Normandy Post

Happy Birthday to Flight Lieutenant John Cruickshank VC 🇬🇧 104 today. Born #onthisday 20 May 1920. John Alexander Cruickshank VC is a Scottish former banker, former Royal Air Force officer, & a Second World War recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC). Cruickshank was awarded the VC for sinking a German U-boat & then, despite serious injuries, safely landing his aircraft. He is the last living recipient to have been awarded the VC during the Second World War. The announcement & accompanying citation for the decoration was published in a supplement to The London Gazette, reading: Air Ministry, 1st September, 1944. 'The King has been graciously pleased to confer the Victoria Cross on the undermentioned officer in recognition of most conspicuous bravery: — Flying Officer John Alexander Cruickshank (126700), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. No. 210 Squadron. This officer was the captain & pilot of a Catalina flying boat which was recently engaged on an anti-submarine patrol over northern waters. When a U-boat was sighted on the surface, Flying Officer Cruickshank at once turned to the attack. In the face of fierce anti-aircraft fire he manoeuvred into position & ran in to release his depth charges. Unfortunately they failed to drop. Flying Officer Cruickshank knew that the failure of this attack had deprived him of the advantage of surprise & that his aircraft offered a good target to the enemy's determined & now heartened gunners. Without hesitation, he climbed & turned to come in again. The Catalina was met by intense and accurate fire & was repeatedly hit. The navigator/bomb aimer was killed. The second pilot & two other members of the crew were injured. Flying Officer Cruickshank was struck in seventy-two places, receiving two serious wounds in the lungs & ten penetrating wounds in the lower limbs. His aircraft was badly damaged & filled with the fumes of exploding shells. But he did not falter. He pressed home his attack, & released the depth charges himself, straddling the submarine perfectly. The U-boat was sunk. He then collapsed & the second pilot took over the controls. He recovered shortly afterwards &, though bleeding profusely, insisted on resuming command & retaining it until he was satisfied that the damaged aircraft was under control, that a course had been set for base & that all the necessary signals had been sent. Only then would he consent to receive medical aid & have his wounds attended to. He refused morphia in case it might prevent him from carrying on. During the next five & a half hours of the return flight he several times lapsed into unconsciousness owing to loss of blood. When he came to his first thought on each occasion was for the safety of his aircraft & crew. The damaged aircraft eventually reached base but it was clear that an immediate landing would be a hazardous task for the wounded & less experienced second pilot. Although able to breathe only with the greatest difficulty, Flying Officer Cruickshank insisted on being carried forward & propped up in the second pilot's seat. For a full hour, in spite of his agony & ever-increasing weakness, he gave orders as necessary, refusing to allow the aircraft to be brought down until the conditions of light & sea made this possible without undue risk. With his assistance the aircraft was safely landed on the water. He then directed the taxying and beaching of the aircraft so that it could easily be salvaged. When the medical officer went on board, Flying Officer Cruickshank collapsed & he had to be given a blood transfusion before he could be removed to hospital. By pressing home the second attack in his gravely wounded condition & continuing his exertions on the return journey with his strength failing all the time, he seriously prejudiced his chance of survival even if the aircraft safely reached its base. Throughout, he set an example of determination, fortitude & devotion to duty in keeping with the highest traditions of the Service.'