David Samuel Anthony Lord

Flew his burning transport twice to supply surrounded troops

David Samuel Anthony Lord (RAF service number 49149), born in Cork on 18 October 1913, enlisted in the Royal Air Force on 6 August 1936 and became a transport pilot. With No. 31 Squadron he served in India, North Africa and Burma, flying supply missions in support of Allied troops. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1943. In January 1944 he joined No. 271 Squadron, No. 46 Group, Transport Command, later based at Down Ampney. On 6 June he carried paratroopers to Normandy and returned with flak damage. He was commended for valuable service in the air in the London Gazette of 1 September 1944. The squadron operations record lists him flying Dakota KG374 as a glider tug to Arnhem on 18 September.

On 19 September 1944, Flight Lieutenant Lord captained a Dakota carrying supplies for the surrounded airborne troops at Arnhem. Anti-aircraft fire struck the starboard wing twice and set the engine ablaze. Learning that his crew were uninjured, he continued towards the dropping zone, descended to 900 feet and held a straight course under concentrated fire. When told that two containers remained, he circled and made a second run despite the spreading fire.

After completing the drop, Lord ordered his crew to abandon the aircraft and stayed at the controls to give them a chance to escape. The starboard wing collapsed moments later. Only navigator Harry King survived, having been thrown clear while helping others with their parachutes. Lord and the other crew members died. King was captured and returned from captivity in 1945. The release of the containers did not establish that the supplies reached British troops, as German forces held the dropping zone.

Lord received the Victoria Cross posthumously. His Victoria Cross and associated medals form part of the Lord Ashcroft Collection, formerly displayed at the Imperial War Museum in London. He is buried at Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, Plot 4, Row B, Grave 5.

Official Victoria Cross citation:

Flight Lieutenant Lord was pilot and captain of a Dakota aircraft detailed to drop supplies at Arnhem on the afternoon of the 19th September, 1944. Our airborne troops had been surrounded and were being pressed into a small area defended by a large number of anti-aircraft guns. Air crews were warned that intense opposition would be met over the dropping zone. To ensure accuracy they were ordered to fly at 900 feet when dropping their containers. While flying at 1,500 feet near Arnhem the starboard wing of Flight Lieutenant Lord's aircraft was twice hit by anti-aircraft fire. The starboard engine was set on fire. He would have been justified in leaving the main stream of supply aircraft and continuing at the same height or even abandoning his aircraft. But on learning that his crew were uninjured and that the dropping zone would be reached in three minutes he said he would complete his mission, as the troops were in dire need of supplies. By now the starboard engine was burning furiously. Flight Lieutenant Lord came down to 900 feet, where he was singled out for the concentrated fire of all the anti-aircraft guns. On reaching the dropping zone he kept the aircraft on a straight and level course while supplies were dropped. At the end of the run, he was told that two containers remained. Although he must have known that the collapse of the starboard wing could not be long delayed, Flight Lieutenant Lord circled, rejoined the stream of aircraft and made a second run to drop the remaining supplies. These manoeuvres took eight minutes in all, the aircraft being continuously under heavy anti-aircraft fire. His task completed, Flight Lieutenant Lord ordered his crew to abandon the Dakota, making no attempt himself to leave the aircraft, which was down to 500 feet. A few seconds later, the starboard wing collapsed and the aircraft fell in flames. There was only one survivor, who was flung out while assisting other members of the crew to put on their parachutes. By continuing his mission in a damaged and burning aircraft, descending to drop the supplies accurately, returning to the dropping zone a second time and, finally, remaining at the controls to give his crew a chance of escape, Flight Lieutenant Lord displayed supreme valour and self-sacrifice.