On This Day ... in 1917 & Others
Whilst bombing Ottoman troops on the Egyptian border, an aircraft of 1 Squadron Australian Flying Corps was damaged by ground fire and forced to land behind enemy lines. As Turkish cavalry closed in, another pilot, Lieutenant Francis McNamara, decided to attempt a rescue, even though he too had been hit and wounded. He managed to land his aircraft and picked up the pilot.
However, weakened by his injury and with the extra burden aboard, McNamara lost control of the aircraft and it overturned during the takeoff run. Undaunted, he and his fellow pilot made their way to the first damaged aircraft, where McNamara once more took the controls whilst his colleague managed to start the engine. This time, McNamara managed to hold the aircraft steady and flew the two of them back to their base, a flight of close on an hour, despite his loss of blood. McNamara received the Victoria Cross, the first presented to an Australian airman.
1943: Montgomery launched the Eighth Army in an assault on the formidable Mareth Line in southern Tunisia. Built by the French to guard against the Italians in Libya, it had been taken over and improved by the Axis, stretching from the coast to the Matmata Hills. The infantry made initial good progress in breaching the Line, but the armoured forces hoping to exploit their success ran foul of a combination of minefields and soft sand.
Lieutenant Colonel Seagrim, commanding the 7th Battalion of the Green Howards, distinguished himself leading his men from the front, in particular charging two machine-gun nests and killing twenty enemy troops. He received the Victoria Cross.
2003: 3 Commando Brigade mounted an amphibious assault on the Al Faw peninsula during the night 20/21 March as the opening operation of the land campaign against Iraq. Enemy resistance was light but eight British Servicemen were lost, along with four US aircrew, in a helicopter accident during the initial phase of the attack. British and Australian frigates provided gunfire support to the Royal Marines, while Royal Navy submarines fired Tomahawk missiles at strategic targets. RAF Tornado attacked key targets while Harriers provided close air support.
Comments
You'll be pleased to know that Frank's exploits are engraved on a plaque at the front of the soldiers club at the Army Aviation Training Centre at Oakey, SE Queensland. The club is named for him as well "The Frank Macnamara VC Club"
All soldiers clubs in the Australian Army are named for VC winners. Except one. The old Jack Kirby Club, named after a DCM winner from Vietnam.
Posted by: CB | March 20, 2008 6:40 AM