Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flight Sergeant

Unit:

No. 578 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

February 16th, 1945

Recommendation:
"‘Flight Sergeant Blakeley has carried out 37 operations totalling 182.02 hours including attacks on Berlin, Hannover, Frankfurt, and Munster. He has been on operations since September 1943, and in the course of this long tour he has flown with 17 different Captains and in 26 out of his 37 trips he has been flying as a spare gunner. His keenness to operate has been a splendid example to all gunners in the Squadron. His consistently successful lookout combined with a first class running commentary have enabled his Captains on five occasions to out-manoeuvre German fighters thus avoiding combat with them. He has thus proved himself on operations to be a gunner of a very high standard who was most reluctant to be screened. It is recommended that this Flight Sergeant’s tenacity, endurance and fine offensive spirit be recognised by the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal."