bentley priory - Spink

THE BENTLEY PRIORY
BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL
CHARITY AUCTION
6 SEPTEMBER 2012
LONDON

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THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN
TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
6 September 2012 in London and on
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Thursday 6 September at 2.00 p.m.
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Front Cover Illustrations: 3 Back Cover Illustration:

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
FOREWORD BY LORD ASHCROFT, KCMG
Bentley Priory is a national symbol of courage and a unique part of our heritage: it is entirely right that a decision has
been taken to save it, restore it and convert it into a museum and education centre. However, there is still much work
to be done if the £1.8 million appeal target, to preserve the former nerve centre of the Battle of Britain for future
generations, is to be achieved.
The Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Trust Appeal Auction that will take place at Spink on September 6, 2012
represents an important step forward in reaching that appeal target. Many people, including myself, are supporting
the event and the quality and range of the medals, gallantry decorations and related items that have been included in
this special auction is quite remarkable. I, for one, would like to thank Spink for its generosity in donating both the
vendors’ and buyers’ premiums from each auctioned item to the appeal. I would also particularly like to thank those
who have either given an auction item to be sold outright or who have decided to donate part of the sale price to the
appeal. With this generosity in mind, I would urge all prospective bidders to bid strongly and to bid often!
I have had a life-long fascination with the concept of bravery, in general, and gallantry medals, in particular. Over the
past decade, I have done my best to champion the courage of our servicemen, including former and current members
of the RAF. By chance, my fourth book on awards for gallantry will be published on September 13, 2012, and is
entitled Heroes of the Skies. Having only recently learnt so much more about the gallantry of ‘The Few’, I am keener
than ever that the Second World War headquarters of Fighter Command is restored as quickly as possible. I wish the
Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Trust every success for this auction as well as for the rest of its fund-raising. The nation
should feel relief and pride that Bentley Priory is now in such safe hands and that it is set to become a lasting
memorial, not just to ‘the bravest of the brave’ from the RAF, but also to the triumph of freedom over tyranny.
______________________________________________________________________________
We are always eager to promote an appreciation of those who have helped to forge our nation throughout the years,
and the stories that lie behind their medals.
As a consequence, we are delighted to be able to hold this charity auction in aid of the Bentley Priory Battle of Britain
Trust Appeal. The Priory, designed by Sir John Soane, is one of Britain’s most significant buildings in view of its
architectural importance, the social history it represents, and, especially, its pivotal role in the Second World War. As
the Headquarters of Fighter Command, it was from here that Sir Hugh Dowding directed his men in the Battle of
Britain. For ‘The Few’, the Priory is their spiritual home.
The medals in this sale cover all branches of the Royal Air Force, but it is fitting that the men of Fighter Command
are especially well represented, and that their stories of bravery and courage are to the fore.
We would like to thank those family members and other institutions that have decided to enter their awards and
memorabilia in order to benefit Bentley Priory. Amongst those is the de Havilland Trust, which is selling the
historically important medals and archive of John ‘Cat’s Eyes’ Cunningham, the legendary Night Fighter Ace of the
Second World War. The vendor’s proceeds from the sale of this lot will be put towards flying scholarships for young
people, an entirely appropriate move that ensures the legacy of such men is passed onto the next generation.
This auction would not have been possible without the unstinting generosity and enthusiasm of Melissa John. Her
tireless efforts on behalf of the Charity, in memory of her late brother Christopher, have been hugely appreciated.
Christopher was an avid and knowledgeable collector of Royal Air Force honours and awards, especially those
pertaining to the Battle of Britain, and has been sadly missed since his untimely death in September 2008.
The entire proceeds from the sale of this auction, both the vendor’s commission and the buyer’s premium, will be
donated by Spink to the charity appeal, which we trust will make a significant contribution to the £1.8 million appeal
target.
Spink Medal Department
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
FAMILY RECOLLECTIONS
‘I admire my father’s war record and his successful career, but it was the gentleman on the river bank I remember so
well. Sharing a day’s trout fishing on the river Wissey in the battle area near Thetford, Norfolk, where he taught me
to cast as a young boy. I remember his meticulous knowledge of knots when we were sailing, which to his despair I
could never get right. I loved those moments when his humanity showed and he let his hair down over a wee dram.
It was than his gentle Irish humour would emerge - for instance, the story of his dog Scruffy pursuing him
unexpectedly into his aircraft during a hasty scramble; going to sleep on the cannon only to hit the ceiling when the
guns went off as they engaged the enemy ... his description of Scruffy last being seen passing his navigator teeth
snapping as he went never failed to make me laugh.
