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Auction: 5019 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 149

The Second War Bomber Command Conspicuous Gallantry Medal Group of Six to Warrant Officer J. ´Jack´ Bettany, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, For His Outstanding Bravery over Pforzheim in Saving the Lives of the Entire Crew of his Lancaster, by Throwing Out a Number of Blazing Incendiary Bombs, Through Holes in the Fuselage with his Bare Hands; the Last to Bale Out from the Stricken Aircraft Bettany Walked in Full Uniform, Through Enemy Lines to Saftey. The Last Bomber Command V.C. of the War was Awarded for this Raid a) Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, G.VI.R. (1147696 F/Sgt. J. Bettany. R.A.F.) b) 1939-45 Star c) Burma Star d) France and Germany Star e) Defence and War Medals, lacquered, good very fine or better, mounted as worn, except for Burma Star f) R.A.F. brass buttons (4); Caterpillar Club brooch, gold and two rubies, reverse engraved ´F/Sgt. J. Bettany.´; R.A.F.A. brooch, silver-gilt; 625 Squadron Commemorative brooch, gilt metal and enamel; V.E. Day V.J. Day Veteran´s badge, 1995, gilt and enamel g) Air Gunner´s Half Wings; Signaller´s Half Wings, recipient´s identity disks, cloth sewing kit, ink stamped ´S.S. Holden Ltd. 1941 Ottawa. Canada.´, the group offered with the following documents etc: - Telegram to Mrs. T. Edwards, from Officer Commanding 625 Squadron, dated 24.2.1945, ´I regret to inform you that your brother 1147696 F/Sgt Betteny (sic) J. is reported missing from Air Operations on the night of 23/24 Feb 45....´ and the follow-up telegram confirming that ´your brother is now safe in England - Invitation to the investiture of recipient´s C.G.M., dated 27.2.1946 - Authority to Travel in Germany pass, valid from 29.5.1953-15.6.1953, between Alhorn and Wunsdorf - 48 hours Temporary Pass, from R.A.F. Shawbury, 28.12.1954-30.12.1954 - R.A.F. Statement of Service 27.11.1950-26.5.1955 - United Kingdom Air Traffic Controller´s Licence, dated 12.2.1973 - Copies of recipient´s obituaries (2), dated 13.4.2005, and a copy of an article on the Caterpillar Club and recipient´s involvement (lot) Estimate £ 6,500-7,500C.G.M. London Gazette 1147696 Flight Sergeant John Bettany, R.A.F.V.R., 625 Sqn., ´This airman was the wireless operator in an aircraft detailed to attack Pforzheim one night in February, 1945. Soon after the target had been bombed the aircraft sustained serious damage. Several small fires commenced but Flight Sergeant Bettany, displaying great promptitude and bravery, dealt with most of them effectively. Some few minutes later, one of the starboard tanks exploded and set the starboard outer engine on fire. The pilot gave the order to abandon the aircraft. The intercommunication system was out of action so he requested Flight Sergeant Bettany to give the message verbally to the mid-upper and rear gunners. As he made his way along the fuselage, this airman´s parachute caught on some wreckage and opened. Undaunted, Flight Sergeant Bettany completed his errand and ensured that his comrades were clear before he himself, donned the spare parachute and jumped. His coolness, bravery and resolution in a critical situation set an example of the highest standard.´ The Recommendation states, ´Immediately after the release of their bombs on the target, another aircraft above released its load of incendiaries many of which hit the Lancaster in which Flight Sergeant Bettany was flying. Incendiaries fell on either wing, setting fire to the starboard inner motor which had to be feathered. In addition, 15 to 20 incendiaries fell into the fuselage of the aircraft putting the intercommunication out of commission and jamming the doors of the rear turret. Flight Sergeant Bettany immediately started to throw out the incendiaries with his bare hands through holes in the fuselage. He was then ordered to contact the gunners and verify their safety, disposing of incendiaries as he went. Altogether he threw out 15 incendiaries during this time. Five minutes later an incendiary which had lodged in No 3 tank on the starboard side blew up and set fire to the starboard outer engine. The pilot gave the order to bale out and instructed Flight Sergeant Bettany to pass this message to the mid-upper and rear gunners. He went back down the fuselage and on the way, inadvertantly, his parachute was pulled by some wreckage. Nevertheless, disregarding his own safety he saw the mid-upper and rear gunners safely jump before going back to collect the spare parachute and bale himself out. By forming the connecting link between the captain and the two gunners and by his prompt action in throwing the burning incendiaries out of the aircraft, Flight Sergeant Bettany was primarily responsible for saving the lives of the entire crew. His conduct showed a complete disregard for his own safety and devotion to duty of a very high order.´ At 16.29 hours (23.2.1945) Lancaster I PB815 CF-O, the bomber in which Bettany was the Wireless Operator, took off from Kelstern for an operation involving 366 other Lancasters and 13 Mosquitoes. The target area was Pforzeim, and this was to be the first and only area-bombing raid of the war on this target. Bettany´s Lancaster, piloted by Flight Officer D.R. Paige, bombed the target area at 20.02 hours and was struck by incendiaries whilst clearing the area. Bettany successfully bailed out, "He landed inside enemy lines and walked in full uniform and broad daylight across the River Rhine and was found by some American troops, who wanted to string him up as a spy. They had just caught six German spies wearing R.A.F. uniform, but when they realised he was English they got him drunk on schnapps and put him on a train to Paris.´ (recipients Obituary refers). The British lost were ten Lancasters within the immediate target area, whilst a further two crashed in France. The toll was much higher, however, over Pforzheim where 1,825 tons of bombs were dropped in twenty-two minutes, creating a fire storm which claimed over 17,000 civilian lives. ´This was probably the third heaviest air-raid death toll in Germany during the war, following Hamburg and Dresden. The post war British Bombing Survey Unit estimated that 83 percent of the town´s built-up area was destroyed, probably the greatest proportion in one raid during the war. Bomber Command´s last Victoria Cross of the war was won on this night [by the Master Bomber for the raid Captain E. Swales V.C., D.F.C.].´ (´The Bomber Command War Diaries´, Martin Middlebook & Chris Everitt, 1985, refers). Warrant Officer John Bettany C.G.M. (1920-2005), enlisted R.A.F.V.R. 16.3.1941; promoted Warrant Officer 1.10.1945; discharged 15.8.1846; returned to the Royal Air Force as a Recruiting Officer, in Manchester, 27.11.1950 - 26.5.1955; Air Traffic Controller at Warton and Squires Gate Airfield, Blackpool before moving on to the aerodrome at Salmesbury, where he worked until he retired in 1979.

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£24,000