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Create new listThe important Second World War C.G.M. group of five awarded to Flying Officer W. G. “Wilf” Bickley, Royal Air Force, a veteran of three operational tours who served as front and mid-upper gunner to Cheshire, V.C. in No. 617 Squadron
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying), G.VI.R. (W./O. W. G. Bickley, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, (gilded) clasp, France and Germany; Defence and War Medals, very fine and better (5)
£8000-10000
C.G.M. London Gazette 30 May 1944. The original recommendation states:
‘Warrant Officer Bickley has completed 71 operational sorties as Air Gunner. He has taken part in five attacks against Essen and six against Bremen. He has on many occasions been subjected to intense opposition over almost every major target in Germany. Moreover, after having completed 50 sorties he volunteered for service with a Special Duties Squadron and he has since operated as Air Gunner in the crew of the Squadron Commander. This Squadron Commander acts as Force Leader and is also responsible for the accurate marking of objectives for the Main Force upon which the success of the operations entirely depends.
Two of the objectives in Occupied Europe recently attacked by this Squadron were known to be defended strongly and, for this reason, Warrant Officer Bickley was specially detailed as Front Gunner to the Force Leader. His role was to silence the enemy guns so that the targets could be accurately marked from a low-level. Intense and accurate A.A. fire was encountered on both occasions, but the instantaneous and unerring return fire of this Warrant Officer enabled the Force Leader to mark the targets with the necessary accuracy. Warrant Officer Bickley, by silencing a number of the guns, thus not only saved his aircraft from probably destruction but also played a major part in the success of both operations.
This Warrant Officer has an outstanding operational record. He has invariably shown irrepressible courage and fighting spirit. He is a man who is undaunted by the heaviest defences and who can be depended upon to overcome the strongest opposition. His great gallantry and superb fighting qualities have always been in keeping with the highest traditions of the Service and he is therefore strongly recommended for the immediate award of the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal.’
Wilfred George “Wilf” Bickley joined the Royal Air Force as a Fitter Apprentice in March 1936 but later became a part time Gunner. In those days he wore a flying badge known as the “Flying Bullet” and received the princely sum of an extra three pence a day on top of his usual takings. In March 1940 he was posted to an Army Co-operation Unit, No. 613 Squadron, then operating with Lysanders in France and soon afterwards on coastal reconnaissance back in England. Bickley departed for No. 44 Squadron at Waddington in December 1941, having attained the rank of Sergeant.
Equipped with Hampdens and later Lancasters, No. 44 rapidly made itself known to the enemy. In a daylight raid on the M.A.N. Diesel Factory at Augsburg on 17 April 1942, Squadron Leader Nettleton won the Victoria Cross, thereby becoming the Squadron’s second holder of this coveted decoration: Wing Commander R. A. B. “Babe” Learoyd, V.C., was Squadron C.O. Before departing at his own request to No. 617 (Dambuster) Squadron, “Wilf” Bickley had brought his total of operational sorties up to 50 and been engaged over just about every major target in Germany. By no means could these trips be described as routine. On a raid to Stuttgart on the 5.5.1942, his Lancaster was hit by flak in the bomb doors as well as being holed in the port wing.
Bickley arrived at No. 617 Squadron in November 1943 and flew his first “Special Duties” operations the following month, including the Squadron’s attack on the armament works at Liege in Belgium on 20 December. German night fighters were in the area but fortunately flak was light. The first raid of 1944 was the V.1 site at Pas de Calais, and the Station Commander, Group Captain Evan-Evans, took the opportunity to fly with Cheshire. It would be his last chance before No. 617 moved to their new base at Woodhall Spa near Horncastle.
At about this time Cheshire had been approached by Squadron Leader Patrick Moyna of the R.A.F. Film Unit, who was anxious to obtain some operational footage. To date he had found little support for his scheme but to someone like Cheshire, it was just what the doctor had ordered. Not always content with the accuracy of P.F.F. target marking, and the results of post raid photographic reconnaissance, here was an excellent opportunity to capture every move for the record: with tow huge mirrors fitted underneath his Lancaster, and other structural amendments to take Moyna’s cameras, Cheshire’s new command began to resemble a film unit on wings. His ground crew regarded the transformation as worse than sacrilege.
In the meantime Bickley had been back to the V.I site at Pas de Calais, where new activity had been reported under the camouflage netting, but on 8 February 1944, he experienced his first flight with Moyna’s aerial film unit. Their target was the Gnome and Rhone Factory at Limoges, 200 miles South-West of Paris. Latest intelligence reports suggested an aircraft engine output of at least 100 per month and with the additional news that work was commencing on the Messerschmitt 323, the target became priority. However, a great deal of care was required to ensure the safety of the surrounding local populace, not to mention those Frenchmen employed within the works. Cheshire took it upon himself to warn them on arrival. Bickley was once again the Force Commander’s Front Gunner.
Their Lancaster roared over the French coast at 4000 feet and made the target area without mishap, although a searchlight at Caubourg had nearly made contact with Moyna’s mirrors! Cheshire warned his crew members that he was going-in to alert the factory workers to the pending attack, and promptly took the Lancaster down to 100 feet before sweeping over the factory at roof-top level, a gesture he saw fit to repeat on three occasions before being satisfied that those below had found shelter. Just before midnight, Cheshire dropped his flares, and then called in “Mick” Martin to complete the marking. Moments later the main party of No. 617’s Lancasters arrived to commence bombing. As a result of the accurate low-level marking, all but one bomb found its mark. Now came the moment for Moyna to record the damage for posterity’s sake.
