Full medal write up
DISTINGUISHED FLYING MEDAL GVIR ‘1245952 SGT. J.H. MALLIN. R.A.F.’, 1939-45 STAR, AIR CREW EUROPE STAR, WAR MEDAL 1939-45. WITH ORIGINAL NAMED BOX OF ISSUE FOR CAMPAIGN MEDALS.
D.F.M. London Gazette 19 October 1943. The original recommendation for an ‘immediate’ award states:
"Sergeant James Mallin has completed 21 successful sorties (operational) against the most heavily defended targets in Germany. On the night of 23rd/24th September 1943, Sergeant Mallin was the rear gunner of a Lancaster aircraft detailed to attack Mannheim. After leaving the target which was successfully bombed, the aircraft was attacked by a single-engined fighter, believed to be an ME-109. Sergeant Mallin drove off the attack but the enemy aircraft almost immediately returned to attack from astern and below.
The Lancaster was hit by cannon fire but Sergeant Mallin coolly reported to his Captain whilst engaging the enemy. This N.C.O.'s successful gunnery caused the aircraft to burst into flames and go down to the ground where it was seen to crash and explode. During his operational career Sergeant Mallin's cool determination and skilful handling of his guns caused an ME-109 to disappear out of control into the clouds below on the night of 29th/30th July 1943, and previous to that, on the night of 5th/6th May 1943, his fire damaged a Ju.88.
By his coolness and courage under fire and his skilful gunnery, Sergeant Mallin has proved himself an outstanding and gallant member of aircrew whose latest success well merits the immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Medal."
James Henry Mallin, a Carpenter by trade was born in Birmingham in 1911. Serving with the Birmingham Police as a Special Reservist from 30 August 1939 he resigned on 20 December 1940 in order to enlist with the Royal Air Force. Qualifying as a rear gunner with the rank of Sergeant, he was posted to 1660 Conversion unit, joining the crew of Flight Lieutenant (later Squadron Leader) William James Lewis, with whom he would fly all his operational sorties with.
The Lewis Crew, including Mallin, who would serve as a Rear Gunner, were posted to 44 Squadron on 21 April 1943, which operated Lancaster bombers. The crew took part in their first operational sortie on the night of 4/5 May 1943; a raid on Dortmund, during which Sergeant Mallin claimed a Ju88 nightfighter damaged. Over the next two months, the Mallin would take part in a further 10 sorties, which included raids to Duisberg, Pilsen, Essen, Wuppertal, Dusseldorf, Oberhausen, Friedrichshafen, Spezia, Gelsenkirchen and twice to Cologne.
On 21 July 1943, the Lewis Crew (Lewis now a Squadron Leader), including Mallin, were posted to 467 (Royal Australian Air Force) Squadron……..
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During the war, both 44 and 467 Squadrons saw amongst the highest casualty rates of any Lancaster squadrons.
Condition GVF. DFM ribbon, which is original, has been removed and sewn back in place as a single longer length. The likely to be washed as the die from the purple has mixed with the white thread slightly. Complete with its original clip which is filled upside down, this award was clearly worn by a member of the diseased family. Sold with digital copies of original DFM recommendation, Operational logs for both Squadrons and transcripts of all Mallin’s sorties extracted from the latter.
An extremely fine group to a Lancaster Rear Gunner who shot down or damaged three German aircraft.