Full medal write up
DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, G.VI.R., REVERSE OFFICIALLY DATED '1944', IN ROYAL MINT CASE OF ISSUE, 1939-1945 STAR, AIR CREW EUROPE STAR, DEFENCE AND WAR MEDALS, NEW ZEALAND WAR SERVICE MEDAL, ALL CONTEMPORARILY ENGRAVED 'FG. OFF. G.B. PAGE. D.F.C. 417289 R.N.Z.A.F.' BAR THE AIR CREW EUROPE STAR.
D.F.C. London Gazette 27 June 1944. The Recommendation states:
"This Officer has completed numerous operations against the enemy, in the course of which he has invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty."
417289 Flying Officer Gordon Ballinghall Page was born at Riccarton, Christchurch, New Zealand, on 29 February 1908. A dairy and stud cattle breeder by trade, he served in the 1st Battalion Canterbury Regiment (Territorial Service), as Corporal, 1927-39. He attested at Levin, New Zealand for Service with the Royal New Zealand Air Force on 28 December 1941 and with the rank of Aircraftman 2nd Class, embarked for Canada to complete further training, 2 February 1942. Promoted Sergeant Air Navigator on 14 August 1942 and Flight Sergeant on 15 May 1943, he was posted to 51 Squadron at Snaithness, Scotland on 8 July 1943, flying on Halifax’s.
Taking part in his first operational sorting on 27 July, a 'Firestorm' raid on Hamburg, two days later, he again took part in a sortie to Hamburg, with his final sortie of July was aborted. On 2 August, yet again, he took part in a sortie to Hamburg and on 17 August ,‘Operation Hydra’, the first major raid on the rocket research facility at Peenemünde:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Hydra_(1943)
Commissioned Pilot Officer, Royal New Zealand Air Force………………
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A fine and most complete D.F.C. group to a New Zealander.