I relish the memory of idyllic summers spent as a family at Crantock in Cornwall and Pa taking us crabbing on Chick
Rock at the spring tide. I have an image of him puffing and blowing as he burst out of a breaking wave on his old
fashioned surf board and the silent sunbathing in the sand dunes, deeply relaxing in the post war peace. If he was not
on leave he would fly in from the sea low over the beach in his long nosed Meteor, waggling his wings, to the delight
of his sons. Following a particularly cold visit to his beloved salmon fishing on the Tweed at Melrose he developed
pneumonia with complications and his breathing became increasingly difficult. I remember his quiet courage. Dear
Pa.’
Michael Hughes Scholes, son of Air Vice-Marshal F. D. Hughes (Lot 1)
‘Our father was a modest, fun loving, twinkly person who according to his sisters lacked self confidence, which we
think make his achievements all the more remarkable. In the early days of the war he left for France to join No.1
Squadron equipped with his saxophone and golf clubs. In the chaos of retreat these were abandoned, but they
remained passions for the rest of his life. We believe his medals attest to his courage and we take great pride in his
exploits.’
Susie Pearse and Jillian Storey, daughters of Group Captain P.G.H. Matthews (Lot 12)
‘My husband Peter never “shouted” about what he could accomplish or sought recognition for what he had achieved,
he simply got on with the job at hand; be it fighting for his country during WWII and the Cold War thereafter,
formulating the basis for the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight whilst CO at Biggin Hill, or learning to speak fluent
Spanish for our last tour of duty as Air Attaché in South America. Peter was driven by loyalty and service to King and
Country and to his family. He was a thoughtful man always willing to help others when in need. He was a man of
integrity wit and humour and we, his family, loved him dearly. Peter will remain in our hearts forever.
The loss of many of his friends during the Battle of Britain and in Malta remained personal memories locked away
and never talked about until 1985 when our much loved little dog Sheba suddenly died. Peter was digging a hole in
the garden to bury her and I went out to console him. He was for the first time in his life in floods of tears as he
recounted to me that the last time he had done this was to bury his friends in Malta. What Peter and so many other
young men, then and since, have gone through to secure our ‘todays’, is today almost beyond imagining.’
Marie ‘Mimi’ Thompson, wife of Group Captain P.D. Thompson (Lot 13)
3

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
THURSDAY 6 SEPTEMBER 2012
Commencing at 2.00 p.m.
All Sales are subject to the Conditions of Business printed at the back of this catalogue
Estimates
The estimated selling price of each lot is printed below the lot description and does not include the Buyer’s Premium.
Bidders should bear in mind that estimates are prepared well in advance of the sale and are not definitive.
They are subject to revision.
1
The Important and Outstanding C.B., C.B.E.,
Second War D.S.O., D.F.C. and Two Bars, Post-
War A.F.C. Group of Ten to Air Vice-Marshal F.
D. ‘Hawk Eyes’ Hughes, Royal Air Force, Who
Claimed His First Victories in Defiants During the
Battle of Britain, and Added to His Score in
Beaufighters in the Mediterranean and as a
Squadron C.O. in Mosquitos Over North-West
Europe; He Finished With A Personal Score of 18
Victories. As a Native of the Emerald Isle He Was
Second Only to ‘Paddy’ Finucane in Confirmed
Victories, and was Right On The Tail of John
‘Cat’s Eyes’ Cunningham As The Highest-Scoring
Night Fighter Ace of the Second World War
a) The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Military
Division, Companion’s (C.B.) neck Badge, silver-gilt
and enamel, with neck riband, in Collingwood, London,
case of issue
b) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire,
2nd type, Military Division, Commander’s (C.B.E.)
neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with neck riband,
in Garrard, London, case of issue
c) Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt
and enamel, reverse of suspension bar officially dated
‘1945’, with integral top riband bar
d) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse
officially dated ‘1941’, and additionally engraved
‘R.A.F.V.R. 264 Sqdn. Desmond Hughes 4th April’,
with Second Award Bar, reverse officially dated
‘1943’, and Third Award Bar, reverse officially dated
‘1943’
e) Air Force Cross, E.II.R., reverse officially dated
‘1954’
f) 1939-1945 Star, with Battle of Britain Bar
g) Air Crew Europe Star, with France and Germany
Bar
h) Africa Star, with North Africa 1942-43 Bar
i) Italy Star
j) War Medal, nearly extremely fine, mounted court
style as worn, with the following related items:
- The recipient’s related miniature awards
- The recipient’s Identity tags
- Bestowal document for the C.B., named to Air Vice-
Marshal Frederick Desmond Hughes, C.B.E., D.S.O.,
D.F.C., A.F.C., and dated 3.6.1972
- Bestowal document for the C.B.E., named to Group
Captain Frederick Desmond Hughes, D.S.O., D.F.C.,
A.F.C., and dated 1.1.1962
- Bestowal document for the D.S.O., named to Wing
Commander F.D. Hughes, D.F.C., and dated
23.3.1945
Air Vice-Marshal F.D. Hughes
- Commission appointing Frederick Desmond Hughes
a Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve, dated 7.10.1939
- (3) R.A.F. Pilot’s Flying Log Books, covering the
periods 25.10.1938-7.7.1944; 8.7.1944-30.12.1965;
and 19.1.1966-26.5.1972 respectively
- R.A.F. Instrument Pilot Rating Card
- The recipient’s Royal Aero Club Gliding Certificate
- The recipient’s unfinished Memoirs, together with
his various combat reports
- Letter to the recipient from the Rt. Hon. Roy
Mason, Secretary of State for Defence, on the occasion
of the recipient’s retirement, dated 4.6.1974
- A selection of portrait and group photographs, many
from his time at R.A.F. College Cranwell
- Battle of Britain Memorial Dagger, by Wilkinson,
London, the blade inscribed ‘Air Vice-Marshal F.D.
Hughes, C.B.E., D.S.O., D.F.C., A.F.C., M.A.’,
complete with scabbard, in wooden presentation box
(lot)
£60,000-80,000
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THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
Air Vice-Marshal F.D. Hughes
C.B. London Gazette 3.6.1972 Air Vice-Marshal Frederick
Desmond Hughes, C.B.E., D.S.O., D.F.C., A.F.C., Royal
Air Force.
C.B.E. London Gazette 1.1.1962 Group Captain Frederick
Desmond Hughes, D.S.O., D.F.C., A.F.C., Royal Air Force.
D.S.O. London Gazette 23.3.1945 Acting Wing Commander
Frederick Desmond Hughes, D.F.C. (74706), R.A.F.V.R.,
604 Sqn.
The Recommendation, dated 17.2.1945, states: ‘In the early
part of the War this officer was a pilot in No. 264 Squadron
operating under Fighter Command in the defensive night
operations against the enemy over England. On one occasion
in 1940 he shot down 2 Do.17s and on three other occasions
he had 3 He.111s to his credit. For this he was awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross in April 1941.
In May 1941, whilst operating with the same Squadron, this
officer damaged another He.111 and shot down a Ju.88. In
1942 he became a Flight Commander in 125 Squadron and
in June of that year added one more Ju.88 and a half share in
another to his growing list of victories. Early in 1943 he
joined 600 Squadron as a Flight Commander, which was
then operating in North Africa. During January 1943, in
defensive operations against the enemy at night, he shot
down 2 Ju.88s and the following month his score was
increased by a Cant 1007. For these 6.5 victories he was
awarded a Bar to his Distinguished Flying Cross in March of
that year.
No. 600 Squadron then joined the Desert Air Force, and in
April 1943 Wing Commander Hughes shot down another
Ju.88. The Squadron then moved to Malta and, whilst
operating from there, he shot down a He.111 and a Ju.88,
both in the month of July 1943. No. 600 Squadron then
moved to the Italian theatre. In August 1943 this pilot shot
down 3 Ju.88s in one night, and again in the same month he
destroyed another enemy aircraft- this time a Ju.87. For these
7 victories since his last award Wing Commander Hughes was
given a Second Bar to his Distinguished Flying Cross in
September 1943.
In December 1943 he returned to England and joined No.
85 Group as a Staff Officer on the Air Staff. Although he
made an excellent Staff Officer, his keenness to return to
operational flying was apparent to all, and accordingly he was
given command of No. 604 Squadron in July 1944. Since
taking over command of No. 604 Squadron this officer has
added 2 more victories to his long list of successes. In April
1944, whilst operating in conjunction with the 9th Air
Defence Command, U.S.A.A.F. in France, he shot down a
Ju.88. He was patrolling south-west of Avranches and
notwithstanding the technical difficulties on this particular
night the enemy target was recognised at a range of 1,000
feet with four bombs still in the bomb rack. From a range of
250 yards this pilot opened fire and the port engine of the
enemy aircraft burst into flames throwing debris into the path
of the Mosquito. The enemy aircraft was seen to dive to the
ground and blow up, and shortly afterwards Wing
Commander Hughes was compelled to return to base
through engine trouble- the result of debris having pierced
his starboard radiator. Finally, in the early hours of the 14th
January 1945, whilst operating in the Scheldt area, an aircraft
was seen taking evasive action from flak. When the target
broke away a visual was obtained at 2,000 feet and it was seen
to be a Ju.188. In spite of violent evasive action, Wing
Commander Hughes put several bursts into the enemy
aircraft from a range of 400 feet and it was seen to burst into
flames and dive to the ground.
