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fighter. This he attacked and shot down, although as a result of staying in his burning aircraft he sustained serious burns to his hands, face, neck and legs. Flight
Lieutenant Nicolson has always displayed great enthusiasm for air fighting and this incident shows that he possesses courage and determination of a high order. By continuing to engage the enemy after he had been wounded and his aircraft set on fire, he displayed exceptional gallantry and disregard for the safety of his own life.
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During an engagement with the enemy near
Southampton on 16th August 1940, Flight Lieutenant Nicolson's aircraft was hit by four cannon shells, two of which wounded him whilst another set fire to the gravity tank. When about to abandon his aircraft owing to flames in the cockpit he sighted an enemy
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of II./JG 53, who returned to base with claims for two
Hurricanes following this action. Nicolson's engine was damaged and the petrol tank set alight. As he struggled to leave the blazing machine, he saw another Messerschmitt, managed to get back into the bucket seat, pressed the firing button, and
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Fully recovered by
September 1941, Nicolson was posted to India in 1942. Between August 1943 and August 1944, he was a squadron leader and commanding officer of No. 27 Squadron, flying
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continued firing until the enemy plane dived away to destruction. He was able to open his parachute in time to land safely in a field. On his descent, he was fired on by members of the
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Nicolson VC': the Full and
Authorised Biography of James Brindley Nicolson, the only Pilot of Fighter Command in World War II to be awarded the Victoria Cross
434:
jet, ZK349, in Second World War colours, and applied
Nicolson's squadron number, GN-A, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
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The KING has been graciously pleased to confer the
Victoria Cross on the undermentioned officer in recognition of most conspicuous bravery : –
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The announcement and accompanying citation for the decoration was published in supplement to the London
Gazette on 15 November 1940, reading
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ZK349, in World War Two colours, with
Nicolson's squad number, at Royal International Air Tattoo 2015
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to be awarded the
Victoria Cross during the Second World War. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the
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Flight Lieutenant Nicolson (centre) while recuperating from wounds after his VC action, November 1940
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242:, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and
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580:"Typhoon gets Battle of Britain VC hero's colours to celebrate 'The Few'"
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Flight Lieutenant James Brindley NICOLSON (39329) – No. 249 Squadron.
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Nicolson was the only Battle of Britain pilot and the only pilot of
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Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in international waters
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Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
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was almost certainly fired on by the Messerschmitt Bf 109 of
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Medal Bar of Wing Commander Eric James Brindley Nicolson
452:"Battle of Britain London Monument - F/Lt. J B Nicolson"
396:. His body was not recovered. He is commemorated on the
306:, similar to what Nicolson would have flown during the
274:. In 1935, Nicolson began his career as an engineer at
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British World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross
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Military personnel from the London Borough of Camden
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during the Second World War when he was awarded the
736:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 1945
716:Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents
246:forces, for his actions in August 1940 during the
373:over Burma. During this time, he was awarded the
706:Royal Air Force personnel killed in World War II
701:Royal Air Force recipients of the Victoria Cross
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554:"Casualty Details: Nicolson, James Brindley"
384:, Nicolson was killed on 2 May 1945 when a RAF
343:, who ignored his cry of being a RAF pilot.
512:. England: Pen and Sword. pp. 83–85.
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326:. On 16 August 1940 having taken off from
258:James Brindley Eric Nicolson was born in
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696:Royal Air Force pilots of World War II
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266:, on 29 April 1917. He studied at the
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430:In 2015, the RAF repainted a modern
731:People educated at Tonbridge School
510:Fighter Pilots of the RAF 1939-1945
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222:(29 April 1917 – 2 May 1945) was a
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558:Commonwealth War Graves Commission
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542:. 15 November 1940. p. 6569.
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355:Air Ministry, 15 November 1940.
314:Nicolson was 23 years old and a
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691:Royal Air Force wing commanders
613:. Ashford, UK: Geerings, 1991.
16:Recipient of the Victoria Cross
657:at the Royal Air Force Museum.
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637:Fl. Lieutenant James Nicolson
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238:. He was a recipient of the
207:James Brindley Eric Nicolson
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578:Farmer, Ben (21 May 2015).
330:near Salisbury, Nicolson's
286:in 1937 and later moved to
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375:Distinguished Flying Cross
199:Distinguished Flying Cross
278:. In 1936, he joined the
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479:1991 p.2 ISBN 0951304291
632:James Brindley Nicolson
347:Victoria Cross citation
25:James Brindley Nicolson
491:Battle of Britain 1940
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409:Royal Air Force Museum
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686:People from Hampstead
508:Bowyer, Chaz (2000).
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163:European air campaign
102:Years of service
371:Bristol Beaufighters
585:The Daily Telegraph
432:Eurofighter Typhoon
424:Eurofighter Typhoon
411:, Hendon, England.
405:RAF Fighter Command
539:The London Gazette
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398:Singapore Memorial
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328:RAF Boscombe Down
316:flight lieutenant
308:Battle of Britain
248:Battle of Britain
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168:Battle of Britain
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609:Mason, Peter D.
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332:Hawker Hurricane
320:No. 249 Squadron
304:Hawker Hurricane
294:Second World War
288:No. 249 Squadron
272:Tonbridge School
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336:Heinz Bretnütz
324:Victoria Cross
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53:29 April 1917
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589:. Retrieved
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154:Battles/wars
71:(1945-05-02)
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676:1945 deaths
671:1917 births
534:"No. 34993"
477:Nicolson VC
234:during the
175:Pacific War
665:Categories
438:References
341:Home Guard
302:A British
254:Early life
82:Allegiance
69:2 May 1945
49:1917-04-29
648:(entries)
563:9 January
290:in 1940.
260:Hampstead
105:1936–1945
56:Hampstead
461:14 April
310:in 1940.
144:Commands
90:Service/
721:The Few
230:in the
181:†
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591:22 May
516:
264:London
191:Awards
177:
92:branch
60:London
388:from
380:As a
217:
215:,
125:39329
615:ISBN
593:2015
565:2017
514:ISBN
463:2023
270:and
226:and
130:Unit
110:Rank
66:Died
43:Born
318:in
219:DFC
667::
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500:^
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262:,
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212:VC
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47:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
