For Valour : Lieutenant Francis Hubert (Frank) McNamara, VC, Australian Forces, Royal Flying Corps
4 April 1894 – 2 November 1961
March 20, 1917, over Palestine
In the Middle East, Britain was fighting German and Turkish forces over a wide area, from the Mediterranean coast to the trackless deserts, with air power an essential element of force formations, given the vast distances to be covered. In addition to the natural perils of heat and thirst from a forced landing in the desert, Turkish troops had a fearsome reputation – whether deserved or not – amongst British servicemen for cruelty to prisoners, so every effort was made to recover any downed airman in enemy-held territory.
McNamara’s personal VC (RAF Museum 910199D)
Frank McNamara had the distinction of being the only Australian to be awarded a Victoria Cross for aerial activities in the First World War [Great War]. On 20 March 1917, McNamara was a member of 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, ordered to bomb a Turkish railway train near Wadi Hesse, Gaza. McNamara was pilot of a Martinsyde G 100 fighter serial 7486, modified to carry bombs. The attacking force also included a Royal Aircraft Factory BE 2c serial 4479, piloted by Captain Rutherford.
Martinsyde G 100 Scout (RAF Museum X003-2602-8248)
The London Gazette Friday 8 June 1917:
‘For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during an aerial bomb attack upon a hostile construction train, when one of our pilots was forced to land behind the enemy’s lines, Lt. McNamara, observing this pilot’s predicament and the fact that hostile cavalry were approaching, descended to his rescue.
He did this under heavy rifle fire and in spite of the fact that he himself had been severely wounded in the thigh. He landed about 200 yards from the damaged machine, the pilot of which climbed on to Lt. McNamara’s machine, and an attempt was made to rise.
A photograph of what is believed to be the machine McNamara
flew for his VC mission (RAF Museum X004-7598/031)
Owing, however, to his disabled leg, Lt. McNamara was unable to keep his machine straight, and it turned over. The two officers, having extricated themselves, immediately set fire to the machine and made their way across to the damaged machine, which they succeeded in starting. Finally Lt. McNamara, although weak from loss of blood, flew this machine back to the aerodrome, a distance of seventy miles, and thus completed his comrade’s rescue.’
A much fuller description of this action than the London Gazette’s version is contained in ‘For Valour’ (see bibliography), which this author commends; a copy may be consulted in the Reading Room at RAF Museum London.
Royal Aircraft Factory BE 2c (RAF Museum X003-2602/9941)
After the Armistice, McNamara enjoyed a highly meritorious career in both the Royal Australian Air Force and, latterly, the Royal Air Force. He retired in July 1946 as Air Vice-Marshal McNamara VC, CB, CBE.
His VC is held by RAF Museum London.
Grave marker
(Taken by the author via The War Graves Photographic Project www.twgpp.org)
He is buried in St Joseph’s Church Cemetery, Chalfont St Peter, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire.
Credits:
- Citation: London Gazette Friday 8 June 1917
- Additional biographical details: For Valour: The Air VCs Chaz Bowyer, Grub Street Publishing
