John Dering Nettleton
Encyclopedia
Squadron Leader
John Dering Nettleton VC
(28 June 1917 - 13 July 1943) was a South Africa
n recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
, South Africa
, the son of Admiral A T D. Nettleton, he was educated at Western Province Preparotary school (WPPS) in Cape Town, Nettleton then served as a Naval cadet on the General Botha training ship and then for 18 months in the South African Merchant Marine. He took up civil engineering, working in various parts of South Africa.
Commissioned in the RAF in December 1938, he then served with Nos. 207, 98 and 185
Squadrons before joining 44 Squadron flying the Handley Page Hampden
. He took part in a daylight attack on Brest on 24 July 1941 and in a series of other bombing raids and was mentioned in dispatches in September 1940. Nettleton was promoted Flying Officer in July 1940, Flight Lieutenant in February 1941 and was a Squadron Leader by July 1941.No. 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron
was based at RAF Waddington
, Lincolnshire at this time and had taken delivery of Lancasters in late 1941.
In 1942 a daylight bombing mission was planned by RAF Bomber Command against the MAN diesel engine factory at Augsburg in Bavaria, responsible for the production of half of Germany’s U‑boat engines. It was to be the longest low‑level penetration so far made during World War II, and it was the first daylight mission flown by the Command’s new Avro Lancaster
.
Thus on 17 April 1942 Squadron Leader Nettleton was the leader of one formation of six Avro Lancaster
bombers on a daylight attack on a diesel engine
factory
at Augsburg, near Munich
Germany
flying Lancaster Mk I, R5508, coded "KM-B" .
A second flight of six Lancasters from No 97 Squadron based at RAF Woodhall Spa, close to Waddington, did not link up with the six from 44 squadron as planned, although they had ample time to do so before the aircraft left England by Selsey Bill, West Sussex.
When they had just crossed the French coast at low level near Dieppe, German fighters of JG 2, returning after intercepting a planned diversionary raid which had been organised to assist the bombers, attacked the 44 Squadron aircraft a short way inland and four Lancasters were shot down. Nettleton continued towards the target in and his two remaining aircraft attacked the factory, bombing it amidst heavy anti aircraft fire.
Nettleton survived the incident, his damaged Lancaster limping back to the UK, finally landing near Blackpool.His VC was gazetted on 24 April 1942.
Nettleton died on 13 July 1943, during a raid on Turin in Italy. His Lancaster KM-Z (ED331) took off from Dunholme Lodge and was believed to have been shot down by a night-fighter off the Brest peninsular. His body and those of his crew were never recovered. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Nettleton's medal is not publicly held.
Following the war the government of Southern Rhodesia named a new school after Nettleton - Nettleton Junior School in the suburb of Braeside in Salisbury (now Harare). The government of Zimbabwe subsequently changed the name of this school, amongst many others, after Rhodesia became Zimbabwe. The school is now named after Tsitsi Munyati, the first Deputy Minister of Education of Zimbabwe.
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
John Dering Nettleton VC
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(28 June 1917 - 13 July 1943) was a South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Details
Born on 28 June 1917 in Nongoma, Natal ProvinceNatal Province
Natal, meaning "Christmas" in Portuguese, was a province of South Africa from 1910 until 1994. Its capital was Pietermaritzburg. The Natal Province included the bantustan of KwaZulu...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, the son of Admiral A T D. Nettleton, he was educated at Western Province Preparotary school (WPPS) in Cape Town, Nettleton then served as a Naval cadet on the General Botha training ship and then for 18 months in the South African Merchant Marine. He took up civil engineering, working in various parts of South Africa.
Commissioned in the RAF in December 1938, he then served with Nos. 207, 98 and 185
No. 185 Squadron RAF
No. 185 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed in World War I and reformed as a bomber and fighter unit in World War II. It then reformed in Malta in the post war period as a jet fighter squadron.-Formation and World War I:No...
Squadrons before joining 44 Squadron flying the Handley Page Hampden
Handley Page Hampden
The Handley Page HP.52 Hampden was a British twin-engine medium bomber of the Royal Air Force serving in the Second World War. With the Whitley and Wellington, the Hampden bore the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin and the first 1,000-plane...
. He took part in a daylight attack on Brest on 24 July 1941 and in a series of other bombing raids and was mentioned in dispatches in September 1940. Nettleton was promoted Flying Officer in July 1940, Flight Lieutenant in February 1941 and was a Squadron Leader by July 1941.No. 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron
No. 44 Squadron RAF
No. 44 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is no longer operational. For most of its history it served as a heavy bomber squadron.-History:...
was based at RAF Waddington
RAF Waddington
RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England.-Formation:Waddington opened as a Royal Flying Corps flying training station in 1916 until 1920, when the station went into care and maintenance....
, Lincolnshire at this time and had taken delivery of Lancasters in late 1941.
In 1942 a daylight bombing mission was planned by RAF Bomber Command against the MAN diesel engine factory at Augsburg in Bavaria, responsible for the production of half of Germany’s U‑boat engines. It was to be the longest low‑level penetration so far made during World War II, and it was the first daylight mission flown by the Command’s new Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
.
Thus on 17 April 1942 Squadron Leader Nettleton was the leader of one formation of six Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
bombers on a daylight attack on a diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
at Augsburg, near Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
flying Lancaster Mk I, R5508, coded "KM-B" .
A second flight of six Lancasters from No 97 Squadron based at RAF Woodhall Spa, close to Waddington, did not link up with the six from 44 squadron as planned, although they had ample time to do so before the aircraft left England by Selsey Bill, West Sussex.
When they had just crossed the French coast at low level near Dieppe, German fighters of JG 2, returning after intercepting a planned diversionary raid which had been organised to assist the bombers, attacked the 44 Squadron aircraft a short way inland and four Lancasters were shot down. Nettleton continued towards the target in and his two remaining aircraft attacked the factory, bombing it amidst heavy anti aircraft fire.
Nettleton survived the incident, his damaged Lancaster limping back to the UK, finally landing near Blackpool.His VC was gazetted on 24 April 1942.
Nettleton died on 13 July 1943, during a raid on Turin in Italy. His Lancaster KM-Z (ED331) took off from Dunholme Lodge and was believed to have been shot down by a night-fighter off the Brest peninsular. His body and those of his crew were never recovered. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Nettleton's medal is not publicly held.
Following the war the government of Southern Rhodesia named a new school after Nettleton - Nettleton Junior School in the suburb of Braeside in Salisbury (now Harare). The government of Zimbabwe subsequently changed the name of this school, amongst many others, after Rhodesia became Zimbabwe. The school is now named after Tsitsi Munyati, the first Deputy Minister of Education of Zimbabwe.