An extremely rare Second World War 'Burma' D.F.C., Venezuelan Cross of Las Fuerzas Aereas,...

An extremely rare Second World War ‘Burma’ D.F.C., Venezuelan Cross of Las Fuerzas Aereas, group of seven awarded to Wellington, Dakota and Liberator pilot Wing Commander C. V. Beadon, 215 Squadron, Royal Air Force, who carried out 3 tours of operations, including 2 over Burma. The latter proving particularly hazardous, when on 1 January 1945, Beadon’s aircraft was described as trailing ‘Rivers of flame. The plane was hit when making an attack from only 150 feet above the Burma-Siam railway. The shell blasted a hole two feet square in the fuselage and tore away the tail gun turret doors, starting rivulets of flame in the turret as the hydraulic oil gushed from a broken pip and caught alight...’ Using ‘the tea and water in their flasks, as well as fire extinguishers... to fight the blaze in the rear-gun turret. They flew 500 miles over the Bay of Bengal with the turret aflame then, exhausted by their struggles, flew another 500 miles before reaching the base in India... they had survived one of the most hazardous journeys experienced by Eastern Air Command Liberators.’

Surviving the war, and on the orders of Churchill, Beadon took part in the ‘kidnapping’ of the King of Buganda in November 1953. Arriving in Entebbe, Beadon kept the engines of his Hastings aircraft running as King “Freddie” was dragged screaming across the tarmac and bundled in the back with a blanket of his head. Beadon served as British Air Attaché in Caracas, 1954-57, and later became an authority on Dowsing - pinpointing large deposits of oil in Africa and South America

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1945’; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Coronation 1953, unnamed as issued; Venezuela, 2nd Class Cross of Las Fuerzas Aereas, 18 ct gold and enamel, in Huguenin case of issue, with related dress miniature also in 18 ct. gold and enamel, British awards mounted as originally worn but lacking retaining pin, generally very fine or better (lot) £4,000-£5,000

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Provenance: Spink Circular 1999.

D.F.C. London Gazette 17 August 1945. The recommendation states:

‘This Flight Commander has recently completed his third tour of operations, and his second in this theatre. His cheerfulness, undoubted courage and devotion to duty have been of the highest order, and have contributed largely to the success of numerous operations. His sorties during this tour have been on Wellington, Dakota and Liberator aircraft, and have included daylight attacks on Rangoon, Bangkok and Mbulmein, supply dropping to the 14th Army during the monsoon period of 1944, and as Pathfinder for the Group attacks on Bangkok. He was recently awarded a Command Mention for bringing back his badly damaged aircraft a distance of over 1000 miles after attacking successfully at extremely low level, trains on the Bangkok-Chiengmei railway. He has led the Squadron on several occasions with outstanding success.

Station Commander’s Remarks:

I concur. The actions, which gained S/Ldr. Beadon a Command Mention, illustrate his outstanding qualities which have prevailed throughout this tour as Captain of a Heavy Bomber and a leader both in the air and on the ground.

Remarks of Group Commander:

I very strongly endorse the Remarks of the Station Commander and the Squadron Commander. S/Ldr. Beadon’s work has been quite outstanding. He has proved himself an exceptionally able and courageous Flight Commander and his enthusiasm, coupled with sound judgement, have been an inspiration to the other members of his Squadron.’

Clive Vernon Beadon was born in Coonor, near Poona, India in April 1919. He was the son of Colonel V. Beadon, M.C. 9th Gurkhas, and was educated at the Imperial Service College, Windsor. Beadon was awarded a scholarship to Sandhurst, but elected to go to Royal Air Force College, Cranwell instead. He carried out training as a pilot, was commissioned in 1939, and was posted to 101 Squadron - a Blenheim training unit. Beadon was posted for operational flying, with the outbreak of the Second World War, to 502 Squadron (Whitleys) at St. Eval. The Squadron was part of Coastal Command, and was employed on convoy duties on the Western approaches.

In September 1940 Beadon qualified as a flying instructor at the Central Flying School and spent the next two years training pilots. He was posted to No. 1 Middle East Ferry Control in September 1942, and three months later moved on to India where he flew Wellingtons (and later Liberators) with 215 Squadron against the Japanese in Burma. This was the beginning of a long and hazardous two tour stint on the Burma front - with his log book recording varying targets, engine break ups, crash landings and damage by rifle fire! With perhaps the pinnacle of his flying exploits occurring during an attack on the Siam Railway, 1 January 1945, ‘Loco Strike. Thanbulyat to Milestone 42. Photography of Milestone 6 & M8 North & South town. Milestone 37 direct hit by flack. R/G Killed. A/C write off. Bombs finally jettisoned.’ (Log Book refers)

More detail is added to Beadon’s rather laconic entry above, by the following press article:

‘With its rear gun turret aflame, a RAF Liberator bomber flew for 500 miles over the Bay of Bengal and then, the fire quelled, covered another 500 miles before reaching base in India.

The nose-heavy bomber, its elevators almost shattered by a Japanese A/A shell over Siam, was brought down safely on its home airfield four hours after nightfall by S/Ldr Clive Beadon, of Wokingham-road, Reading, and his second pilot, W/O A. C. Combe, of Endfield-road, Acton, London.

Embers were still glowing in the metal turret when the first aid squad reached it. The gunner had been killed, but the rest of the crew were safe.

The plane was hit when making an attack from only 150 feet above the Burma-Siam railway.

The shell blasted a hole two feet square in the fuselage and tore away the tail gun turret doors, starting rivulets of flame in the turret as the hydraulic oil gushed from a broken pip and caught alight.

Gaining height to avoid more attacks while over Japanese-held territory, S/Ldr Beadon made for the coast 40 miles away. Five hours flight over the sea faced the crew before they could hope to reach friendly coast.

Tea and water in their vacuum flasks, as well as all fire extinguishers, were used to fight the flames.

Sgt. R. Handson, of St. Ivian’s Drive, Gidea Park, Romford, Essex, and Sgt. T. Bennet, of Wakefield-street, Warrington, Lancs., who had been knocked down by the blast of the explosion while manning the beam guns, helped to fight the fire and Sgt. D. J. Morgan, of High-street, Cefmcoed, Merthyr, South Wales climbed from the gunner’s turret to help.

Fuel was transferred from the bomb bay tanks, in the middle of the bomber, to reduce the danger if the fire spread, and burning material was thrown from the back of the aircraft.

After three hours the flames were put out. The red hot gun turret hung precariously on the bomber’s tails, and the controls were sluggish, the Indian coast still far away but “H for Harry” got back.’

Beadon had advanced to Temporary Squadron Leader in July 1944, and was been appointed a Flight Commander. Still on active service when his well-merited D.F.C. was gazette in August 1945, but now on the Operations Staff of H.Q. Air Command, South East Asia, Beadon was unable to attend an Investiture back in the U.K. He did, however, meet King George VI at a later date, the latter telling him that it was to men like him “that we owe our freedom”. Returning home ...