Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Leading Aircraftman

Awarded on:

September 9th, 1941

"One night in February, 1941, an aircraft, with instructor and pupil as occupants, crashed on an aerodrome and immediately caught fire. Flight Lieutenant Morris, who was in an aircraft about to take off, taxied to the scene, whilst Leading Aircraftman Goldsmith, the aerodrome ambulance driver, immediately took his vehicle to within 50 yards of the crash. The fire tender was already there and foam was being sprayed at the base of the fire to subdue- the flames sufficiently for the rescuers to approach the occupants who were still in the cockpit. The instructor was able to release himself but the pupil was pinned by his legs. Foam was sprayed on him and Flight Lieutenant Morris attempted to extricate him but without success. Leading Aircraftman Goldsmith succeeded in getting his head and arms into the cockpit and cutting away the pupil's harness straps but his legs, remained trapped and, by this time were being burned. The supply of foam suddenly ceased, whereupon Flight Lieutenant Morris and Leading Aircraftman Goldsmith, incurring the grave risk of the petrol tanks exploding, managed with some assistance, to lift the fuselage and to extricate the pupil. Throughout this incident Flight Lieutenant Morris and Leading Aircraftman Goldsmith displayed conspicuous gallantry and disregard of personal safety. Unfortunately the pupil succumbed to his injuries."