Birtles, Ronald Boswell

Date of birth:: 1916
Date of death:: December 16th, 1941 (Shrewton-Wilstshire/England, United Kingdom)
Buried on:: Commonwealth War Graves St. Lawrence Churchyard
Service number:: 748413
Nationality:: British

Biography

Ronald Boswell Birtles was killed on December 16th, 1941 when his Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb AB977 crashed near Shrewton.

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Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Flight Sergeant
Unit:: No. 118 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:: December 19th, 1941

"This airman, has participated in a large number of sweeps and reconaissances; he has also taken part in 3 attacks on enemy shipping and 4 on land targets when trains, factories and other objectives have been attacked. In November, 1941, during a sortie, Sergeant Birtles silenced a light antiaircraft gun which was firing on his section leader. Some days later he participated in an attack oh a railway station in France. On the return journey, one of his fellow pilots was shot down into the sea. Sergeant Birtles, with great initiative, flew down to almost sea level and while operating his aircraft controls with the right hand only, detached his own dinghy and so skilfully manoeuvred his aircraft that he succeeded in dropping the dinghy within a few feet of his comrade who was then swimming in the sea. Sergeant Birtles then flew on to his base which he reached with only very little petrol in the tanks."

Flying Badge

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)