An extremely rare Second World War Indian Ocean operations D.F.M. group of five awarded to Flight Sergeant T. W. Galliford, Royal Air Force, who was decorated for his gallantry as a Flight Engineer in a Sunderland Flying Boat during a hotly contested action with a brace of armed enemy vessels: having manned his aircraft’s beam gun to good effect, he crawled inside one of the wings to repair damage caused by A.A. fire - all the while aware that if his pilot had to carry out an emergency landing, he would have no chance of survival

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (652617 F./Sgt. T. W. Galliford, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Burma Star,, clasp, Pacific; Defence and War Medals, good very fine or better (5) £3000-3500

D.F.M. London Gazette 4 June 1946. The recommendation states:

‘During a low-level attack on two armed enemy vessels on 9 August 1945, this N.C.O. was manning the beam gun of a Sunderland. He used this with considerable effect. The aircraft was damaged by anti-aircraft fire and aileron control lost. In his capacity as Flight Engineer, Flight Sergeant Galliford discovered fractures in the control cables. He crawled inside the wing to the point of the fracture and working in a cramped and confined space directly behind the fire wall, he effected a temporary repair. Had the aircraft crashed owing to lack of control, he would have had no chance of survival. Despite this he worked for nearly an hour at the task, thereby enabling the aircraft to return safely to base. He has shown throughout his operational tour a high standard of technical ability, a capacity for hard work and a consistent devotion to duty.’

Thomas William Galliford was decorated for his gallantry with No. 209 Squadron, the recommendation for his award being submitted by his Squadron C.O. at Kai Tak, Hong Kong on 19 December 1945 - by which date Galliford had completed 85 hours of operational flying time. It is likely therefore that his tour of duty with the Squadron commenced on its move to Ceylon in early 1945, from where it began attacks on Japanese shipping off Burma, Thailand and Malaya.