Wing Commander Hughes, as a pilot, a Flight Commander,
and a Squadron Commander, has displayed the greatest
keenness and devotion to duty in operations against the
enemy over a long period. His unrelenting zeal, efficiency,
and determination in all operations against the enemy are
outstanding and he is a magnificent example to the members
of his Squadron and to all who come into contact with him.
His leadership is outstanding and his personal record of 18.5
enemy aircraft destroyed speaks for itself. Since Wing
Commander Hughes took over command, No. 604
Squadron have destroyed 30 enemy aircraft, probably
destroyed 1, and damaged 2. I therefore recommend him in
the strongest possible terms for the Immediate award of the
Distinguished Service Order.’
Remarks of Air Officer Commanding: ‘Wing Commander
Hughes is an outstanding character, possessing as he does a
very strong personality and prowess of leadership quite out of
the ordinary. I strongly endorse the above citation and very
strongly recommend the Immediate award of the
Distinguished Service Order.’
D.F.C. London Gazette 18.4.1941 Flying Officer Frederick
Desmond Hughes (74706), Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve, No. 264 Squadron.
The Recommendation, dated 26.3.1941, states: ‘This Officer
was in action with the Squadron and flew on all patrols at
Hornchurch, Southend, and Manston from the 24th-29th
August 1940. On the 26th August 1940 he and his gunner
shot down 2 Do.17s by day. Since the Squadron turned over
to night-fighting he has flown for 40 operational night flying
hours. On the 15th October 1940 he and his gunner shot
down a He.111k at night; on the 23rd November 1940 he
and his gunner damaged a He.111 at night; and on the 12th
March 1941 he and his gunner shot down a He.111 at
night.’
Remarks of Air Officer Commanding: ‘Strongly
recommended for the immediate award of the Distinguished
Flying Cross.’
D.F.C. Second Award Bar London Gazette 13.4.1943 Acting
Squadron Leader Frederick Desmond Hughes, D.F.C.
(74706), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 600
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Hughes in his Defiant
Squadron [in a joint citation with Flying Officer Lawrence
Dixon (awarded the D.F.C.)]
‘As pilot and observer respectively, Squadron Leader Hughes
and Flying Officer Dixon have flown together on many night
sorties in operations in North Africa. During these flights
they have destroyed 3 enemy aircraft. Squadron Leader
Hughes and Flying Officer Dixon have displayed great skill
and keenness, setting a praiseworthy example.’
The Recommendation, dated 22.2.1943, states: ‘Since being
posted to this Squadron on the 20th January 1943, this
Officer has destroyed 3 enemy aircraft by night, 2 in one
sortie. Also, since being awarded the D.F.C. in April 1941
this Officer has destroyed another enemy aircraft by night and
1.5 by day. Of the enemy aircraft destroyed by day one was
160 miles from the coast of South Wales off Southern Ireland
on the 27th June 1942, and the second was destroyed by a
Section which he was leading 150 miles off the coast of
Scotland in the North Sea on the 4th November 1942. He is
a Night Fighter Pilot of more than average ability and great
keenness to engage the enemy. As a Flight Commander
Squadron Leader Hughes is of exceptional ability and his
powers of leadership and command are an example to all.’
Remarks by Officer Commanding Wing: ‘This Officer was in
first the Sector, and then the Wing, which I commanded
throughout all the period described above, except that by
November 1942 on the date of his last kill in the U.K. I had
joined Eastern Air Command and Squadron Leader Hughes
was therefore not officially under my command. He has
shown outstanding determination and keenness, and is a
most capable and skilful Night Fighter Pilot. I strongly
recommend him for a Bar to his D.F.C.’
D.F.C. Third Award Bar London Gazette 28.9.1943 Acting
Squadron Leader Frederick Desmond Hughes, D.F.C.
(74706), Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 600
Squadron.
The Recommendation, dated 1.9.1943, states: ‘Since being
awarded a Bar to the D.F.C., Squadron Leader Hughes has
destroyed 7 enemy aircraft, of which 6 were destroyed by
night and the 7th in the half light of dawn. On the night of
the 26th-27th April 1943 this Officer, with the help of his
N/Rad., destroyed an enemy night fighter Ju.88 some 20
miles east of Tunis after a considerable dogfight. On the
night of the 13th-14th July 1943 he destroyed a He.111 off
the cost of Sicily. There was strong moonlight at the time and
to approach the enemy unobserved, identify him, and
withdraw to shoot him down, required a high degree of cooperation
between the members of his crew. This skill was
again shown on the 21st-22nd July 1943 when Squadron
Leader Hughes destroyed a Ju.88 off Cap Passero in
circumstances which were adverse to our night fighter.
