AFM Citation for 1358087 G. Crossley Jun 1954

[clive n]

The Yorkshire Post & Leeds Intelligencer in presenting its list of those honoured states
"We have included in our list of persons honoured all whom we know to have Yorkshire associations".

Was Geoffrey Crossley being stationed at Leeming at the time of the award deemed a ".. Yorkshire association" or did the term imply closer links?

Best of luck with the search.

Thanks once again from a quick look at the history of RAF Leeming I am definetly going to need a lot of luck it would appear Leeming had fighter aircraft there in 1954 so what did a Navigator do to earn a flying decoration?

[Lesley Robertson]

He was aircrew, everybody in the crew was generally considered to have contributed. Awarding of medals could be a bit erratic, though. For example, the pilot and observer of of a plane shot down over Maastricht were awarded the VC, the wireless operator/ air gunner (LAC Lawrence Royston Reynolds) got nothing (see HERE).

[clive n]

Many thanks Lesley, I have just learnt that Geoffrey Crossley served as a Master Navigator and during the war trained Navigators in Canada, post war he served on Canberra aircraft and was awarded the Air Force Medal in the Queens Birthday Honours List in June 1954 but for what particular act I have yet to ascertain. Kind Regards Clive

[Lesley Robertson]

While waiting for the kettle to boil, I had a quick Google on the medal itself since I wasn't that familiar with it. This is what one site said:
"The Air Force Medal was instituted in 1918 at the same time as the AFC this was to reward NCO's and men of the RAF for courage or devotion to duty whilst flying but not in operational areas. .... Just 259 medals were awarded for World War Two. This was replaced by the AFC in 1993."

"Devotion to duty" suggests that it could be cumulative rather than for something specific... It might be recognition of the time he spent as a trainer. I wonder where he was serving on the Canberras, do you know th squadron?

[clive n]

Good Morning Lesley, Thanks for that I believe Geoffrey was stationed in Germany just prior to the award at Laarbruch and Gelsenkirchen which was indicate 59 Squadron which in turn changed there squadron number to 3 Squadron. Many thanks Clive