Flying Officer P. Winter, 414615, RAAF, Pilot, DFC - RTA (38 sorties)
Awards and Decorations
- Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)1939-1945 Star
- Air Crew Europe Star
- France and Germany Star with Bar
- Defence Medal
- War Medal 1939-1945
- Australia Service Medal 1939-1945
Squadron and Movements
466 Squadron RAAF
Personal History
Researching and to be added
Douglas Percival Winter 414617 RAAF was a Flying Officer / pilot who flew Halifax III bomber aircraft.
The citation for Winter's immediate DFC reads:
On the night of 15th February 1944, F/O Winter took off for an attack on Berlin. When 90 miles from the target at 20,000 feet, the starboard inner engine cut, and all corrective measures having failed was feathered. Realising fully the hazards attached to continuing the attack on such a particularly heavily defended target, this Officer carried on to the target and bombed at 17,000 feet, thereby demonstrating great courage and determination in attacking the enemy. Shortly after leaving the target area the unserviceability of an engine speed indicator and an air speed indicator necessitated skillfully piloting and good captaincy on the part of this Officer. Throughout this sortie F/O Winter displayed the highest courage and determination and is therefore strongly recommended for an immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.
LEFT: The aircraft that P/O Winter earned his DFC. The aircraft's name is "Walzing Matilda".
Crew Information (during the sortie the DFC was earned)
Captain: F/O Winter D. P. (DFC)
Bombardier: F/Sgt. Patch R. B.
Navigator: F/Sgt. Gordon D. C.
Wireless/Air Gunner: F/Sgt. Penny A. L.
Rear Gunner: F/Sgt. Lofthouse T.
Mid Upper Gunner: Sgt. Golden B. W.
Flight Engineers: Sgt's. Wild T. E., MacDonald A., Green W. C., HumeW. J., Rimmer G. A & Beecher C.
Immediate Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
Of interest is the award of an immediate DFC, which refers to a specific event or events that led to being awarded an immediate DFC, instead of being given the award generally for a difficult tour. In some ways, the award of an immediate DFC is more highly valued because of its relation to a specific act/acts of bravery and valour.
No doubt Winter and some of the crew would have received a DFC anyway for completing such a difficult tour which included several bombing missions to Berlin, and the Nuremberg raid (30th mar 1944) in which Bomber Command suffered its greatest losses; 795 aircraft involved in the attack with 97 failing to return – no aircraft lost from 466 Squadron.
Flight Operations (two dates ie: 7-8/1/44 indicates nights)
DATE |
SORTIE |
20-21st Dec 1943 |
Frankfurt |
20-21st Jan 1944 |
Berlin |
21-22st Jan 1944 |
Madgeburg |
15-16th Feb 1944 |
Berlin |
19-20th Feb 1944 |
Leipzig |
20-21st Feb 1944 |
Stuttgart |
25-26th Feb 1944 |
Augsbeurg |
1-2nd Mar 1944 |
Stuttgart |
6-7th Mar 1944 |
Trappes |
7-8th Mar 1944 |
Le Mans |
24-25th Mar 1944 |
Essen |
30-31st Mar 1944 |
Nuremberg |
9-10th Apr 1944 |
Villeneuve St Georges |
10-11th Apr 1944 |
Tergnier |
18-19th Apr 1944 |
Tergnier |
22-23rd Apr 1944 |
Dusseldorf |
24-25th Apr 1944 |
Karlsruhe |
27-28th Apr 1944 |
Aulnoye |
30-1st May 1944 |
Acheres |
9-10th May 1944 |
Morsalines |
11-12th May 1944 |
Collines Beaumont |
12-13th May 1944 |
Hasselt |
19-20th May 1944 |
Boulogne |
27-28th May 1944 |
Camp Bourg Leopold |
2-3rd Jun 1944 |
Trappes |
5-6th Jun 1944 |
Maisy |
6-7th Jun 1944 |
Chateaudun |
7-8th Jun 1944 |
Juvisy Railway Junction |
9-10th Jun 1944 |
Laval |
16-17th Jun 1944 |
Sterkrade |
22nd Jun 1944 |
Siracourt |
27th Jun 1944 |
Marquise-Mimoyecques |
1st Jul 1944 |
Oisemont Neuville-au-Bois |
14-15th Jul 1944 |
Les Landes Vielles et Neuves |
18th Jul 1944 |
Caen |
20-21st Jul 1944 |
Ardouval |
23-24th Jul 1944 |
Les Catelliers |
28th Jul 1944 |
Foret de Nippe |
466 Squadron Linneage
466 Squadron was unusual in that it was a RAAF Squadron formed in 1942 as part of 4 Group Bomber Command (RAF). The squadron was based at Driffield and Leconfield airfield, England and was comprised entirely of RAF personnel. A policy was implemented in October 1942 to replace all non-Australian personnel with Australian personnel. Initially, the Squadron had 14 complete air crews with aircraft captains from Britain, New Zealand, Canada and Malaya, however, by 1943 over half the Squadron’s air crews and all aircraft captains were Australian. Aircraft flown were Wellington III and X class bombers which in 1943 were replaced with Halifax III bomber aircraft.
LEFT: Halifax bomber aircraft similar to that piloted by Flying Officer Winter.
NOTE - MORE TO COME ON THIS OFFICER SOON (AWAITING RECORDS)