UK WW2 Civil Defence Gallantry Awards

[Nevis]

Rescue of crew from a crashed and burning Lancaster Bomber aircraft (617 Squadron) at Waltham Down, Petworth, in the early morning of the 13th February 1944.

Recommended by West Sussex County Controller No. 12 (S. Eastern) Regional Commissioner Recommends B.E.M dated 5th April 1944.

Case no. 2145A.
George Scutt, 31 years, Private, Dog Kennel Cottages, Duncton Hill, Petworth, Sussex.
Home Guard, Petworth, 1 and 3 quarter years.
Civil Occupation, Tractor Driver.

Case no. 2145B.
Phillip Helyar Chapman, 35 years, Upwaltham Farm Nr. Petworth, Sussex.
Civilian.
Local Authority, Petworth.
Civil Occupation, Farmer.

Case no. 2145C.
Frederick Thomas Denyer, 22 years.
Private, 548 Upwaltham, Petworth, Sussex.
Home Guard, Petworth, 3 and a half years.
Civil Occupation, Cowman.

Case no. 2145D.
Henry Privett, 41 years.
Dog Kennel Cottages, Duncton Hill, Petworth, Sussex.
Civilian.
Local Authority, Petworth.
Civil Occupation, Bricklayer.

Case no. 2145E.
L/Seaman Rochford John Boyd D.S.M, 42 years.
No. P.J 71360, H.M.S. St Barbara, Bognor Regis.
Royal Navy, 27 years.
Previous award; D.S.M. Awarded 29th July 1941.
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Copy of Particulars of Action from Inspector F. Sharp, Police Station, Chichester.

At about 8.20am on Sunday 13th February 1944 the aircraft was heard flying very low over Upwaltham, and very shortly after, a crash was heard, followed by the sound of exploding ammunition. Chapman and Denyer, who were at the farm, immediately left in the direction of the crash, running the whole distance to the scene, a distance of over a mile. Privett, who was at home, called for Scutt and they left in Privett's car in which they travelled as far as possible and ran the remaining distance to the scene of the crash. Chapman and Denyer arrived on the scene first. Ammunition and Verey lights were exploding in all directions and the plane was burning fiercely. Some of the exploding ammunition narrowly missed them as they approached. They were unable to see any of the occupants at first, but a quantity of clothing was scattered about in all directions. A cry for help was then heard, and they called out and received a reply. Privett and Scutt had, by this time, arrived at the scene, and they all skirted the burning plane to the offside front of it, where they found Squadron Leader Suggitt partly in and partly out of the wreckage, and doubled up so that it was impossible for him to move even had he been in a condition to do so. He was obviously very seriously injured. The four men dragged him clear of the burning plane. Oil was spread all round the spot and ammunition and Verey lights were still exploding. By this time, Leading Seaman Boyd D.S.M., had arrived at the scene and from then onwards, the other four seem to have worked under his directions. A parachute was obtained by Mr. Chapman and the injured man was placed on this and carried well clear of the aircraft. Leading Seaman Boyd, after looking round for other casualties, said he thought another airman was alive, and they all went back into the wreckage and recovered this man, who was found to be dead when they got him clear. The men remained on the scene, and rendered what first aid they could to the injured man until he was removed to hospital. The men concered seem to have totally disregarded any danger to themselves and probably saved the injured airman from being burnt in the wreckage. They also seem to have fully appreciated that, apart from the exploding ammunition, there was a risk of bombs being on board the aircraft, and, in fact, I understand that there was one 250 lb. Flash bomb on the aircraft. I have checked this story individually among the men concerned, and each version is substantially identical.
(Signed) F. Sharp.
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Copy of Statement by G. Scutt.

On Sunday, 13th February 1944, I was indoors at home when Privett fetched me out. He told me a plane had crashed at Waltham. I had not heard it. I went with him in his car. The crash was about a mile from our place. We found the plane was badly broken up and burning fiercely. Ammunition and Verey lights were exploding. Small fires of burning oil and petrol were all round a wide area. Mr. Chapman and Denyer arrived just before we did. The sailor arrived very soon after. We all joined in for the search for the crew, going in in a crouching position. We got out one man from near the fuselage and took him to a safe distance. We also got out another man, but afterwards found he was dead. We looked round and found four more, but they were dead. I do not think there was any credit due to one man more than the other; we all did what we could being the first on the scene. I was most concerned about the flying bullets. I said to Privett that there was a bomb on the plane but when we went to look it was the wheel of the plane. The sailor rendered first aid to the injured man as well he could. We stayed until the services arrived. I think the man we got out alive would have been burnt had we not got him out.
(Signed) G.S. Scutt.
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Copy of Statement by P.H. Chapman.