Despite the obvious dangers of remaining over a freshly hit target area, Cheshire once again came in at roof-top level to give Moyna the best opportunity for filming. The latter would later recall that Cheshire was as ‘unconcerned as an assistant arranging a group photograph in a studio’, flying around for 20 minutes to ensure the best results. Fellow crew members were growing a trifle concerned, and one or two light-hearted exchanges were heard to travel over the R.T.: “Come on, Skipper, are you tired of life?” Another asked whether he was waiting for night fighters. At length, they turned for home and landed back at base to receive the excellent news that everyone had safely returned. On inspecting the handiwork of Squadron Leader Moyna, Sir Charles Portal was quick to praise No. 617 on their astounding results (This film may still be viewed today in the Imperial War Museum).
Only four nights later, Bickley was again in Cheshire’s crew on a trip to the heavily defended Antheor Viaduct. Because of earlier attacks by No. 617, the site was now defended by 12 heavy calibre guns besides many more smaller ones. Bickley was going to be busy. After re-fuelling at Ford and taking off during an air raid warning, Cheshire and Martin set off 20 minutes ahead of the Main Force. Arriving over the target area, they found visibility far from ideal, and both Lancasters made several attempted marking runs, each time being engaged by ferocious anti-aircraft fire. Ultimately Martin’s Lancaster was hit and his Bomb Aimer killed outright. With further casualties on board, he was compelled to break off his attack and make an emergency landing in Sardinia. In desperation and despite mounting flak damage, Cheshire came in for another run. Members of the arriving Main Force witnessed the attempt and it seemed nothing could survive the resultant inferno. They were wrong. Cheshire dropped a red spot marker very close to the viaduct and then climbed to watch the remainder of No. 617 attack. On this occasion the results were far from good and when Sir Ralph Cochrane got to hear of Cheshire’s near suicidal marking run, he severely reprimanded him. Meanwhile, ground crew were replacing one of his Lancaster’s flak damaged wings and “Wilf” Bickley was probably beginning to wonder about his chances of survival. The only positive result of the raid was Cheshire’s decision to start chasing the Air Ministry for a Mosquito or two.
On the night of 2-3 March 1944, the Squadron was detailed to attack the Aircraft Factory at Albert in France. Once again leading, Cheshire set off with Les Munro as his Deputy. The target area was reached safely but just as his Lancaster came in to start marking, the Bomb Aimer reported a defective gun sight. Munro took over and managed to get excellent results. As the Main Force completed its task, Cheshire was already aware of the raid’s outstanding success. At the end of the War it was discovered that the factory’s aircraft output was still only a tenth of what it had been before No. 617 paid a visit. Slightly more disquieting was news that the Gestapo had immediately posted up notices offering £250 reward for anyone who turned in a shot-down member of the Squadron. Apparently they were anxious for an interview!
On 4 March poor weather resulted in a raid on St. Etienne being aborted at the last minute, but not before Cheshire had taken his Lancaster in five or six times on low-level sweeps just to be sure there was no alternative. Ten days later, Bickley clambered into the cramped quarters of his Gunner’s compartment for a raid on Metz but this too was called off due to bad weather. On the following night they set off for the Michelin Tyre Factory at Clermont-Ferrand.
Cheshire made his usual three or four low-level sweeps before dropping his spot flares but not content with their accuracy, he had other members of No. 617 carry out further runs before calling in the awaiting aircraft from No. 106 Squadron. Once again Squadron Leader Monya was on hand to record the benefits of such cool and painstaking work, and the results of his filming ultimately ended up before the War Cabinet. After completing a closing inspection of the factory’s blazing sheds, Cheshire signalled base: “Michelin’s complexion seems a trifle red.”
On 18 March the Squadron paid a visit to Poudrerie Nationale Factory at Bergerac, then manufacturing explosives and propellant powder. Another successful marking run resulted in a spectacular explosion. Cheshire felt obliged to signal base, “The powder works would appear to have outlived their usefulness.” On 23 March they dropped in on the motor vehicle works of the S.O.C. Berliet, Cheshire having to remain over the target for half an hour before he could witness the effects of No. 106 Squadron’s delayed fuse bombs. He was pleased to see several explosions bang in the middle of the factory complex. However, there had been problems with the initial flare marking and a return trip took place at the end of the month. This time Cheshire was able to signal base even more positively: “All bombs within the white apron.”
“Wilf” Bickley had now completed in excess of 76 operations, many of them as Front or Mid-Upper Gunner to Leonard Cheshire during his time as Force Leader with No. 617 Squadron. Such employment could only be described as extremely perilous but his ‘superb fighting qualities’ and ‘irrepressible courage’ had seen him through. Naturally there was always an element of luck, and the raid on Antheor Viaduct was ample proof of this. “Wilf” Bickley left the Squadron with a long overdue C.G.M. in May 1944 and was later commissioned. Cheshire received his third D.S.O. and ultimately the Victoria Cross. He had, in the words of the latter citation, ‘displayed a contempt for danger’ which had established for him a ‘reputation second to none in Bomber Command’. No-one would argue with that, least of all “Wilf” Bickley.
Sold with the recipient’s original Flying Log Book, covering the period August 1938 to April 1945, including the undoubtedly important record of his 617 Squadron operations, the vast majority as an Air Gunner in Cheshire, V.C’s crew, and including the handwritten endorsement, ‘W./O. Bickley has completed an exceptionally distinguished third operational tour. G. L. Cheshire, W./C.’, binding weak, minor water-staining and defaced in places
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