Distinguished Flying Cross : Squadron Leader J C Holmes, 460 Squadron RAAF

Places	Europe: Germany Oceania: Australia, Queensland, Toowoomba
Accession Number	REL/14938.001
Collection type	Heraldry
Object type	Award
Physical description	Silver
Maker	Unknown
Place made	United Kingdom
Date made	c 1945
Conflict	Second World War, 1939-1945

Description

Distinguished Flying Cross. Privately engraved reverse with recipient's details and date of death.

History / Summary

405792 Squadron Leader John Cecil Holmes, served in 460 Squadron, RAAF. Born in Brisbane in 1921, he worked as a woolclasser in Toowoomba before his enlistment in the RAAF on 20 June 1941. He qualified as a pilot and flew Lancasters for 460 Squadron. He was promoted to Squadron Leader on 25 January 1945. Holmes was awarded a posthumous Distinguished Flying Cross, on 1 March 1946. The citation reads, 'As a pilot Squadron Leader HOLMES has completed numerous operations against the enemy in the course of which he has invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty'. Holmes was involved in many of the huge night bombing raids on industrial and civilian targets in Germany, including Dresden and Chemnitz. On 5-6 March 1945 twenty one Lancasters from 460 Squadron were involved in a 1,100 bomber raid on the Chemnitz Armaments Works, which proved to be Holmes' last. Flying Lancaster PB557 Holmes and his crew died when their damaged aircraft made a forced landing near the village of Prieffe and its bomb load exploded. Their resting place was marked by the Germans with a large wooden cross bearing the words 'Here lie eight English flyers killed in a crash on 5 March 1945.