I am a farmer tenant in partnership with my brother at Upwaltham Farm, near Petworth. On Sunday 13th February 1944 at about 8.20am, I was indoors at the farm, when I heard a large plane flying near. I could hear that it was flying very low. Very shortly after it passed over, I heard a crash. There was no sound except for a few moments and then I heard the sound of exploding ammunition. Frederick Thomas Denyer, one of my employees rushed out and we went to the scene, running all the way, to Upwaltham Down, about a mile from my farm. When we arrived, there was no one else on the scene. The plane was badly broken up and on fire. We approached from the rear of the plane, the nearside of it was burning fiercely. Ammunition was still exploding and one round whizzed past as we approached. I saw a quantity of clothing scattered about over a wide area, but for the moment I could not see any trace of the occupants. I thought then I heard someone shout and we shouted back and then heard a cry for help. We made our way round to the offside front of the plane where we saw an airman partly in and partly out of the wreckage, and just a few feet from the main part of the plane. Ammunition was still exploding and Verey lights were going off. By this time George Scutt and Henry Privett had arrived and I shouted to them to help. We lifted the airman clear of the smouldering plane, he seemed to be in terrible pain. There was a large quantity of oil lying around. I fetched a parachute from the rear of the plane, we lifted the airman on to the parachute and carried him well clear. By this time a sailor had also arrived and assisted us. I do not know the sailor. We then went back and got out another airman from further in the wreckage and more towards the front. There were three others close by, but we thought at first that this one was alive. We carried him out but found he was dead. Wefound several other airmen who were dead but there seemed no object in removing these for the moment as the fire did not then appear to be spreading. My brother, who arrived after us, telephoned for the ambulance. A good many arrived then the N.F.S., the police and the ambulance, and as there seemed nothing more we could do, I returned home.
(Signed) P.H. Chapman.
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Copy of Statement by F.T. Denyer.

At about 8.20am on Sunday 13th February 1944, I was working at my employment as a Cowman for Mr. Chapman, Upwaltham Farm, near Petworth. I heard a plane flying low over the buildings. I took no notice at the time, but two or three minutes later, I heard a crash, and a few seconds later I heard ammunition exploding. I went round to Mr. Chapman's house and shouted up to him that I thought a plane had crashed on the hill. He said "Yes, I heard it, I think we had better go up there as soon as we can." We both left straight away and ran most of the way, about a mile, to Waltham Down. We found the wreck by the direction of the sound, as ammunition was exploding all the time. We could not see anything owing to the fog until we came to the wreckage, and then we saw that the plane was on fire. It was burning fiercely, and the ammunition and Verey lights were exploding all round the plane. Some came pretty close, and Mr. Chapman said "Get down" and we approached in a crawling position. We arrived at the scene first. We called out several times while we were searching round and then we heard a cry for help. About this time, Mr. Privett and Mr. Scutt arrived at the scene, and we all four went round to the offside of the plane. We saw an airman half in and half out of the wreckage, with burning oil near him. He cried out in pain as we touched him. We dragged him clear and Mr. Chapman went and fetched a parachute. It was about this time that the sailor arrived, I think it was before we actually touched the airman. We put the airman on to the parachute and carried him to a safe distance. The ammunition on the plane was exploding all the time. We covered the airman with clothing. The sailor and Mr. Scutt used what first aid they could, and the rest of us had a further look round to see whether there were any others of the crew we could find. The sailor said he thought there was another airman alive in the wreckage, and we all went back near where we had found the first man and dragged out a second man. We gothim clear. We found he was dead so we lay him down and left him. Someone, I think it was Scutt and Privett, called out at one time that they thought there was a 1,000 lb. bomb on board, but we later found it was one of the wheels of the plane. After the N.F.S arrived, there was no more for us to do, so I came away with Mr. Chapman. Just before the N.F.S arrived, several of us went back again to the plane, where we found several more bodies, but all were dead, and we left them where they were as the fire had died down somewhat and there seemed little fear of them burning more than they were.
(Signed) F.T. Denyer.
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Copy of Statement by H.W. Privett.

