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BROWN, David Reid Flight Lieutenant, No.424 Squadron, J25969 Distinguished Flying Cross RCAF Personnel Awards 1939-1949
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BROWN, F/L David Reid (J25969) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.424 Squadron - Award effective 1 December 1944 as per London Gazette dated 8 December 1944 and AFRO 337/45 dated 23 February 1945. Born 27 October 1920. Home in Fredericton; enlisted Moncton 4 March 1942. To No.5 Manning Depot, 19 March 1942. To No.5 Equipment Depot, 7 May 1942. To No.3 ITS, 4 July 1942; graduated and promoted LAC, 12 September 1942 but not posted to No.11 EFTS until 10 October 1942; may have graduated 4 December 1942 but not posted to No.5 SFTS until 27 December 1942; graduated and commissioned 30 April 1943. To \"Y\" Depot, Halifax, 14 May 1943; to RAF overseas, 22 June 1943. Repatriated to Canada, 21 December 1944. To Moncton, 31 January 1945. To No.1 Communication Squadron, 5 June 1945. To No.121 Squadron, 8 July 1945, being engaged in staff flying until 30 September 1946 when posted to No.4 (Composite) Flight. Released 14 November 1945. Died 23 December 1945. Award sent to family by registered mail 30 March 1949. No citation other than \"..in recognition of gallantry and devotion to duty in the execution of air operations against the enemy...numerous operations against the enemy in the course of which [he] invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty.\" DHist file 181.009 D.2609 (RG.24 Vol.20627) has recommendation dated 15 September 1944 when he had flown 27 sorties (141 hours 50 minutes) from 31 May to 12 September 1944. On 18 August (Anderbelck) flak hit his port outer and the port tire; on 12 September 1944 (Dortmund) the port inner had been holed. Flying Officer Brown has proven himself to be a very resourceful pilot and an extremely capable Captain of aircraft. He has at all times given outstanding leadership to his crew and has set a high example for other Captains in his Flight. Flying Officer Brown has completed 27 sorties over enemy territory, some of which were carried out over heavily defended targets such as Stuttgart, Hamburg and Kiel. On all occasions he has displayed great courage and coolness in carrying out his duties... The sortie list was as follows: 31 May 1944 - Cherbourg (4.10) 5 June 1944 - Caen (4.45) 8 June 1944 - Mayenne (5.45) 9 June 1944 - Le Mans (5.45) 12 June 1944 - Arras (4.40) 15 June 1944 - Boulogne (4.15) 16 June 1944 - Sautrecourt (4.45) 21 June 1944 - Oisemont (5.20) 25 June 1944 - Gorenflos (4.40) 27 June 1944 - Wizernes (4.20) 28 June 1944 - Metz (7.10) 4 July 1944 - Villeneuve St. George (5.50) 18 July 1944 - Caen (4.50) 18 July 1944 - Wesseling (5.15) 24 July 1944 - L’Hey (3.35) 25 July 1944 - Suttgart (9.35) 28 July 1944 - Hamburg (5.50) 31 July 1944 - Foret de Croc (4.15) 3 August 1944 - Foret de Nieppe (4.15) 5 August 1944 - St. Leu d’Esserent (4.40) 16 August 1944 - Kiel (5.15) 17 August 1944 - La Rochelle (7.00) 18 August 1944 - Anderbelck (4.05, flak, port outer motor and port tire) 25 August 1944 - Brest (6.30) 6 September 1944 - Emden (4.30) 11 September 1944 - Le Havre (4.30) 12 September 1944 - Dortmund (6.20, port inner holed).