Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part III)

A Second World War D.F.C. and Bar group of five attributed to Flight Lieutenant W. H. Hill, Royal Air Force: originally decorated for a tour of operations as an Air Gunner in Hampdens in 1940, he went on to win a Bar to his D.F.C. for services as an Air Bomber in Halifaxes in 1944

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., with Second Award Bar, the reverse of the Cross officially dated ‘1941’ and privately engraved, ‘F./O. W. H. Hill, Fifty Squadron’, and the reverse of the Bar officially dated ‘1944’, in its Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, France and Germany; Defence and War Medals, generally extremely fine (5) £800-1200

D.F.C. London Gazette 22 August 1941. The original recommendation states:

‘This officer has served in an operational unit for eight months. During the whole of this period he has rendered oustanding service as a Gunnery Officer. He has always displayed a calm, courageous and very cheerful disposition, coupled with the ability to work hard under all circumstances. His courage and devotion to duty have always been an oustanding example to all ranks in his squadron.

The majority of his operational flights were undertaken with Flying Officer Woodward, D.F.C., as captain. In addition to his work as an Air Gunner this officer has been in charge of the squadron armoury. The reliability and efficiency of the equipment are in large measure due to the conscientiousness and supervision of this officer.’

Bar to D.F.C. London Gazette 14 November 1944. The original recommendation states:

‘Over a long period of operational flying, Flight Lieutenant Hill has shown outstanding enthusiasm and devotion to duty of the highest order. An Air Bomber of great skill and determination, he has given valuable help and guidance to less experienced crews.’

William Henry Hill, who was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in January 1940, commenced his operational career as an Air Gunner with No. 50 Squadron, a Hampden unit operating out of Lindholme, Yorkshire in June of the same year. And he remained in Hampdens for the duration of this first operational tour, an aircraft with striking deficiencies that have been summed up by Max Hastings in Bomber Command (Michael Joseph, 1979):

‘The Hampden was the most urgent candidate for replacement: cruising at only 155 m.p.h., 10 m.p.h. slower than the other two [the Wellington and Whitley], this grotesque-looking flying glasshouse could stand little punishment, lacked power-operated turrets, and could only carry a 4000-lb. maximum bombload.’

During the period in question, from June to December 1940, in addition to a number of “Gardening” trips, his targets included two early attempts on Berlin and another brace on Hamburg, one of the latter resulting in a ‘hit on the power station’ on the night of 15-16 November 1940. Conversely an attack on enemy invasion barges at Ostend in mid-September was curtailed by ‘the loss of the Rear Gunner’s door’.

In January 1941, “tour expired”, Hill was advanced to Flying Officer and posted to R.A.F. Finningley, and in October of the same year he attended an investiture at Buckingham Palace to receive his D.F.C. One month later he reported to No. 455 (R.A.A.F.) Squadron as “Bombing Leader”, but with the exception of a sortie against Mannheim in February 1942, he does not appear to have otherwise flown operationally. He had, meanwhile, been advanced to Flight Lieutenant.

Then in January 1944, Hill returned to the operational scene with an appointment as an Air Bomber in No. 640 Squadron, a Halifax unit operating out of Leconfield, Yorkshire, and by the time of being recommended for his second D.F.C. had participated in around another 20 sorties, three of them to the “Big City” and another three to Stuttgart. In addition, as part of the Allied campaign in Normandy, he flew against a number of French targets, among them a daylight raid on Caen on 18 July 1944.

Posted to a conversion unit in October 1944, Hill was gazetted for his second D.F.C. in the following month and would appear to have been placed on the Retired List in the course of 1946.