Auction Catalogue

22 September 2000

Starting at 12:00 PM

.

Orders, Decorations and Medals

Grand Connaught Rooms  61 - 65 Great Queen St  London  WC2B 5DA

Lot

№ 818

.

22 September 2000

Hammer Price:
£2,100

A Battle of Britain D.F.M. group of five awarded to Sergeant Bernard Cannon, No. 604 Squadron, a Radar Operator on Blenheim Night Fighter patrols

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1052310 Sgt., R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star, clasp, Battle of Britain; Atlantic Star, clasp, France and Germany; Defence and War Medals, the first sometime plugged but professionally repaired with replacement suspension, otherwise very fine (5) £2000-2500

D.F.M. London Gazette 24 June 1941: ‘This airman has been continuously engaged on operational flying since August, 1940. He has taken part in the destruction of at least three enemy aircraft.’

The recommendation gives the following details: ‘This airman has been continuously and actively engaged on operational flying with 604 Squadron since August, 1940. During this period, he has been directly instrumental in enabling his pilot to make visual contact with the enemy by night on seven occasions. Each contact has resulted in a confirmed destruction of the enemy, one probable destruction, one damaged, one combat in which no claim was made and one interception from which there was no combat. I recommend him for the immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.’

Bernard Cannon was born in Bolton in 1915, and joined the Royal Air Force in June 1940. He volunteered for flying duties and at the end of the month was at R.A.F. Yatesbury for an airborne radar course, and on 20 July was posted to 604 Squadron at Gravesend, never having flown. ‘Massive and tough, Bernard came from the North, where men, so he told us, “wore flat ‘ats”, and lifted the chickens of their neighbours as a Saturday night sport.’ Cannon was one of those who flew operationally without rank or brevet, receiving three shillings per day, which included one shilling flying pay. When other radar operators were posted away as surplus in December 1940, Cannon was flying with the CO, Squadron Leader M. F. Anderson, and was kept on.

In March 1941 Cannon teamed up with Flying Officer K. I. Geddes. During the night of the 12/13th they shot down a Ju-88 engaged in a raid over Portsmouth. On the 14/15th they destroyed a He-III and on the following night they damaged another He-III. In the early hours of June 5th, Cannon and Geddes shot down another He-III, into the sea off Ventnor, Isle of Wight, and soon after midnight on the 15th they destroyed another. The team’s final victory came during the night of 8/9th July 1941 when they shot down a Ju-88 over Dorset, bringing their score to five and one damaged. Cannon was released from the Royal Air Force in 1945, as a Warrant Officer, and died on 17 December 1983.