First V.C.

Last week the first Victoria Cross for an airman was awarded to long (6 ft. 4 in.), lanky Flight Lieut. James Brindly Nicolson, 23, whose comrades call him "The Professor" because of his long wavy hair, and whose cousin is Author Harold Nicolson, M.P. The Professor, on Aug. 16 in his first air battle, had his Hurricane set afire by cannon fire from a Messerschmitt 110. Wounded in the eye and heel, his cockpit blazing with leaking fuel, his left hand on fire at the throttle, he turned on his assailant. His thumb sizzled as he pressed his machine-gun button, but he got his enemy. Then he struggled out of his flaming plane, parachuted to earth, where an excited Home Guardsman shot him again. On hearing of his award last week in the hospital, he wired his wife: "Darling, just got the V. C. Don't know why."

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