On the night of the 11th-12th August 1943, during a sharp
raid by the enemy on landing grounds in eastern Sicily, he
destroyed 3 Ju.88s in one sortie out of an d raiding force of
35 enemy aircraft. Early in the morning of the 18th August
1943, Squadron Leader Hughes destroyed another enemy
aircraft Ju.87 a few miles east of Syracuse. In doing this he
had to close with the enemy, who was far more manoeuvrable
than himself, when it was already light. He destroyed the
enemy aircraft by good deflection shooting achieved as a
result of considerable practice and training, while the latter
was taking strong evasive action.
This Officer has been a flight commander in this Squadron
since January 1943 and has completed approximately 120
hours’ operational flying during this period. His total enemy
aircraft destroyed now amounts to 16.5 with 2 damaged. Of
these, 13 have been destroyed by night and the remainder by
day. His success in the air is well matched by his record on
the ground where he is a flight commander of exceptional
ability and keenness and who has raised the morale and
efficiency of his flight, both in the air and on the ground,
from the low level at which he took it over, to that of the
highest order, the pilots of his flight having destroyed 42
enemy aircraft by night for the loss of one crew whilst he has
been in command.’
A.F.C. London Gazette 1.1.1954 Frederick Desmond
Hughes, D.S.O., D.F.C. (74706), Royal Air Force.
7

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
Desmond Hughes
Air Vice-Marshal Frederick Desmond ‘Hawk Eyes’
Hughes, C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., D.F.C., A.F.C., known as
‘Des’ to his family and friends, was born in Belfast on 6 June
1919 and, in common with other young men of his
generation, was inspired by an early flight in an aircraft of Sir
Alan Cobham’s Flying Circus, an interest keenly pursued in
the University Air Squadron when he went up to Pembroke
College, Cambridge, in October 1937, after attending
Campbell College, Belfast. Called up in September 1939,
after being enrolled as a Sergeant Pilot in the R.A.F.V.R., he
graduated from the third war course at R.A.F. Cranwell with
an ‘above the average’ pilot rating in May 1940 and, on being
commissioned as a Pilot Officer, joined a Lysander Army Co-
Operation Unit.
The Battle of Britain
Then in June, having converted to Defiants, he was posted to
No. 264 Squadron at Duxford, where he received a friendly
reception from the unit’s battle-hardened veterans back from
the recent operations in France. Teaming-up with Sergeant
Fred Gash as his air gunner - ‘a cheerful Lancastrian with a
bubbling sense of humour and an infectious laugh’ - Hughes
flew his first operational sorties - convoy patrols - until, at the
end of July, No. 264 was ordered to Kirton Lindsay. Shortly
afterwards, after further patrols, the squadron was ordered to
Hornchurch, from where Hughes and Gash claimed their
first “kills”, namely a brace of Do. 17s over Manston in the
morning of 26 August, after being scrambled with seven
other Defiants under John Banham. Hughes takes up the
story: ‘John had positioned us perfectly - on the Dorniers’
starboard beam, a little below and gently converging. Calmly
he told us to choose our targets and open fire when in range.
Fred Gash took as his target the second Dornier and made no
mistake - his de Wilde incendiaries twinkled all over it but
particularly on its engine. It began to fall out of formation, a
hatch was jettisoned, two parachutes streamed as little dark
figures baled out and the stricken aircraft went down
increasingly steeply with its starboard engine well alight. I
then noticed that Banham’s aircraft was losing Glycol from its
radiator and tried to warn him - twice - but I don’t think he
heard me in the heat of battle. Meantime, Fred had been
blazing away at another Dornier (which he later reported as
having ‘brewed up’) but suddenly called out “109s coming
down!”. Like a flash, I broke hard right into a maximum rate
turn, slightly descending with 10 degrees flap until Fred said
our tail was clear. And then...that astonishing phenomenon
so often experienced, the total calm after the storm. One
minute the aircraft vibrating as the guns chattered, friend and
foe all around, engine bellowing at full boost and revs, ‘g’
greying out eyesight - and then neither sight nor sound of
another aircraft. A few more orbits on the climb but no sign
of other Defiants or Huns so, with fuel fairly low, a rapid
drop down to earth at Hornchurch - where my rigger
cheerfully pointed out about half a dozen bullet strikes of
which neither of us had been aware.’
