South African War Graves Project -

Son of Percy and Jenny Pickard; husband of Dorothy Pickard, of Highlands, Southern Rhodesia. He is best remembered by the public for his role in the 1941 wartime propaganda film Target for Tonight in which he featured as the pilot of 'F for Freddie' - a Wellington bomber of No. 149 Squadron. He was killed in Operation Jericho. Pickard received a short service commission into the Royal Air Force in January 1937, which was made Permanent in November. He served with a bomber squadron before being appointed personal assistant to the air officer commanding a training group at Cranwell in 1938. He participated in fighting over Norway, France and during the Dunkirk evacuation. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in July 1940 while serving as a flight lieutenant in a bomber squadron. He was promoted to squadron leader with No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron and was awarded a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in March 1941. In May 1942, as wing commander in charge of No. 51 Squadron, he was awarded a bar to the DSO in recognition of his leadership in Operation Biting (also known as the Bruneval raid) on 27 February 1942. In March 1943, while commanding No. 161 Squadron - which carried out operations in support of the SOE in occupied Europe - at RAF Tempsford he was awarded a second bar to the DSO for outstanding leadership ability and fine fighting qualities. He was the first RAF officer in World War II to be awarded the DSO and two bars. For a while Pickard was station commander at RAF Sculthorpe. In October 1943 he was given command of No. 140 Wing of the Second Tactical Air Force by Basil Embry. This put him in charge of three squadrons of de Havilland Mosquito fast bombers. They became specilised in low level precision attacks. Pickard led the February 1944 low-level attack on the Amiens Prison, in the raid known as Operation Jericho. The attack was carried out at the request of the French resistance in order to allow a considerable number of their imprisoned members, who were soon to be executed by the occupying Nazis, the chance to escape. The Resistance stated that the prisoners had said they would rather take the chance of being killed by RAF bombs than be shot by the Nazis. Operation Jericho was a success but Pickard, together with his Navigator, Flight Lieutenant J. A. "Bill" Broadley, DSO, DFC, DFM, were killed when their Mosquito, HX922/"EG-F", was shot down by a Fw 190 flown by Feldwebel Mayer of 7. Jagdgeschwader 26 in the closing stages of the operation.

Age:	28
Date of Birth:	1915-05-16
Service No:	39392
Rank:	Group Captain
Unit:	Cdg. 140 Wing.
Regiment:	Royal Air Force
Date of Death:	1944-02-18
Cause of Death:	Killed in action, Mosquito FB.VI HX922, Operation Jericho

Grave Reference:	Plot 3. Row B. Grave 13.
Cemetery:	ST. PIERRE CEMETERY, AMIENS

Localitly:	Somme
Country:	France

Decorations:	D S O and 2 bars, D F C, Mentioned in Despatches, Czech War Cross
Citations:	1st DFC - LG Sup 30 July 1940 pg. 4675; 1st DSO - LG 7 March 1941 pg. 1370; Mentioned in Despatches - LG Sup 17 March 1941 pg. 1574; Czech War Cross - 15 July 1941; 1st Bar to DSO - LG Sup 26 May 1942 pg. 2289 - "This officer has made his squadron an extremely efficient bombing force. He has extracted the maximum effort from all, at the same time promoting and fostering an excellent comradeship between flying personnel and ground staff thus instilling the team spirit so necessary to achieve success. He has instituted a fine spirit among his flying crews for accurate bombing and in obtaining photographs. On February 27th. 1942, he led the force of aircraft which carried the parachute troops who made the raid on Bruneval, thus again demonstrating his outstanding powers of leadership and organisation. By his courage, self-sacrifice and devotion to duty, this officer has set an example which, although attained by few, is admired by all."; 2nd Bar to DSO - LG Sup 26 March 1943 pg. 1413 - "This officer has completed a very large number of operational missions and achieved much success. By his outstanding leadership, exceptional ability and fine fighting qualities, he has contributed in a large measure to the high standard of morale of the squadron he commands."
Son of Percy and Jenny Pickard; husband of Dorothy Pickard, of Highlands, Southern Rhodesia. He is best remembered by the public for his role in the 1941 wartime propaganda film Target for Tonight in which he featured as the pilot of 'F for Freddie' - a Wellington bomber of No. 149 Squadron. He was killed in Operation Jericho. Pickard received a short service commission into the Royal Air Force in January 1937, which was made Permanent in November. He served with a bomber squadron before being appointed personal assistant to the air officer commanding a training group at Cranwell in 1938. He participated in fighting over Norway, France and during the Dunkirk evacuation. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) in July 1940 while serving as a flight lieutenant in a bomber squadron. He was promoted to squadron leader with No. 311 (Czechoslovak) Squadron and was awarded a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in March 1941. In May 1942, as wing commander in charge of No. 51 Squadron, he was awarded a bar to the DSO in recognition of his leadership in Operation Biting (also known as the Bruneval raid) on 27 February 1942. In March 1943, while commanding No. 161 Squadron - which carried out operations in support of the SOE in occupied Europe - at RAF Tempsford he was awarded a second bar to the DSO for outstanding leadership ability and fine fighting qualities. He was the first RAF officer in World War II to be awarded the DSO and two bars. For a while Pickard was station commander at RAF Sculthorpe. In October 1943 he was given command of No. 140 Wing of the Second Tactical Air Force by Basil Embry. This put him in charge of three squadrons of de Havilland Mosquito fast bombers. They became specilised in low level precision attacks. Pickard led the February 1944 low-level attack on the Amiens Prison, in the raid known as Operation Jericho. The attack was carried out at the request of the French resistance in order to allow a considerable number of their imprisoned members, who were soon to be executed by the occupying Nazis, the chance to escape. The Resistance stated that the prisoners had said they would rather take the chance of being killed by RAF bombs than be shot by the Nazis. Operation Jericho was a success but Pickard, together with his Navigator, Flight Lieutenant J. A. "Bill" Broadley, DSO, DFC, DFM, were killed when their Mosquito, HX922/"EG-F", was shot down by a Fw 190 flown by Feldwebel Mayer of 7. Jagdgeschwader 26 in the closing stages of the operation.