FLYING CROSS 1945
The Greek government instituted four
separate decorations for their Air Force on 18 January 1941. These were
the Flying Cross 1941, the Air Force Cross 1941, the Flying Medal 1941,
and the Air Force Medal 1941. They were never struck, although their
ribands were made and worn by recipients for services similar to the
British DFC, AFC, DFM and AFM. These ribands were changed again before
being revised and new awards instituted on 25 January 1945
(Purves,1986). The Flying Cross 1945 is equivalent to the British
Distinguished Flying Cross and even though a Air Force Valour Cross was
among the new Greek awards it is believed this is the award received by
New Zealanders.
The Decoration is a gold cross, composed of four wings with the royal cypher at its centre, suspended from a crown. The medal is pendent on the top of the cross by a riband consisting of 4mm diagonal stripes of red and yellow with very narrow scarlet borders (Dorling, 1960). It was awarded to flying Officers and Non-commissioned Officers for acts of valour during war as shown in the photo at left (Romanoff, 1987).
FLYING CROSS 1945
40784 Squadron Leader Sidney Weetman Rochford HUGHES
RAF, Sunderland flying boat pilot involved in the evacuation of
Greece April 1941. Then shot down on the Benghazi coast in December 1941,
returned to allied lines with crew and 150 prisoners. Listed in London
Gazette 29 December 1942. Educated Waitaki Boys High School. Previously joined RNZAF in 1937 then transferred to RAF in 1938. Later Air Marshall Sir Rochford Hughes KCB CBE AFC Commander in Chief Far East Air Force. Died at Taupo Sep 1996.[RAF Web Entry]
36174 Flight Lieutenant Henry William LAMOND
RAF, Sunderland flying boat pilot involved in the evacuation of
Greece April 1941. On 25 April 1941 he flew two evacuation missions, the
second flight of 72 passengers still stands as the record number of
passengers ever carried in flight by a Sunderland. He was subsequently
missing on air operations when his aircraft crashed on landing during a
mission later that evening and was taken prisoner of war. Prisoner in Stalag Luft III during the 'Great Escape'. Listed in London
Gazette 29 December 1942. Joined RAF in 1939. Later Wing Commander
Lamond, British Air Forces of Occupation, Germany.