ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 28210
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| Date: | Wednesday 20 June 1928 |
| Time: | day |
| Type: | de Havilland DH.9 |
| Owner/operator: | 2 FTS RAF |
| Registration: | J8489 |
| MSN: | |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | RAF Digby, Scopwick Heath, Lincolnshire, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | RAF Digby, Lincolnshire |
| RAF Digby, Lincolnshire | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
The first ‘Air’ George Cross was won at Digby on 20 June 1928. A DH9, number J8489, of 2 FTS, RAF, crashed and ignited on landing at RAF Digby, Scopwick Heath, Lincolnshire. The award was promulgated in the London Gazette dated 9 November 1928, and the citation tells its own story:
“Empire Gallantry Medal - Converted to George Cross
563339 Leading Aircraftman Walter Arnold, Royal Air Force, for conspicuous gallantry displayed at Digby Aerodrome on 20 June 1928. This airman was a passenger in a machine which was wrecked upon landing and immediately caught fire. Arnold extricated himself from the burning wreckage and, although fully aware of the grave risk he was taking, re-entered the flames and succeeded in dragging the pilot, who was unconscious and very severely injured, to a position of safety. Arnold sustained burns to his face, neck and hands, and his prompt and courageous action undoubtedly saved the pilot’s life, since the burning petrol spread rapidly and rendered any subsequent approach to the wreckage impossible.”
The EGM was later converted to the George Cross, and Arnold was presented with this on 25 November 1941. L/AC Walter Arnold was the passenger in DH.9 J8489; he live another sixty years, and died on 12 March 1988, aged 81.
Sources:
1. http://www.raf-lincolnshire.info/digby/digbyhistory_1927.htm
2. http://www.bcar.org.uk/1920s-incident-logs#1928
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Arnold_(GC)
4. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33437/page/7301
5. https://web.archive.org/web/20150107113705/http://web.archive.org/web/20150124224818/http://www.rafweb.org:80/GC_holders.htm
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 15-Jun-2018 21:50 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Other fatalities, Country, Nature, Source, Damage] |
| 19-Jun-2018 14:52 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Date, Time, Registration, Operator, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Country, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 19-Jun-2018 15:00 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 23-Nov-2018 17:16 | Nepa | Updated [Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Operator] |
| 20-Jul-2023 08:22 | Nepa | Updated [[Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Operator]] |
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