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Background:

The Air Force Medal (AFM) was introduced on 3 June 1918 as a third level decoration to Other Ranks of the RAF for “an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy.” The AFM was also awarded to personnel of other Commonwealth countries. The AFM was discontinued in 1993 and since then, the AFC could be awarded to all ranks. Approximately 1,000 awards of the AFM were made before it was discontinued.

Design:

The medal is an oval, silver disc, 35mm wide and 41 millimetres long. The obverse shows a bareheaded effigy of the reigning sovereign. The reverse shows Hermes (facing right), mounted on a hawk in flight and bestowing a wreath, all contained within a laurel wreath. The date “1918” appears behind Hermes on the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II medals. A bomb is attached to the clasp by two wings. The ribbon is 32 millimetres wide and consists of alternate red and white diagonal stripes, 2 millimetres wide, leaning 45 degrees to the left. A red stripe is to appear in the bottom left and upper right corners when viewed on the wearer’s chest. Until 1919, the stripes were horizontal.

Bars:

A bar could be awarded to recognise a second award of the AFM.

Air Force Medal

Citation

Flight Sergeant Paul Leslie TRETHEWEY (H8119883) Royal Air Force
Flight Sergeant Trethewey was winchman of the SAR Sea King Helicopter crew from D Flight 202 Squadron which was scrambled from HMS Gannet at 0420 hours on 18th December 1991 to assist the Russian vessel Kartli which had been damaged by a freak wave 75 miles west of Prestwick. The weather in the area was appalling; heavy rain showers, a 50 knot westerly gale and sea state 8. The aircraft launched at 0505 hours and, during the transit, it became apparent that the Kartli was drifting without power, in danger of foundering, and that an unknown number of the crew had abandoned ship.
On arrival at the scene one crew member was discovered in a liferaft and, despite the appalling sea conditions, Flight Sergeant Trethewey unhesitatingly volunteered to be lowered to the dinghy to recover him. Although he was submerged by heavy seas several times, Flight Sergeant Trethewey managed to board the liferaft and bring the casualty to safety.
The aircraft then closed with the Kartli which was drifting beam on to the weather and moving violently in the extreme sea; the bow was pitching through 60 feet and the ship was rolling through 30 degrees. Again, Flight Sergeant Trethewey unhesitatingly volunteered to be lowered to the deck to rescue the shocked and disorientated crew. A first attempt to lower him directly to the deck was foiled by the extreme motion of the ship. A further two attempts to steady his descent by use of a “hi-line” were frustrated by the inadvertent actions of the ship’s crew; at one time, their frantic efforts pulled Flight Sergeant Trethewey from the aircraft and he fell several feet before being arrested by the winch wire. Nevertheless, he insisted that a fourth, and successful, attempt be made. On reaching the deck he discovered several clearly shocked and frightened crew members and one casualty with severe head injuries. Flight Sergeant Trethewey immediately began to administer first aid to the injured man and prepare him for lift. At the same time, he was able to organise the dispatch of 8 uninjured crew to the Sea King before he and the casualty were lifted to the aircraft. The Sea King flew to Ballykelly to transfer the injured man to hospital and returned to the scene in daylight when, again, Flight Sergeant Trethewey was lowered to a liferaft to recover a further 6 survivors.
Flight Sergeant Trethewey has been an operational winchman for only 9 months. Despite the appalling conditions prevailing that night, he immediately volunteered to be lowered to both the vessel and liferafts, fully conscious of the very real risks to his own safety. By his personal courage and calm and professional actions Flight Sergeant Trethewey was instrumental in the saving of 16 lives. His brave, selfless conduct throughout a long and physically exhausting sortie was in the very highest traditions of the Royal Air Force.

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