John Mitchell's DSO

[Graeme]

The Fitzwilliam Museum has an on-line catalogue of some 400 medals. One of these is the DSO awarded to John Mitchell for his service in North Russia. The pictures can be seen at:

http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/dept...n/page395.html

Graeme

The citation for the award is:

FROM THE SIXTH SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE OF TUESDAY, THE 30TH OF MARCH, 1920
PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY, 1 APRIL, 1920

Air Ministry,
Kingsway, London, W.C. 2.
1st April, 1920.

His Majesty the KING has been pleased to approve of the undermentioned rewards being conferred, in recognition of gallantry and distinguished services: —

ROYAL AIR FORCE.

AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER.

Flt. Lt. Walter Fraser Anderson (Pilot).
Observer Officer John Mitchell (Observer), "C" Flight, 47th Squadron.

On 30th July, 1919, near Cherni Yar (Volga), these officers were pilot and observer respectively, on a D.H. 9 machine, which descended to an altitude of 1,000 feet to take oblique photographs of the enemy's positions. A second machine of the same flight which followed as escort was completely disabled by machine-gun fire, and forced to land five miles behind the enemy's foremost troops. Parties of hostile cavalry which attempted to capture the pilot and observer of the crashed machine were kept away by the observer's Lewis gun whilst the pilot burnt the machine.

Flight Lieut. Anderson, notwithstanding that his petrol tank had been pierced by a machine-gun bullet, landed alongside the wrecked aeroplane, picked up the pilot and observer, and got safely home.

The risk involved in attempting this gallant rescue was very great, as had any accident occurred in landing be fate of all four officers can only be conjectured. The difficult circumstances of the rescue will be fully appreciated when it is remembered that Observer Officer Mitchell had to mount the port plane to stop the holes in the petrol tank with his thumbs for a period of fifty minutes' flying on the return journey.

I've copied this to the Museum.