As Acting F/Lt Tomlin was Mentioned in Despatches on 20th February 1940 and was awarded the DFC while carrying the same rank on 17th May 1940; the citation was joint one with a number of other members of Bomber Command. "These officers and NCO's have made a large number of reconnaissance and bombing raids over enemy country and over enemy air and naval bases. One officer, compelled to land owing to shortage of petrol after a flight over Warsaw, found he was in Germany. Despite the smallness of the field and petrol shortage he managed to take off again and save both aircraft and crew. Another officer pressed home a low bombing attack on the German cruiser Admiral Soheer in Schillig Roads last Sepember. One of the NCO's obtained a direct hit on a submarine in Heligoland Bight, Two others did valuable work in attacks on enemy submarines." The reference to landing in Germany is to Tomlin. On 15th/16th March 1940 Brian Tomlin was the pilot of Whitley N1387, on the return from Ops to Warsaw, Poland while flying in bad weather the crew believed they were over France and selected a large field where they made a good landing with the wheels down. The crew left the aircraft to find out where they were but soon realised they were in Germany and as German troops approached a quick take off was executed under rifle fire. They crossed the border and were able to find a French airfield and safety.

He soon rose to F/Lt on 28th May 1940 and then to S/Ldr (temp) on 29th September 1941 (with seniority back dated to the 1st September 1941) and later granted the rank of S/Ldr from S/Ldr (temp) on 24th August 1943 and rose to W/C (temp) on 1st January 1944. As S/Ldr (temp W/C) he transferred to the Reserve (but was immediately called up for air force service) on 28th October 1944. As W/C he transferred to the Admin and Special Duties Branch on 13th December 1945 and thus having survived the War he extended his period of active service for a further four years in October 1946 but took the rank of S/Ldr. He later transferred to the Secretarial Branch on 1st January 1947. He transferred to the Reserve again on 31st October 1950 but remained in active service until March 1951 when he reverted to the Reserve and took his old rank of W/C. Still in the Secretarial Branch he extended his period of service for a further five years on 31st October 1954, he reliquished his commission exactly five years later having given over twenty years service to his country. He died in Wandsworth, London in 1979.

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