AM Sir Geoffrey Howard Dhenin, KBE, AFC & Bar, GM, CstJ, RAF – 166 Squadron – 1943/44.
166 Squadron/RAF Kirmington Medical Officer 1943/May 1944
Above - Sir Geoffrey Dhenin centre and crew taken at the time of the Operation Grapple H Bomb tests
Geoffrey Dhenin was born in Bridgend, Glamorgan in 1918. He was educated at Hereford Cathedral School and St John’s College, Cambridge, where he read the natural sciences tripos (for medicine) before completing his clinical training at Guy’s Hospital, London.
On the 11th February 1943 he was appointed to an emergency commission and transferred to 166 Sqn RAF Kirmington were he served as Medical Officer.
He was awarded the George Medal for his determined efforts to save a trapped gunner from the wreckage of an aircraft which crashed near the airfield in October 1943. See citation below. The aircraft concerned was- 8/9th October 1943 – 166 Squadron, RAF Kirmington – Avro Lancaster III – ED993 – W/O Reginald P Rabett DFC RAFVR – Op Hanover.
He left RAF Kirmington in May 1944 and there is some suggestion he spent a short time at RAF Elsham Wolds before he joined a mobile field hospital in Normandy two days after D-Day.
In 1945 whilst attached to as a liaison officer to the French Air Force at RAF Acklington he met his wife who was serving there as a French Officer.
Retained in the post-war air force and awarded a permanent commission he became one of the few RAF Medical Officers to qualify as a pilot, permitting him to carry out much research into aviation medical issues himself.
In 1953 he piloted a Canberra which flew through the 'mushroom' cloud of Britain's first Atom bomb on the Maralinga ranges in Australia for which he was awarded the AFC. Four years later he took part in the British H-bomb tests from Christmas Island ( Operation Grapple ), receiving a Bar to his AFC. A man of considerable ability he made spectacular progress during his distinguished RAF career
By 1968 he had risen to Director of Health and Research RAF. On the 6th July 1970 he was appointed Deputy Director General of RAF Medical Services. From 1974 to 1978, he served as Director General of the RAF Medical Services. From the 3rd August 1970 to the 31st March 1978 he was Honorary Physician to The Queen. On the 15th January 1971 Principal Medical Officer, HQ Strike Command.
He retired at his own request and became an adviser to the Saudi Arabian National Guard as well as editing the Textbook of Aviation Medicine in 1978.
He passed away in 2011
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George Medal citation from the London Gazette 14th January 1944.
Flying Officer Geoffrey Howard Dhenin, M.B., Ch.B., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. (138354), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.
One night in October, 1943, an aircraft, which had sustained damage during an attack against Hanover, crashed near an airfield. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and immediately burst into flames. The rear gunner was injured and trapped in his crushed turret, being pinned down by the remains of the tail unit and the rear of the fuselage. A high explosive bomb was in the blazing wreckage some 10 yards away from the gunner. Flying Officer Dhenin, the station medical officer, and Corporal Lush, a gunner, hastened to the scene of the accident. Although fully aware that the heat might cause the bomb to detonate at any moment Flying Officer Dhenin worked for over half an hour to relieve the injured airman's pain and, assisted by Corporal Lush, endeavoured to release him. Their efforts to extricate the gunner were, however, unavailing. A mobile crane was brought to the scene and the mass of wreckage was lifted clear of the ground. Displaying complete disregard for his own safety, Flying Officer Dhenin then crawled under the wreckage and released the trapped airman thereby enabling others helpers to drag him to safety. Flying Officer Dhenin and Corporal Lush showed fine courage and determination in circumstances of great danger.
1387153 Corporal William John Lush was awarded the BEM.
Item compiled by David Fell. Photo courtesy of wiki
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