But flying Defiants in daylight at this stage of the battle was
a perilous pastime. Hughes continues: ‘The fact was our
Defiants were out-turned, out-climbed and out-gunned by
the Messerschmitt 109s. In the last week of August, we lost
nine gunners and five pilots. We’d lost a C.O. dead, the
acting C.O. shot down injured, and both flight commanders
shot down injured. When we were scrambled one day, there
were only two of us with serviceable aircraft. The others had
been lost or so shot up they had to be grounded for repairs.
We just managed to find our way through the craters of the
airfield, which had just been bombed. As we climbed up, it
was interesting to be told that the two of us were being
vectored against 30 plus. We climbed on. When we got to
about 12,000 feet, the controller came through terribly
apologetic. “Terribly sorry, old boy, but they’ve turned
away.” I can’t say that Richard Stoker or I, or our gunners,
wept when we heard that ... ‘
The squadron was returned to Kirton Lindsay, where it
converted to night operations, the beginning of a chapter
entitled by Hughes as ‘Groping in the Dark’, for indeed it
was a long and frustrating period of operations - on one
occasion Hughes chased his own aircraft’s condensation trail
around on three successive occasions, convinced he was on
the tail of an enemy bomber. But with a move to Luton, and
after further training, the fortunes of No. 264 - and Hughes
and Gash in particular - started to take a turn for the better.
Thus their next victory on the 15-16 October: ‘The dark
shapeless blob slowly grew into a long black line and then I
picked up the incandescent glow of an exhaust. Shouting
“Tally Ho!” on the R.T., I turned gently back to starboard,
throttled back a little and slid into a wide formation on what
was clearly a twin-engined aircraft. As I dropped down a little
below it, some 50 yards on its beam, the unmistakeable wingplan
of a Heinkel 111 was revealed. I told Fred to open fire
and he made no mistake. A long burst with de Wilde
twinkling brilliantly on its starboard engine and the Heinkel
was a mass of flame. It slowly turned over to port and went
down in a steep dive, trailing a plume of fire as it went. I
started to follow it but it was obviously finished and I eased
out of the dive. It crashed near open country with a mighty
explosion - later found to be at Hutton, near Brentwood.
Two of the crew of four had baled out.’ Landing back in
misty conditions at Luton, Hughes overshot the runway and
came to a grinding halt, nose down, with crumpled propeller
and minus a wheel, but pilot and air gunner emerged
unscathed.
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Visit of H.M. The Queen and H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh
to RAF College Cranwell, June 1970
The Blitz and Beyond
With the Blitz now in full swing, 264 moved to Rochford
where the irrepressible Basil Embry had been asked to form a
Night Fighter Wing, and Hughes and his fellow pilots quickly
came under the great man’s spell - on one occasion, as the
unmistakeable sound of a stick of bombs advancing across the
airfield to the dispersal shattered the night, Embry remained
seated at his desk writing a report, while his pilots dived for
cover under assorted furniture: he was still there when they
emerged with red faces. On the night of 23 November,
Hughes and Gash damaged another He. 111 and, in the new
year, having carried out further night patrols from Rochford
and Debden, the Squadron moved to Gravesend, but it was
not until it had relocated to Biggin Hill in March 1941 that
they gained their next victory, an He. 111 destroyed on the
night of the 12th-13th - ‘it was so hard-hit that I didn’t try
to follow it down and it struck the ground with a big flash
somewhere near Horsham but in open country.’
A couple of weeks later, Hughes was notified that he was to
be awarded the D.F.C., while Fred Gash was awarded the
D.F.M., the gallant duo duly celebrating the news with a few
pints at their favourite pub in Bromley.
Meanwhile, operations continued apace, and after damaging
another He. 111 on 8 April, Hughes experienced ‘the most
exciting night sortie’ he ever had in a Defiant, when, two
nights later, he destroyed a Ju. 88 over Selsey Bay, after
giving his aircraft a ‘bootful of right rudder’ and dropping to
100 feet to catch his prize - so low, in fact, that he was able
to admire the expanding wave pattern left by his adversary’s
final impact. Hughes continues: ‘This just about wound up
our time at Biggin Hill for we were ordered to move yet
again, this time to West Malling which is near Maidstone. I’m
sure we were all sad to leave because there was something
rather special about Biggin. You felt you were at the hub of
things. It had become famous in the hectic days of the Battle
of Britain - the most heavily bombed of all airfields. People in
pubs would insist on buying you a drink if they heard you
were flying from it. Our operational flying was exciting and
sharing the base with outstanding Spitfire squadrons such as
66, 74 and 92 was inspiring - whilst we were still on the
defensive, they were beginning to carry the daylight battle to
the enemy with sweeps across the Channel.’
