Order of Lenin
Instituted in 1930
By the Central Executive Committee of the USSR
The badge consists of a circular portrait of Lenin
framed in a Gold wreath of Ears of Rye.
A Red star is set in the wreath on the left-hand side,
with the Hammer and Sickle at the base.
Down the right-hand side hangs the Red Flag
inscribed with the name of Lenin.
At The Time Of The Award
Rank, Name, Date,
H N G Ramsbottam-Isherwood, 29116
[Henry Neville Gynes,]
Born at Petone, Wellington on 13 July 1905,
Educated in Sydney,
Commissioned into the NZ Rifles as a 2nd Lieutenant in 1924,
Joined the RAF in 1930, served as a test pilot in the
Armament Testing Section of Aeroplane and Armament
Experimental Establishment prior to the war.
Aug 41 he was selected to lead 151 Wing, formed for
“Operation Benedict”, comprising two squadrons of Hawker Hurricanes
to defend the port of Murmansk in northern Russia.
He was also tasked to train the Soviet Air Force in the operations of the
Hurricanes being shipped to Russia.
More than 2,000 Hurricanes would be shipped there during the course
of the war.
Early Sep the wing established its self at Vaenga, during its stay they
recorded 15 destroyed, 4 probable and 7 damaged for the loss of 1 Hurricane.
Also, none of the Soviet bombers that they escorted were lost.
By Oct the wing had handed their aircraft over to the Soviets and were
ordered to return by rail for further service in the Middle East Theatre.
He sent Air Ministry a lengthy signal stating that the trip was likely
to take at least three months, no rations or winter clothing were
available and they were likely to be overrun by the Germans.
They were later evacuated by sea.
He was awarded the DFC and the Order Of Lenin for his services.
Later, he was intended to command 153 Wing, a much larger operation
into Russia, but probably due to the heavy losses on the Arctic convoys,
this was cancelled.
In 1944 He Assumed command of 342 Wing in Burma.
On his return from the Far East in 1947 he took command of
West Malling in 1947.
On 24 Apr 47, while test flying a Meteor IV he ran into a snow
storm and crashed near Tonbridge.
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