Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Flying Officer

Unit:

No. 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

September 15th, 1944

Rank:

Flight Lieutenant

Unit:

No. 242 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Awarded on:

September 10th, 1948

Awarded for:

Operation Vittles

"This officer is employed as a navigator on a York aircraft engaged in the Berlin air lift. He has completed 76 sorties between Wunsdorf and Gatow on this operation. These flights have been undertaken in all weather conditions and have demanded an exacting standard of navigation. In addition to flying these sorties, Flight Lieutenant Guthrie has been invaluable in evolving scientific methods of crew utilisation. This officer is not only keen on the accuracy of his own particular work, but is so mindful of the well-being and care of his brother crews that he has spent most of his rest periods and periods of leave in thinking and working out time schedules to the best advantage. He possesses a most cheerful personality and ability to work hard at all times, a great devotion to duty and a sincere regard for the well-being of all crews engaged on the operation. He has completed successfully an impressive number of sorties to Berlin, frequently in most exhausting conditions where very much the success of the flight and even the safety of the aircraft have depended on his own personal skill and performance which has never failed. His intense enthusiasm, keenness and skill at his task have inspired not only members of his own crew but those of others crews engaged in this operation."