Bennett, Donald Clifford Tyndall (Don)

Date of birth:: September 14th, 1910 (Toowoomba/Queensland, Australia)
Date of death:: September 15th, 1986 (Slough/Berkshire, United Kingdom)
Service number:: 32065
Nationality:: Australian

Biography

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Oswald Watt Gold Medal

Awarded on:: 1938

Distinguished Service Order (DSO)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Wing Commander
Unit:: No. 10 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:: June 16th, 1942

One night in April, 1942, Wing Commander Bennett and Sergeant Walmsley were .the captain and second pilot respectively of an aircraft which attacked the German naval base in the Trondheim fiord. In spite of a fierce defensive barrage, the attack was carried out at an extremely low level. The aircraft was hit by shell-fire and, later, burst into flames. Wing Commander Bennett and Sergeant Walmsley were forced to escape by parachute but both landed safely in occupied territory. Both Wing Commander Bennett and Sergeant Walmsley displayed excellent resource and, after escaping from German soldiers and police, they eventually reached Swedish territory after a most arduous and trying journey across snow-clad mountains. Throughout, both Wing Commander Bennett and Sergeant Walmsley displayed courage, initiative and devotion to duty of the highest order.”