On This Day ... in 1862 & Others
During the T'ai-p'ing rebellion in China, the British contingent included a Naval Brigade of Royal Navy sailors fighting ashore. On 9 October 1862 at Fung Wha, China, Able Seaman George Hinckley of HMS Sphinx volunteered to go to the rescue of the assistant master of the Sphinx, who was lying in the open severely wounded. The able seaman went out under heavy and continuous fire and carried the assistant master to the shelter of a joss-house 150 yards away. He then returned and carried a wounded army captain to safety.
He was awarded the Victoria Cross & later achieved the rank of Quartermaster. He died on 31 December 1904
1917: At Ypres, five Victoria Crosses were won:
Sergeant Molyneaux, Royal Fusiliers
Sergeant Lister, Lancashire Fusiliers
Lance-Sergeant Rhodes, Grenadier Guards
Corporal Clamp, Yorkshire Regiment (posthumous)
Private Dancox, Worcestershire Regiment
1918: Although badly wounded himself, Private Holme, Grenadier Guards, worked tirelessly to tend to wounded men. Whilst carrying a casualty back to safety, he was hit again and mortally wounded. He was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.
1940: The Luftwaffe launched three fighter sweeps and night raids on London, Manchester and Liverpool. The Royal Air Force formed the first Eagle Squadron - bringing together US pilots who had volunteered to serve with the RAF.
A total of three Eagle squadrons - 71, 121 and 133 - were formed between October 1940 and the US entry into the war in December 1941. The squadrons transferred to the USAAF in 1942, forming an experienced cadre for the 4th Fighter Group which served with distinction with the US 8th Air Force in Europe for the rest of the war.
Comments
Was the 4th Fighter Group with the 8th or 9th US Air Force? I thought that 8th was the bombers and 9th were the fighters.
Posted by: SGT Jeff | October 10, 2006 12:00 AM
It's very weird seeing me post a question a year before the blog post date...
Posted by: SGT Jeff (USAR) | October 9, 2007 12:02 AM
8th AF was strategic bombing plus protection of strategic bombers (generally). 9th Af was tactical support of ground Army.
Posted by: John | October 9, 2007 3:20 AM