ONE of the first men to be awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for bravery could soon be honoured in his former home village.

Gunner and wireless operator John Tippett, who lived in Sutton during the 1930s, was hailed a hero after shooting down a German Messerschmidt and damaging another during a skirmish over the North Sea in World War Two.

John, who died several years ago, always refused to talk about his war exploits.

But now members of Sutton Parish Council are considering erecting a small stone monument to him in the village's peace garden.

The idea comes following a suggestion by Sutton aviation historian Joe Bamford.

He came across newspaper cuttings about John's medal presentation and suggested a street be named after him in the village's new Barratt Homes development.

Parish councillors said this would not be practical, but have come up with the idea of erecting a stone plaque in his memory.

Joe told the Herald: "Although he was an unassuming man, he played his part in the war and I think it only fitting that he should be remembered."

In January 1940 John was one of a three-strong crew in a Blenheim IV bomber flying in formation with others on a reconnaissance mission when they were attacked by enemy aircraft.

War records say John "used his skill and coolness in handling his gun".

He shot down one aircraft and badly damaged another. His plane was forced to make a crash landing after its undercarriage collapsed and the crew were lucky to escape.

John was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal soon after.

Later that year he was shot down over Amiens in France and he and his two crew members "borrowed" a boat to make it back home.

In fact a letter was sent to his mother in Sutton, listing him as missing, two days after he had returned home.

In the 1930s John came to Sutton from Cumbria to stay with his mother and sister, Dorothy, who still lives in Steeton.

He lived with the family in Victoria Road, working at nearby Bairstow's Mill, which is soon to be the site of new homes.

"The mill was a dead end job for him and he aspired to be something greater," said his sister.

"He was very much a free spirit and joined the RAF in 1937 before the war.

"He was always exaggerating and telling stories so when he said he'd got a medal, at first we didn't believe him!

"John didn't really talk about what he'd done and just threw the medal in a drawer in a workshop."

After being de-mobbed as a Flight Sergeant, John met and married a woman from Cambridge and set up a successful grocery business.

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