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Nicolson, Eric James Brindley

    Date of birth:
    April 29th, 1917 (Hampstead/London, Great Britain)
    Date of death:
    May 2nd, 1945 (Bay of Bengal)
    Buried on:
    Commonwealth Memorial of the Missing Singapore
    Service number:
    39329
    Nationality:
    British (1801-present, Kingdom)

    Biography

    Eric James Brindley Nicolson was missing in action on May 2nd, 1945 as Wing Commander when flying as an Observer with a B-24 Liberator of No. 355 Squadron. He is mentioned on the Monument for the missing of the Commonwealth in Singapore, panel 445.

    Promotions:
    December 21st, 1936: Pilot Officer on probation;
    October 12th, 1937: Pilot Officer;
    May 12th 1939: Flying Officer;
    September 3rd, 1940: Flight Lieutenant;
    December 1st, 1941: Temporary Squadron Leader;
    August 11th, 1944: Acting Wing Commander;
    January 19th, 1945: Squadron Leader (war subs., seniority June 17th, 1942).

    Career:
    ?: Yardley Court Preparatory School, Tonbridge;
    ?: Tonbridge School, Tonbridge;
    1935: Experimental Engineer, Ricardo's Works, Shoreham;
    October 1936: Royal Air Force;
    ? - November 16th, 1936: de Havilland School of Flying, White Waltham;
    ?: No. 10 Flying Training School Ternhill;
    July 1937: Gunnery Training, Sutton Bridge;
    August 7th, 1937: No. 72 Squadron;
    May 15th, 1940: Flight Commander No. 249 Squadron;
    August 16th, 1940 - February 23rd, 1941: RAF Hospital, Halton/ RAF Convalescent Facility, Torquay;
    February 14th, 1941: Instructional Staff, No. 54 Operational Training Unit;
    September 22nd, 1941: Commanding Officer No. 1459 Flight, RAF;
    March 17th, 1942: Staff Officer, Headquarters No. 293 Wing, Alipore, India;
    December 1942: Staff, Air Headquarters, Bengal;
    August 4th, 1943: Commanding Officer No. 27 Squadron, Agartala, Burma;
    August 11th, 1944: Wing Commander, Headquarters, 3rd Tactical Air Force, Comilla, Bengal.

    Victories:
    August 16th, 1940: Messerschmitt Bf 109.

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    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Flight Lieutenant
    Unit:
    No. 249 (Gold Coast) Squadron, Royal Air Force
    Awarded on:
    November 15th, 1940
    Citation:
    "During an engagement with the enemy near Southampton on i6th August, 1940, Flight Lieutenant Nicolson's aircraft was hit by four cannon shells, two of which wounded him whilst another set fire to the gravity tank. When about to abandon his aircraft owing to flames in the cockpit he sighted an enemy fighter. This he attacked and shot down, although as a result of staying in his burning aircraft he sustained serious burns to his hands, face, neck and legs.
    Flight Lieutenant Nicolson has always displayed great enthusiasm for air fighting and this incident shows that he possesses courage and determination of a high order. By continuing to engage the enemy after he had been wounded and his aircraft set on fire, he displayed exceptional gallantry and disregard for the safety of his own life."

    LG4993/6569.
    Flight Lieutenant Nicolson’s Victoria Cross is publicly displayed at the Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon, Great Britain.
    Victoria Cross (VC)
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Rank:
    Acting Wing Commander
    Unit:
    No. 27 Squadron, Royal Air Force
    Awarded on:
    August 11th, 1944
    Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
    Period:
    Second World War (1939-1945)
    Awarded with "BATTLE OF BRITAIN" clasp.
    1939-1945 Star

    Sources

    Photo