Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flight Sergeant

Unit:

No. 419 (Moose) Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force

Awarded on:

October 19th, 1945

"This officer has taken part in many operational sorties, throughout which he has displayed outstanding determination and courage. In August 1943 he destroyed one Focke Wulf 190. In January 1944, Flight Sergeant Potter was rear gunner in an aircraft detailed for an attack against Berlin. When over sixty miles from the target his aircraft was attacked by an enemy night fighter and the rear turret was damaged. Despite this, Flight Sergeant Potter returned fire. A cannon shell then burst inside the turret, putting some of the guns out of action and wounding Flight Sergeant Potter. Although dazed and bleeding, he continued to engage the enemy, manipulating the turret by hand and putting up such accurate fire that the hostile fighter went down in flames. On the return flight, Flight Sergeant Potter took over the duties of the flight engineer, who had been killed, giving his captain every assistance but, while still over enemy territory, the crippled aircraft was again hit by anti-aircraft fire and the crew were forced to abandon it."

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)