Hi, Soprano54 - your Air Wing speaking
Back to the Topic ...
VC or DFC, isn't it? Or is it a CGC?
Conspicuous Gallantry Cross ... Awarded in recognition of acts of conspicuous gallantry during active operations against the enemy
whichever, the mate did a fantastic job. Massive respect.
Warned off for ground fire, but went in to get the cas anyway. Superb commitment to the task. DFC, no question, just like Flt Lt "OMG you're cute".
However ... as has been noted earlier, flying the beast home with the cas [despite being severely wounded and with 'BN' being somewhat perforated] isn't quite the same as ... what Nutloose said.
I don't like the self-preservation aspect, because he was preserving others as well. But it's not charging a pill-box single-handed. Sorry.
All that said, it was ... [a] forking
courageous to go in [b] forking
brave to stay there with incoming, and [c] a fine feat of
airmanship to get out at the end of it.