Air Force Association - SA Division

19 July 1945: FLGOFF Jack Cox awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for action serving with 455SQN (RAAF)

Did you know that on this day in 1945, FLGOFF Jack Cox was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for service with 455SQN flying Beaufighters in Europe?

Jack Geoffrey Cox was a farmer near Dungog, NSW, when he enlisted in the RAAF in 1941. He completed initial training in Australia and then proceeded to Canada and England via the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Arriving at 455 SQN on 16 June 1944, Jack Cox went on his first combat mission on 29 June 1944. Taking off just after 3.30am from RAF Langham in Norfolk England, FLGOFF Jack Cox and his navigator, SGT Ibbotson, joined five other 455SQN Beaufighters and five 489 SQN (RAF) Beaufighters on an anti shipping patrol between Dunkirk and Holland. They encountered a convoy of two minesweepers, two trawlers and nine other small ships making for the harbour at the Hook of Holland.

As they lined up to attack the ships, Cox found his aircraft (Beaufighter Mk X UB-J) closest to shore and within range of heavy flak. An initial salvo smashed into his aircraft hitting the leading edges of the wings and front of the aircraft. He lost all instrumentation except for compass and air speed. Pressing on, flak exploded above his cockpit throwing shrapnel into his arm. As Cox successfully engaged the ships flying over them at mast height, the aircraft again took flak at its rear rendering the escape hatch for his navigator inoperable.

Faced with no idea of his fuel reserves, oil, altitude or engine revs, Cox decided to return to England. Cox flew the badly damaged Beaufighter back to base at Langham, where he successfully made a belly landing. The aircraft overshot the runway and came to rest in a cabbage patch. He crawled out of the badly damaged aircraft and stood on its wing waiting for an ambulance while rescue crews got his gunner out.

Cox was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 19 July 1945 for his actions on that mission and subsequent others. He survived the war reaching the rank of Flight Lieutenant surviving another crash landing in a Beaufighter and two in Hudsons. Given his misfortune with flak on his first mission on 29 June 1944, 455 SQN gave him the nickname ‘Flak Jack’ Cox.

Photos of FLGOFF Cox, his badly damaged Beaufighter and 455SQN Beaufighters courtesy of Australian War Memorial Digital Online Collection (public domain, copyright expired)

We are deeply saddened to hear of the recent passing of Bomber Command veteran, AFA-SA member and friend, 103 year old Ray Merrill DFC.

Born in Port Augusta in 1922, Ray initially worked with the Commonwealth Railways before enlisting in the RAAF on ANZAC Day 1943. After completing basic training at Victor Harbour, he completed initial training at No 1 Wireless Air Gunnery School, Ballarat, and No 3 Bombing and Gunnery School, West Sale, before proceeding overseas for service in the European theatre.

Arriving in England, he was posted to No 11 Operational Training Unit to conduct heavy bomber training with a new crew on the Wellington bomber. He once recalled how one day he was sitting in the mess and a bloke came up and said, “I'm looking for a Rear Gunner” – to which Ray replied “You’ve got one”. And from that day, he flew with that crew for the remainder of his operational tour.

Ray was posted to No. 218 Squadron RAF. He flew 15 operational missions in Stirlings before his crew converted to the Lancaster to complete another 21 missions on the famous Lanc. His tour of duty with 218 SQN was eventful as most Bomber Command tours were.

In the early hours of 6 June 1944, he was in one of six 218SQN aircraft dropping window off the coast of Calais to simulate an invasion force and divert German attention away from the Normandy beaches located 240 kilometers away. Ray’s job was to throw the window through the bomb bay at six second intervals to spoof German coastal radars as the aircraft flew repeated approaches to the coastline for several hours. Called Operation Glimmer, the somewhat unheralded operation proved particularly successful contributing to German confusion and their forces and leadership believing an invasion was possibly occurring at Calais and thus keeping two German Panzer Divisions in the Calais area for several weeks. On their return to base, Ray and his crew observed the real invasion fleet crossing the English Channel for Normandy – a spectacular sight he said he would never forget.

