For Valour: Flight Lieutenant David Samuel Anthony Lord

Location: 19 September 1944, over Arnhem, Netherlands

Who: Flight Lieutenant David Samuel Anthony Lord (49149), VC DFC , Royal Air Force
18 October 1913 – 19 September 1944

On 17 September 1944, the British First Airborne Army, also incorporating American and Polish troops, launched an attack on major bridges in Holland, most memorably at Arnhem. This bore the name Operation Market. At the same time, the British Army’s XXX Corps launched a ground offensive to relieve the airborne forces, under the name Operation Garden. By 19 September, the majority of the British troops at Arnhem were under very heavy German attack and running short of supplies. So a desperate effort was made for air resupply missions.

Lord (centre, standing), captain of Dakota over Burma.
Note non-standard defensive armament. RAF Museum P004599

A much fuller description is being published in parallel blogs entitled ‘The Role of the RAF in Operation Market Garden‘.

RAF Dakota III

Flight Lieutenant Lord was assigned to 271 Squadron, 46 Group, based at RAF Down Ampney. On 19 September he was captain and pilot of Douglas Dakota Mk. III serial KG 374, coded YS.DM. His was one of 17 Dakotas in the train, take off starting at 1.00pm.

Earlier successful resupply drop. The National Archives AIR 14/3650

London Gazette 13 November 1945.

‘The KING has been graciously pleased to confer the VICTORIA CROSS on the under-mentioned officer in recognition of most conspicuous bravery: — Flight Lieutenant David Samuel Anthony LORD, D.F.C. (49149), R.A.F., 271 Sqn. (deceased).

Flight Lieutenant Lord was pilot and captain of a Dakota aircraft detailed to drop supplies at Arnhem on the afternoon of the 19th September, 1944. Our airborne troops had been surrounded and were being pressed into a small area defended by a large number of anti-aircraft guns. Air crews were warned that intense opposition would be met over the dropping zone.

Painting of Lord’s Dakota on fire. Artist Chris Golds framed oil on canvas. RAF Museum FA05563

To ensure accuracy they were ordered to fly at 900 feet when dropping their containers. While flying at 1,500 feet near Arnhem the starboard wing of Flight Lieutenant Lord’s aircraft was twice hit by anti-aircraft fire. The starboard engine was set on fire. He would have been justified in leaving the main stream of supply aircraft and continuing at the same height or even abandoning his aircraft.

But on learning that his crew were uninjured and that the dropping zone would be reached in three minutes he said he would complete his mission, as the troops were in dire need of supplies. By now the starboard engine was burning furiously.

Ginkel Heath Drop Zone where Lord crashed: memorial to left. Author

Flight Lieutenant Lord came down to 900 feet, where he was singled out for the concentrated fire of all the anti-aircraft guns. On reaching the dropping zone he kept the aircraft on a straight and level course while supplies were dropped.

At the end of the run, he was told that two containers remained. Although he must have known that the collapse of the starboard wing could not be long delayed, Flight Lieutenant Lord circled, rejoined the stream of aircraft and made a second run to drop the remaining supplies.

Memorial to Lord and his crew. Author

These manoeuvres took eight minutes in all, the aircraft being continuously under heavy anti-aircraft fire. His task completed, Flight Lieutenant Lord ordered his crew to abandon the Dakota, making no attempt himself to leave the aircraft, which was down to 500 feet. A few seconds later, the starboard wing collapsed and the aircraft fell in flames.

There was only one survivor, who was flung out while assisting other members of the crew to put on their parachutes. By continuing his mission in a damaged and burning aircraft, descending to drop the supplies accurately, returning to the dropping zone a second time and, finally, remaining at the controls to give his crew a chance of escape, Flight Lieutenant Lord displayed supreme valour and self-sacrifice.’

Dakota cockpit. Author at Yorkshire Air Museum

The delay between Lord’s heroic flight and the VC award was because it was based upon the evidence of the only survivor from Lord’s aircraft, when he was finally released from a PoW camp.

The ultimate sadness was that Lord’s sacrifice was in vain: German forces had already overrun the Drop Zone but a breakdown in communications meant that 46 Group was unaware of this and aircrew had been ordered to disregard any contradictory messages or signals from the ground, which could have been German deceptions.

All RAF VC 10 aircraft bore names of VC holders: his name has just been unveiled. RAF Museum

He lies in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Arnhem Oosterbeek Military Cemetery.

Author via The War Graves Photographic Project

David Lord’s Victoria Cross is on display at Imperial War Museum, London.

Credits:

• Citation: London Gazette 13 November 1945
• A Bridge Too Far Cornelius Ryan Hamish Hamilton 1974 (highly recommended by this author)
• Additional biographical details: For Valour: The Air VCs Chaz Bowyer, Grub Street Publishing.