ROYAL AIR FORCE: ITALY, THE BALKANS AND SOUTH-EAST EUROPE, 1942-1945.

Wing Commander A D J Lovell (right) of Portrush, Northern Ireland, receives the American Distinguished Flying Cross from Brigadier General Thomas C D'Arcy, Commanding General of XII Tactical Air Command, 15th USAAF, during an awards ceremony at Headquarters, Mediterranean Allied Air Forces, Caserta, Italy. The award was made in recognition of Lovell's able and aggressive leadership of No. 322 Wing RAF, while operating as part of XII TAC over north-west Italy and the South of France between March and August 1944. Lovell achieved his first aerial victories as a fighter pilot with No. 41 Squadron RAF over Dunkirk and during the Battle of Britain. He briefly commanded No. 145 Squadron RAF and moved to the Middle East in October 1941, becoming an operations controller at HQ RAFME, before a further posting to Malta in June 1942 where he took command of No. 1435 Flight, later 1435 Squadron RAF. After an impressive series of victories over the island he was again returned to controller duties at the begining of 1943 but rejoined operations leading the Safi Wing until November 1943. In December he joined 322 Wing, leading them to Corsica in March 1944, and then became leader of 244 Wing RAF in Italy, during which time he received his American DFC. In December 1944 he was posted to No. 71 Operational Training Unit as Chief Instructor, returning to the United Kingdom at the end of the War in Europe with a total of 16 and six shared victories. He was killed in a flying accident at Old Sarum on 17 August 1945.