Sunday, October 28, 2012

Squadron Leader William Walter Blessing, D.S.O., D.F.C. - Course 23

(Photo: Squadron Leader Blessing at investiture at Buckingham Palace, July 28, 1943 IWM/AWM)Blessing was awarded the DFC for leadership in the low-level daylight attack on the railway workshops at Paderbornand, deep in Germany in March 1943, and the DSO for his part in the daylight attack on the optical glassworks at Jena on May 27,1943, when he led a flight of Mosquito aircraft through appalling weather and fierce anti-aircraft fire. On July 7, 1944, Sqn Ldr Blessing was leading lost on operations over Normandy in France on 07 July 1944, and is buried in the La Delivrande War Cemetery near Caen in France. Blessing's brother, Sergeant Pilot Wilson George Blessing was killed in action over the Mediterranean June 15, 1942. He was flying a No. 272 Squadron Beaufighter which was escorting Beaufort torpedo bombers when they were attacked by Me.109's.

No comments:

Post a Comment