A fine Wireless Operator and Air Gunner’s Distinguished Flying Medal group awarded to Sergeant C. Miller, 102 Squadron, Royal Air Force who having survived his aircraft blowing up just before he was to go to it before taking off on the 31st August 1941, then survived a crash landing on the night of 29th/30th September 1941 on its return from a mission to Stettin Railway Station, the pilot on his first mission being killed, the rest of the crew surviving, although when they returned to Topcliffe later in the day their lockers had already been cleared with no expectation of their return. On the night of 12/13th October he would be returning from an operation to Nuremburg when his aircraft ran out of fuel, landed heavily and broke his ankle. Upon his recovery he would be posted as an instructor to an Operational Training Unit. He would go on to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal in the London Gazette of 22nd September 1942, being noted as a Wireless Operator of exceptional merit and his ability has been of the utmost value to his Captain and Navigator and has undoubtedly largely contributed to the success of the missions in which he had taken part and the safe return of the aircraft and crew.
Group of 4: Distinguished Flying Medal, GVIR 1st type bust; (970515 SGT.C. MILLER. R.A.F.) 1939-1945 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, bar France and Germany; War Medal.
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine
Charles Miller was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal in the London Gazette of 22nd September 1942, the recommendation dated 25th July 1942 reading:
‘This N.C.O. has completed 27 sorties as Wireless Operator/Air Gunner over enemy occupied territory. He is a Wireless Operator of exceptional merit and his ability has been of the utmost value to his Captain and Navigator and has undoubtedly largely contributed to the success of the missions in which he has taken part and the safe return of the aircraft and crew. His cheerful disposition and his determination and keenness on operations have been an inspiration to all Wireless Operators and other aircrews in the Squadron, I strongly recommend him for all his good work for the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.’
Charles ‘Maxie’ Miller survived a number of close shaves during his time with 102 Squadron. He had a lucky escape on 31st August 1941 when Whitley Z6868 blew up on take off just before he was to go to the aircraft and all his then crew survived. After that incident he would then be on board Whitley Z6871 which crashed on 30th September 1941, during which he would suffer a broken nose!
On the night of 29th/30th September 1941, ten 102 Squadron aircraft took off from Topcliffe to bomb Stettin railway station, Miller’s Whitley took off at 18.53 hrs. The weather over the target was described as ‘clear with ground haze and flak was moderate to heavy’. This aircraft was first from the squadron to bomb and attacked from 12,000 feet, flashes were seen in the area which was already burning on the ground. In total 95 aircraft of a force of 139 aircraft of various types bombed around four aiming points in Stettin, over all good bombing was reported. Stettin was pretty much at the range that Whitley’s could reach with standard fuel tanks.
Charles Miller recovered from his injury and returned to active service. On his next operational flight on the night of 12th/13th October 1941 he was flying in Z6801 on Ops to Nuremburg. On the return leg the aircraft ran out of fuel and he was forced to bale out on crossing the east coast. His pilot (Sgt. Stell) force landed near Deeping St. James but the aircraft was badly damaged and was written off. Charles Miller suffering a heavy landing and broke his ankle. He recovered and was posted to an OTU to instruct when he recovered.
During the early morning of the 30th September 1941 the crew were well into their return leg of the flight and was more or less on course for their home base at Topcliffe. They crossed the Yorkshire coast at around 03.30hrs in the Middlesbrough area and a course was set for Topcliffe, at a height of 2000 feet to avoid striking the high ground they would have to cross over. There were no problems up to then in the flight. A few minutes later at 03.55hrs the aircraft flew into the ground on the North Yorkshire Moors above Danby, in the region of Danby Head (or Fryup Head). The front end of this aircraft was badly damaged in the impact but it did not catch fire, when the aircraft finally came to a halt the crew were able to scramble out, all the but the second pilot that is, he was sadly killed in the impact, he was on his first trip, and was thrown from the aircraft in the impact. The obvserver, who was uninjured and the other pilot, who had a slight cut to the head decided they would go for help, not knowing where they were they made their way off the moor and eventually found a farm some hours later, the farmer then took them to up to Danby Beacon Chain Home Station for help. Some time later the airmen along with the help finally arrived back at the crash site, following a long walk from the nearest road where their lorry had parked. It was not until 13.00hrs until all airmen were back at the lorry at the nearest road. They finally arrived back at Topcliffe four hours later, where upon they found that their lockers had already been cleared out on the assumption they would not be returning. The crash was put down to the pilot falling asleep at the controls, because of this the aircraft had descended and crashed into the high ground which was flying over.
He would receive his commission to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency) on 25th February 1943. He was promoted to Flying Officer on probation (war substantive) on 25th August 1943 and later to Flight Lieutenant (War Substantive) on 25th February 1945.
Having survived the war he remained in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve until 24th August 1951 and returned to civilian work. He died in 1970
