The plan was to land the C47 in the middle of a territory 
surrounded by German military units retreating westward 
and under pressure from the advancing Soviet army.
At just past midnight, the C47 circled the landing zone and the 
Partisans indicated the runway.
After landing the Partisans emerged from the surrounding 
woods nearby, pulling carts of key V-2 components.
After the cargo and passengers were loaded the Pilots attempted 
to taxi out for taking off, but the aircraft would not move.
It took 4 attempts to clear enough mud from the wheels, 
and insert enough wooden sticks under the wheels for the 
aircraft to be able to taxi and take off before it was detected by 
the German military.
They delivered the parts and the Polish VIP’s to London 
within 2 days.

A dramatization of the events was published in a book
 “They Saved London” by Bernard Newman in 1955.
The book was turned into a Feature Film 
“Battle of the V1”
The operation was also featured in the 1977 BBC TV 
series “The Secret War” episode “Terror Weapons” 

[the C47 had 4 tanks in the wings, 166 and 168 gallons per wing
Giving a normal fuel load of 668 gallons. 
Average consumption was 70 gallons per hour, 
giving 9 .5 hours flying.
Normal internal tanks were 2 x 110 gallons = 220 gallons
Or 3 hours flying.
To have enough fuel for 18 hours flying there must have been 
3 pair of tanks inside the fuselage which would have left little 
room for freight, and would have increased the weight a lot.] 
 		  
DSO, 	on 17th October 1944 267 Squadron

[Info](http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C130702)
[Info](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Most_III)