S/L James Joseph "Orange" O'Meara DSO, DFC and Bar

[Antipodean Andy]

Squadron Leader James Joseph O'Meara D.S.O., D.F.C.

Just came across this. Interesting little site. Am intrigued how he got the nickname "Orange".

[Kyt]

That is nicely laid out site. Hopefully he'll add more details about him as he gets them

Orange is a strange nickname. No clues on the site

[Antipodean Andy]

Originally Posted by Kyt

That is nicely laid out site. Hopefully he'll add more details about him as he gets them

Orange is a strange nickname. No clues on the site

I thought maybe it had something to do with his initials, JJ or JJO, but couldn't work it out definitively.

[spidge]

Some interesting info here with the asterisks giving further info.

EG The one on Sgt. Noble is interesting. Kyt, one for the boys at RAF Commands.

F/Lt James Nicholson, a Yorkshire man was Fighter Command's only VC, he had won his award flying with No 249 Squadron over Southampton Flight Lieutenant J B Nicholson for an action on August the 16th, 1940. On that day, Nicholson in his Hurricane (P3576) with two other pilots from No 249 Squadron, attacked enemy Messerschmitt 110's near Southampton. The three RAF planes were in turn attacked by Bf 109's: From the London Gazette, the 15th of November 1940 'During an engagement with the enemy near Southampton on August 16, 1940, Flight Lieutenant Nicholson'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 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 Nicholson has always displayed 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.'
After recovering from his severe burns and other injuries (other injuries included being shot in the buttock's by a trigger happy Local Defence Volunteer as he descended in his parachute), Nicholson returned to flying in April 1941 as a Squadron Leader.
Tragically, he went missing while flying as a passenger in a Liberator over the Bay of Bengal on the 2nd of May 1945.



Sgt D.Noble joined No 43 Squadron on the 3rd of August 1940. D.Noble shot down a Ju 87 on the 16th of August. Sgt D Noble was K.I.A. on the 30th of August 1940. His Hurricane I (P3179) was shot down by a Bf 109 over the Sussex coast, near to Hove at 11:50hrs. He was aged 20. [His body was recovered and buried in East Retford Cemetery. However, in July 1996, a wartime Hurricane crash-site was excavated, the pilot's remains were found and positively identified as being those of Sgt Noble. This raised the question of who was actually buried in his grave. No further information given in the newspaper report].

[Antipodean Andy]

Sorry, Spidgeman, you've lost me, despite your post being a cracker of a read. However, Nicholson was lost in what looks like similar circumstances to Pedro Hanbury.

[spidge]

Sorry Andy.

Didn't mean to post both together.

The reference was to Sgt Noble.