Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Pathfinder's C.G.M., D.F.M. group of six awarded to Warrant Officer Squire Nuttall, Royal Air Force, who completed 91 Operational Missions.

CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY MEDAL (Flying), G.VI.R. (W/O); DISTINGUISHED FLYING MEDAL, G.VI.R. (1684518 F/Sgt.); 1939-45 STAR; AIR CREW EUROPE STAR; DEFENCE and WAR MEDALS, together with the recipients Navigator's, Air Bomber's and Air Gunner's Flying Log Book (May 1943-July 1945). Edge bruise to first medal, otherwise very fine (6)

C.G.M., London Gazette, 26 October, 1945. Warrant Officer D.F.M., No 35 (P.F.F.) Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. The following recommendation was extracted from official records: 'Since the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal this Warrant Officer has flown on many more operational sorties, serving in a crew engaged on many important marking duties. An air gunner of outstanding ability, his keen vigilance has, on many occasions, enabled his captain to take action to avoid enemy night fighters. Throughout a long period of operational flying, Warrant Officer Nurtall has displayed gallantry and devotion to duty of a high order.'

D.F.M., London Gazette, 12 December, 1944.

Flight Sergeant, No 35 (P.F.F.) Squadron, R.A.F.V.R. Warrant Officer Squire Nuttall was posted to 77 Squadron in September, 1943, and took part in four night operations before being posted to 35 Squadron, 'Pathfinder Force.' Between November, 1943, and April, 1945, he completed a further 87 sorties making 91 in total, amassing an incredible 500 hours of operational flying time. Nuttall flew most of his earlier missions as mid-upper gunner but for his last 40 missions he was more usually employed as rear gunner. These two positions were probably the most vulnerable and dangerous places to be on a heavy bomber and the life expectancy of such gunners was not long by any means. It is, then, all the more remarkable that Nuttall survived unscathed to fly so many missions. 35 Squadron was one of the original five chosen to form a new corps d' élite, the Pathfinder Force, No 8 group. Initially equipped with Halifaxes the squadron converted to Lancasters in March, 1944. Nuttall's log book is a record of the most heavily defended targets in Germany but of particular note are the following entries:

30 March 1944 - Nurnberg - ‘On this night Bomber Command suffered its heaviest losses in one attack during the war.’

9 May 1944 - Haine St Pierre - ‘Master Bomber’.

2 June 1944 - Trappes - ‘Master Bomber.’

5/6 June 1944 - Maisy - ‘In the early hous of D-Day the squadron attacked two German coastal batteries, one at Maisy and the other at Longues.

7 July 1944 - Caen - ‘Master Bomber.’

5 January 1945 - Hanover - ‘mid-upper gunner baled out over target after being presumably hit by flak.’

12 March 1945 - Dorrmund - The largest daylight raid during the war against a single target when 1,107 aircraft dropped more than 4500 ronnes of bombs.

4 April 1945 - Leuna (Merseburg) - ‘Master Bomber.’

25 April 1945 - Wangerooge - The last operational mission of World War 2 for both Nuttall and 35 Squadron when 8 Lancasters bombed gun batteries on the island of Wangerooge.

May 1945 - various missions marking for dropping of food supplies in Holland and ferrying released P.0.W. 's from Belgium, France and Germany (Operation 'Exodus').