Thereafter, until his next posting, Hughes had no serious
encounters with the enemy, although he completed in excess
of another 50 operational sorties in the period leading up to
his transferral to No. 125 Squadron, a Beaufighter unit, in
January 1942. Delighted to be transferred from West Malling
to Aldergrove in Northern Ireland to carry out sorties in
defence of his hometown, Belfast - his father was pleasantly
entertained when Hughes ‘beat-up’ the family home from
chimney height. Even happier was his marriage to Pamela
Harrison, which occasion was marked by a low-level fly-past
of three squadron Defiants and, on his return to England, his
investiture with his D.F.C. at Buckingham Palace - ‘I
presented the beautiful silver cross in its satin-lined box to
Pamela after the ceremony’.
As a recently promoted Flight Lieutenant in No. 125
Squadron, Hughes missed the ‘inimitable Fred Gash’, but he
established good partnerships with other Observers and
Radar Operators following his arrival at Colherne in the
Spring of 1942. In fact Hughes, by now a Flight
Commander, claimed another convincing victory, a Ju. 88
destroyed off Hook Head, on the 27 June, the squadron’s
first success, and one which was celebrated in style with his
station C.O., David Atcherly, twin of “Batchy” - a typically
Atcherly-led affair that led to Hughes’ one and only
experience of ‘flying under the influence’ the following day.
Then on 4 November he shared in another Ju. 88, east of
Stonehaven, with Pilot Officer Ben Gledhill as his Radar
Operator, a memorable occasion on account of Hughes’ dog,
“Scruffy”, being present on the same occasion. With a
reasonable number of flying hours to his credit, “Scruffy”
finally claimed a “kill” - and was duly rewarded by the
addition of a small brass swastika to his collar.
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THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
Hughes with H.R.H. The Prince of Wales at RAF Cranwell
The Mediterranean Theatre of War
Posted to No. 600 Squadron, another Beaufighter unit, in
the Middle East in January 1943, Hughes teamed up with
Pilot Officer Laurie Dixon and quickly gained a “double-kill”
on the 23rd - a brace of Ju. 88s over Philippeville on the
Algerian coast. Hughes takes up the story: ‘A model
interception followed with Laurie calling out “Contact” at
two and half miles range. His north-country voice came
through calmly and confidently and his instructions soon
produced a ‘visual’ on a Ju. 88. Having identified it from
dead underneath so that our aircraft would be against the
darkest possible background, I throttled back very carefully
so as to avoid a gush of flame from my exhausts and gently
raised the nose. At about 150 yards range, the gunsight came
up to the dark silhouette of the 88, and I pressed the gunbutton.
The effect of the concentrated fire of the four cannon
was awesome - H.E. strikes all over the fuselage and engines
made the bomber sparkle like a giant firework. A huge fire set
in and it peeled over to port and went straight down from
12,000 feet to the sea. I reported the kill and the controller
replied: “Good show! I have a further customer for you.
Vector 060 - same angels.” What followed was virtually a
mirror-image of the first interception and combat. Laurie’s
directions were quite first-class - I had chosen a winner! After
the second 88 was in the sea, the controller said: “Well done!
That seems to be all the customers this evening. Return to
base and pancake. Steer 230. Good night!” A winner indeed
and the the commencement of a highly successful
partnership, and one which continued in spectacular style on
12 February when Dixon’s calm instructions and Hughes’s
marksmanship resulted in the destruction of a Cant Z1007
bomber - ‘the whole fuselage brewing up with an internal fire
until it looked like a ghastly Hallowe’en pumpkin lantern, the
jagged holes shot through the plywood skin creating a bizarre
pattern. It exploded in the air, breaking into two large
pieces.’
Five days later, Hughes was handed a copy of a signal
notifying him that he was to be awarded a Bar to his D.F.C.,
while Laurie Dixon was to receive the D.F.C. Remaining
actively employed with No. 600 up until December, a period
that encompassed moves to Malta, Sicily and Italy, he flew a
further 40 or so sorties with Dixon, and claimed seven further
confirmed victories, the majority of them around the time of
the Sicily landings. First to be downed was a Ju. 88 east of
Tunis on the 26 April, after a ‘tremendous night dogfight,
round and round, and up and down ... the 88 exploded in a
enormous mushroom of flame which starkly lit the adjacent
countryside’. Having then gone down with enteritis, Hughes
was cured after 10 days by a treatment the Squadron M.O.
described as a mixture of ‘two of sand and one of cement’.