He used to tell the story of a night mission where he had a close encounter with a Messerschmitt fighter. Ray’s Lancaster was just outside a searchlight cone and was a German fighter in the searchlight cone behind the Lancaster. Ray could see the pilot’s face it was that close and lit up in the searchlight. Ray elected to play it safe and did not fire his tail turrets guns believing that if he missed, the German fighter was certain to return fire at Ray and his aircraft. It was the closest he got to the enemy. He later profoundly recalled it wasn’t his job to shoot the fighters down – he was there to protect the crew and get them home safely.

This was no more typified than on another night bombing mission when Ray’s Lancaster flying at high altitude was suddenly hit by incendiary bombs dropped from a Lancaster above them. The small bombs crashed through the rear of the aircraft entering the fuselage and started to ignite threatening to cause catastrophic failure. Ray, sitting in the tail turret and realizing he was the only one who could do anything about the situation, immediately got out of the turret and threw the igniting incendiaries out of the fuselage through the open bomb doors and holes in the fuselage from which they entered.

He also used to tell the story of when he joined fellow squadron members in recovering bodies from a 218 SQN bomber that crashed attempting to recover to their airfield after a mission killing all on board. The scenes were horrendous as one would imagine particularly for 20-year-old Ray as he himself was embarking on a mission that night and returned to his barracks to find the seven empty beds of the crew mates he had recovered earlier in the day. A sobering and traumatic experience for anyone.

Ray went on to complete 36 missions in Bomber Command – six more than a normal tour of duty. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross – the Citation stating for “Skill and fortitude in operations against the enemy.” Ironically, he was invited to go to Buckingham Palace to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross from King George. But he was torn – the presentation was to be made on the same day that a favourite greyhound of his, a one-eye dog called Bluey, was scheduled for a big race at Sheffield. If Bluey drew the barrier, he was unbeatable. Needless to say, King and country did not come first on the day but Bluey did and so did Ray and his mates at the track. His CO berated him but the DFC eventually found its way to Ray later.

Ray returned to Australia in July 1945 and was discharged from the RAAF in November 1945 as a Flying Officer. Completing three and half years service including a full operational tour in Bomber Command and a subsequent instructor posting, Ray’s awards included the Distinguished Flying Cross, the 1939 – 1945 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939 – 1945, and the Australian Service Medal 1939 – 1945. In 2015, he was awarded the Légion d’Honneur by the French Government.

Ray's brother, Fred, also served in World War 2 in the RAAF as aircrew but as a pilot with 463SQN and 242 SQN (RAF). Both served in Bomber Command. Both flew missions on D-Day. Both were awarded the DFC. (AWM)

Ray regularly attended our Bomber Command Commemorative Service and it was an honour for us to present his story as part of the keynote address at the 2023 Bomber Command Commemorative Service.

He was a friend of RAAF Edinburgh’s and several times visited the base engaging serving members. In late 2023, he presented AIRCDRE Adrian Maso, Senior RAAF Officer South Australia and Commander Air Warfare Centre with a copy of a letter from General Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force in World War, addressed to the soldiers, airmen and sailors who fought in the D-Day Landings. He presented the letter to be displayed in the Officers Mess RAAF Edinburgh to remind today’s aviators of the service, courage and sacrifice of those who flew in World War 2 and to inspire them to continue the legacy of our World War 2 aviators.

Ray regularly participated in the Adelaide Anzac Day March.
A true character and loved member of the Adelaide veteran community, his stories of service and courage featured in the press, social media, ceremonies, Air Force engagements, reminding us of the sacrifices, dedication and airmanship our WW2 veterans exhibted in our nations dire time of need. In 2021, Ray featured in one of the Air Force’s 10 Iconic Aircraft video’s on the Lancaster aircraft.

Farewell and Fair Skies our friend and thank you for your distinguished service to our nation. You are one of a special generation that our country is forever indebted to. Your deeds will not be forgotten.

Your service is now done. You can now stand down.

You can read more about Ray Merrill in World War 2 by reading his Aviator Profile on our website: https://afasa.org.au/aviator-profiles/raymond-lewis-merrill

Greg Weller
Vice-President
AFA-SA

Images courtesy of Australian War Memorial, Department of Defence, Luke Scott Images and AFA-SA.