| A splendid feat of reconnaissance – the photographing of the German battleship “Tirpitz” in her Norwegian hideout – has been revealed as the deed which won for Squadron Leader Frank Anthony Robinson D.F.C., of Rushden, the Russian Order of the Patriotic War (First Class).
Early news of the award was given in the “Echo and Argus” last month, but the details were not then known.
On Sunday press and radio announced that Premier Stalin had decorated three British Spitfire pilots who, braving flak, enemy planes, rugged mountains and treacherous weather, had kept watch on the German battleship Tirpitz lurking inside Alten Fiord in Northern Norway, and the Scharnhorst, which was just outside.
Each pilot made eight to ten trips over the fiord, and the photographs they took played a big part in our successful midget submarine attack on the Tirpitz.
Flew To Russia
They carried out their vigil from a base in North Russia, to which they flew separately from Britain in five hours on September 5th of last year, the ground staff having gone ahead by sea. None of the three planes was ever hit. Later the news came through that the midget submarines had attacked the battleship.
The two other officers, who both receive the award of the Distinguished Battle Service Medal, are Flight Lieuts. B. R. Kenwright, of London, and J. H. Dixon, of Queensland, Australia.
In July, 1942, Squadron Leader Robinson, then a Flight-Lieut., was awarded the D.F.C. for gallantry and devotion to duty. The citation described him as possessing ability and keenness which were a great inspiration to his fellow pilots and stated that since August, 1941, he had taken part in many operational sorties and several long reconnaissances over Germany and German-occupied territory, often in adverse weather and with fierce enemy opposition.
Service In France
Squadron Leader Robinson, now 23 years of age, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Sid Robinson, of “Roblyn,” Wymington-road, Rushden. Born in Portland-road, Rushden, he first attended Alfred-street School and later Newton-road School from where he took a scholarship to Wellingborough Grammar School. He stayed at Wellingborough until he gained his Oxford School Certificate, in which he matriculated and gained enough credits to be admitted as a Royal Air Force Cadet at Cranwell two years before the war. He served in France with the British Expeditionary Force, leaving just before the Dunkirk evacuation. Though a quiet boy at school, and not prominent in sport, he spent much time shooting with his father. He also enjoyed fishing and on one occasion went with a friend on a trawler trip to the Faroe Isles. His father, who was formerly a boot manufacturer and is now retired, served with the Royal Naval Division during the last war and was for a time a prisoner-of-war. The family are members of St. Mary’s Church. |
