John Dering Nettleton, VC (28 June 1917 – 13 July 1943) was a South African officer in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War.

Born on 28 June 1917 in Nongoma, Natal Province, South Africa, Nettleton was the grandson of Admiral A.T.D.

[2] Nettleton served as a naval cadet on the General Botha training ship,[3] and then for 18 months in the South African Merchant Marine.

He took part in a daylight attack on Brest on 24 July 1941 and in a series of other bombing raids and was mentioned in despatches in September 1940.

It was the first major mission flown using the new Avro Lancaster, a four engine bomber with tremendous lift, great range, and a heavy defensive armament.

To prepare for the raid the two squadrons committed were pulled out of the bombing campaign against Germany to practice low level formation flying.

[5]: 60 The Augsburg raid commenced on the afternoon of 17 April 1942, when Nettleton led six Lancaster bombers from RAF Waddington south in two flights of three.

Shortly after Nettleton's group crossed the French coast near Dieppe, German fighters of Stab and II./JG 2, returning after intercepting a planned diversionary raid which had been organised to assist the bombers, attacked the No.

At the end of his return flight Nettleton's aircraft overflew the United Kingdom and was out over the Irish Sea before turning back and finally landing near Blackpool.

With great spirit and almost defenceless, he held his two remaining aircraft on their perilous course and after a long and arduous flight, mostly at only 50 feet above the ground, he brought them to Augsburg.

Squadron Leader Nettleton, who has successfully undertaken many other hazardous operations, displayed unflinching determination as well as leadership and valour of the highest order.

With limited darkness, the return to England could not be flown direct, and had to be routed over the Bay of Biscay to avoid German day fighters.

Also returning from the mission, Bradfield and his crew spotted a group of Lancasters off their starboard side, on a track some 30 degrees to their west.

[10] At about 6:30 am the group of Lancasters with Nettleton were intercepted by German day fighters that had been scrambled from their base south of Brest.

On 2 March 1994, a Junior Rank accommodation block was formally opened at RAF Shawbury under the name of Nettleton.