Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Assistant Civil Engineer

Unit:

Air Ministry Works Directorate, Air Ministry, British Government

Awarded on:

March 8th, 1940

Citation:
"Mr. H. F. Charrington and Mr. B. M. Timbers, Civil Servants of the Air Ministry Works Directorate, were travelling on duty as passengers in an aircraft which was flying in bad weather conditions in Palestine.
The pilot was in the front cockpit and Timbers and Charrington in the rear cockpit in that order. At a height of about 7,500 feet the machine went into an uncontrollable spin, whereupon the pilot gave the order to jump. Timbers attempted to climb over the side of the cockpit, but the pressure held him down. He then managed to assume a position across the cockpit with one side of the coaming under his back and his feet braced against the opposite side, in an endeavour to get out backwards and head first. He was still unable to get away and Charrington stayed and helped him to get clear, instead of going over the side himself. When Timbers had jumped, Charrington with great difficulty left the machine. When he made his escape he was so close to the ground that a few seconds' delay would have been fatal. He met the ground almost immediately after his parachute opened. The route followed by the aircraft lay over mountains which rise to a height of 3,000 feet. When the spin commenced thick cloud, enveloping the aircraft, obscured all sight of the ground. In delaying his jump until he had helped Timbers out, Charrington showed bravery of a very high order. The pilot was killed."