More Tea: Eric Smith, George Medal

In 1962 Sergeant Eric Smith, a search and rescue winchman in the RAF, was called out alongside his crew to the French fishing trawler The Jeanne Gougy which had run aground on the Cornish coast. They spent hours above the sea in a Westland Whirlwind Mark 10 helicopter battling the conditions as Eric was winched down to the vessel to help those in trouble. His heroic actions that day led him to being awarded the George Medal.

60 years on his son Ronnie tells Darren Coventry and Jess Bracey the story of that rescue and why it’s still remembered in RAF history.