On Sunday, 13th February 1944, I was in my garage at Dog Kennel Cottages, Duncton Hill. It was a thick foggy morning. I heard the plane roar over the first lot of hills. After getting over the hill, I should judge that he was coming down lower, and the next I heard was the engine switched off. Then there was a crash. I called out Scutt and jumped in my car, and we went to the scene. I knew it would be Waltham Down, as that is the highest point. When we arrived, I saw Mr. Chapman and Denyer were already there. The plane was badly broken up and well alight, but it was not till we got right on top of it that we saw the wreck owing to the thick fog. Ammunition was exploding and we heard someone shout "For Christ's sake switch off." We made a dash to find the fellow. He was in a doubled up position near the fuselage between some small ash saplings. We got him out into the open away from the aircraft, and about that time, the sailor arrived. We carried the airman between us, on a parachute, well away from the wreckage. Near where we found him was a quantity of burning oil, some twelve yards away. The sailor said he thought another man in the wreckage was alive and we went back, where we found another man near where the first had been. We got him away from the wreckage and then found that he was dead. We had a further look round and found six men altogether, but the other five were all dead, so we left them. We went back to the injured man, he was pretty badly injured, and I think it was the sailor and Mr. Chapman who rendered first aid to him. the ammunition was exploding all the time and for about half an hour after we got there. When the services arrived we came away. There was something said about bombs on board the plane, but I do not think there was much in it.
(Signed) H.W.Privett.
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Copy of Statement by Leading Seaman Boyd.

During the week-end of the 12th-13th February 1944, I was staying on leave at Tegleaze Farm, near Duncton, Petworth. I was out in the early morning of the 13th February, a Sunday. It was a misty morning with very poor visibility. Soon after 8.15 am., I heard a peculiar thud, I went towards the sound, and as I was going towards it I heard the sound of bursting ammunition, and it was then that I realised that it was probably a plane which had crashed. I hurried towards the sound, uphill for about a mile. As I drew near, I saw the Verey lights going up, and soon after, the glare of the fire. When I arrived there were three or four men there, and it seemed that they were waiting for someone to do something. The thing which worried us most was the fact that something might explode, and of course, ammunition was exploding all the time in all directions. Oil and petrol was burning in patches all about the place, and the fuselage of the machine was well alight.
I think the men who had already arrived had seen some of the crew, so I gathered them together and we went in. We got to one man, who was alive, and was thrown out just clear of the fuselage. We went to move him and he groaned in pain. The others seemed unwilling to move him but I realised that it was essential, so he was rolled on a parachute and carried clear, some 100-150 yards down behind a bank. I made him as comfortable as I could for the time being. I then led the others back to see if the other airmen were alive. We turned over several, obviously beyond human aid, and one who I thought was alive, who I and the others dragged away some 20-30 yards from the fire. We laid him down and on further examination I found he was dead too. We had made sure by this time that all the others we could find were dead, so I went back to the one who was alive. He was obviously badly injured and I asked someone to look round for some first aid kit. Some was found and with that I patched him up as well as I could and covered him with the men's coats. The airman regained consciousness occasionally, but I could not get any information from him as to how many were in the plane. I got the other men to have a further look round and two more dead bodies were found. I stayed with the injured man until the ambulance arrived and he was taken away. Ammunition was exploding most of the time we were there, and we were all rather windy at first that the plane may have been carrying bombs, but I assured the men that they would have gone off early on had there been any, as the fuselage was well alight. In my opinion equal credit is due to the other men who were there, but one man in Home Guard uniform, the biggest man of them, seemed more anxious than any to do his job, and he was better in facing the fire and ammunition which was whizzing about, some of it coming pretty close.
(Signed) R.J. Boyd.
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Copy of Statement by Inspector F. Sharp.

With regard to the man George Scutt; while this man suffered no direct injury as a result of his action, he was incapacitated for three weeks during which time he was attended by Dr. Drewitt of Petworth, who certifies that he was suffering from palpitations and a neurotic condition which, in his view was brought about by his experience at the scene of the aircraft crash. He has now resumed his occupation as a tractor driver. Mr Scutt is, no doubt, the man referred to in Leading Seaman Boyd's statement as being the most anxious and willing one of the party, notwithstanding the fact that he is a man who would easily be upset at a sight such as this accident must have been.
(Signed) F. Sharp.
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