For Valour: Wing Commander Geoffrey Leonard Cheshire

Location: June 1940 – September 1944, over Europe

Who: Wing Commander Geoffrey Leonard Cheshire VC DSO** DFC (72021) Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 7 September 1917 – 31 July 1992

The award of the Victoria Cross to Wing Commander Cheshire was unique amongst aviation VC awards during the Second World War. Whereas every other one had been for a single act of valour, Cheshire’s was in recognition of four years of continuous exemplary service. His citation is certainly amongst the longest ever written.

During his RAF career, Group Captain Cheshire flew an extensive range of aircraft: Armstrong-Whitworth Whitley, Handley Page Hampden, Handley Page Halifax, Avro Lancaster, de Havilland Mosquito and North American Mustang: the last two in his Pathfinder and Master Bomber roles.

Cheshire (centre) with 617 Squadron crew

THE LONDON GAZETTE, 8 September 1944

‘The KING ‘has been graciously pleased to confer the VICTORIA CROSS on the under-mentioned officer in recognition of most conspicuous bravery: — Wing Commander Geoffrey Leonard CHESHIRE, D.S.O., D.F.C. (72021), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 617 Squadron. This officer began his operational career in June, 1940. Against strongly-defended targets he soon displayed the courage and determination of an exceptional leader. He was always ready to accept extra risks to ensure success. Defying the formidable Ruhr defences, he frequently released his bombs from below 2,000 feet. Over Cologne in November, 1940, a shell burst inside his aircraft, blowing out one side and starting a fire; undeterred, he went on to bomb his target. About this time, he carried out a number of convoy, patrols in addition to his bombing missions. At the end of his first tour of operational duty in January, 1941, he immediately volunteered for a second. Again, he pressed home his attacks with the utmost gallantry. Berlin, Bremen, Cologne, Duisberg, Essen and Kiel were among the heavily-defended targets which he attacked. When he was posted for instructional duties in January, 1942, he undertook four more operational missions. He started a third operational tour in August, 1942, when he was given command of a squadron. He led the squadron with outstanding skill on a number of missions before being appointed in March, 1943, as a station commander. In October, 1943, he undertook a fourth operational tour, relinquishing the rank of group captain at his own request

so that he could again take part in operations. He immediately set to work as the pioneer of a new method of marking enemy targets involving very low flying. In June, 1944, when marking a target in the harbour at Le Havre in broad daylight and without cloud cover, he dived well below the range of the light batteries before releasing his marker-bombs, and he came very near to being destroyed by the strong barrage which concentrated on him. During his fourth tour which ended in July, 1944, Wing Commander Cheshire led his squadron personally on every occasion, always undertaking the most dangerous and difficult task of marking the target alone from a low level in the face of strong defences. Wing Commander Cheshire’s cold and calculated acceptance of risks is exemplified by his conduct in an. attack on Munich in April, 1944. This was an experimental attack to test out the new method of target marking at low level against a heavily-defended target situated deep in Reich territory. Munich was selected, at Wing Commander Cheshire’s request, because of the formidable nature of its light anti-aircraft and searchlight defences. He was obliged to follow, in bad weather, a direct route which took him over the defences of Augsburg and thereafter he was continuously under fire. As he reached the target, flares were being released by our high-flying aircraft. He was illuminated from above and below. All guns within range opened fire on him. Diving to 700 feet, he dropped his markers with great precision and began to climb away. So blinding were the searchlights that he almost lost control. He then flew over the city at 1,000 feet to assess the accuracy of his work and direct other aircraft. His own was badly hit by shell fragments but he continued to fly over the target area until he was satisfied that he had done all in his power to ensure success. Eventually, when he set course for base, the task of disengaging himself from the defences proved even more hazardous than the approach., For a full twelve minutes after leaving the target area he was under withering fire but he came safely through. Wing Commander Cheshire has now completed a total of 100 missions. In four years of fighting against the bitterest opposition he has maintained a record of outstanding personal achievement, placing himself invariably in the forefront of the battle. What he did in the Munich operation was typical of the careful planning, brilliant, execution and contempt for danger which has established for Wing Commander Cheshire a reputation second to none in Bomber Command.’

Armstrong Whitworth Whitley (1938)

Cheshire did not fly any further operational missions, being given command appointments, including to the British Joint Mission in Washington. Unbeknownst to him, he was being groomed for his final active duty: to be one of two official British scientific observers to the dropping of the atomic bomb ‘Fat Man‘ on Nagasaki on 9 August, flying in Silverplate Boeing B 29 Superfortess ‘Big Stink‘. More details of Cheshire and his involvement in the atomic attack on Nagasaki are in an earlier Museum blog.

Boeing B 29 Superfortress (1945)

Now again a Group Captain, Cheshire was discharged from the service in January 1946 and later founded the charitable Cheshire Homes. In January 1981, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II appointed him to the Order of Merit and in January 1991 he was ennobled for his charitable works as Baron Cheshire of Woodhall in the County of Lincolnshire [after RAF Woodhall Spa].

His Medal Bar, including the Victoria Cross, is held by Imperial War Museum, London, together with a large volume of his military and private papers.

He lies in St Mary’s Churchyard, Cavendish, Suffolk.

Credits:

Citation: London Gazette 8 September 1944.

Additional biographical details: For Valour: The Air VCs Chaz Bowyer, Grub Street Publishing.

Atomic Heritage Foundation (https://ahf.nuclearmuseum.org/ahf/history/hiroshima-and-nagasaki-missions-planes-crews/)

Multiple websites

Photographs all RAF Museum unless otherwise credited

1. Signed portrait. Crown Copyright CH 13626

2. Cheshire (centre) with 617 Squadron crew

3. Armstrong Whitworth Whitley

4. Boeing B 29 Silverplate Superfortress ‘Big Stink’ (Silverplate were specially modified to be nuclear capable. ‘Big Stink’, renamed ‘Dave’s Dream’, dropped an atomic bomb on Bikini Atoll during Operation Crossroads July 1946.) Atomic Heritage Foundation

5. Cheshire’s grave. Author via The War Graves Photographic Project (www.twgpp.org)