Certainly he was back in form by the time the squadron
moved to Luqa, Malta, at the end of June, he and Dixon
downing a He. 111 over Augusta on 12 July, and, a little over
a week later, a Ju. 88 off Cape Corranti. But his greatest claim
to fame occurred on 11 August, when he destroyed three Ju.
88s over Catania. Hughes takes up the story: ‘I was on patrol
north east of Catania when a determined attack was mounted
on a clutch of Spitfire airstrips at Lentini. These were liberally
scattered with incendiary and fragmentation bombs. Bill
Pratley at the G.C.I. put us into contact with a Ju. 88 which
never saw us was smartly sent down in flames. Pratley then
put us on to another Ju. 88 which did see us and tried to
evade; three of my cannon jammed but I was lucky enough
to knock it down with a one second burst from the fourth
cannon and the machine-guns, using a lot of deflection. We
saw this crash and then Laurie re-cocked the cannon. He had
no sooner got back to his tubes than he picked up a third Ju.
88 without help from the G.C.I. - this one was happily
wending its way home after dropping its bombs. Laurie
produced another copybook interception. I hit the Hun in
the starboard engine but it refused to burn. The top gunner
sprayed tracer around us hitting my starboard wing and
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Graduation of No.1 Graduate Entry, RAF Cranwell, August 1971 -
Hughes with H.R.H. The Prince of Wales
engine air-intake as he dived away. I pushed the nose hard
down (propelling Laurie sharply up into the Perspex dome!)
and gave a very long burst, hitting him hard. He crashed into
the sea, this being witnessed by Paddy Green who had arrived
to join the fray ...’
Hughes gained his final victory in this theatre of war on 15
August, when he downed a Stuka off Syracuse - hit in the
crank of its port wing, it turned over and crashed into the sea
‘with an enormous splash’. He also served in Italy, claiming
to be the first pilot to land a Beaufighter on mainland Europe
when he touched down at Monte Corvino on 25 September.
But in October he went down with jaundice, quickly
followed by malaria, and, but for the urgent attention of the
medical staff at 95th Army Field Hospital at Salerno, may well
have died. Even so, in moments of consciousness, he couldn’t
help but laugh on being told to ‘lie to attention’ when the
senior M.O. made his morning rounds. Awarded a second
Bar to his D.F.C., he was invalided back to the U.K., where,
after a period of recuperation, he took up an appointment at
H.Q. No. 85 Group at Uxbridge - this his first real rest from
operations since the outbreak of war.
D-Day and Beyond
Hughes subsequently served alongside John “Cat’s Eyes”
Cunningham, who had been placed in charge of the planning
night fighter cover for Operation Overlord and, on the night
of the 5-6 June, watched the development of that memorable
occasion at No. 11 Group’s Operations Room. Then in early
July, with the fall of Cherbourg, he was ordered to France to
get a mobile G.C.I. up to the enemy’s old radar at Cap de la
Hague, an eventful ground operation that was duly
accomplished. Immediately on his return to England,
however, he took command, in the acting rank of Wing
Commander, of No. 604 Squadron, a Mosquito unit
operating out of Hurn, and was quickly back in the air with
Laurie Dixon at his side. Thus ensued a flurry of activity in
support of the Allied landings in France - a dozen or so
operations in the period leading up to the Squadron’s move
to Predannak in September, during which he claimed a Ju. 88
over Rennes on 6 August. Then on 13 January 1945, while
operating out of Lille, he claimed his last victory of the War,
a Ju. 88 downed south of Rotterdam. He had now flown at
least 200 operational sorties and claimed 18 confirmed “kills”
and one shared destroyed. He was awarded the D.S.O.
The Post-War Years
Hughes served at Fighter Command H.Q. 1946-53, before
going on to add the A.F.C. to his long list of decorations in
1954. Next employed on the Directing Staff at Bracknell, he
was then employed as P.S.O. at the C.A.S. 1956-58, in which
latter year he was advanced to Group Captain. Then between
1959-61 he commanded R.A.F. Geilenkirchen in Germany,
and was awarded the C.B.E. Returning to the U.K., he served
as Director of Staff Plans at the M.O.D. 1962-64, in which
period he was also advanced to Air Commodore and
appointed an A.D.C. to the Queen. And his next
advancement, to Air Vice-Marshal in July 1967, occurred
during his tenure as A.O.C. at H.Q. Flying Training
Command. Having then served as Commandant of the
R.A.F. College at Cranwell, he was appointed S.A.S.O. of the
Near East Air Force, until his retirement in June 1974, after
being appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath.
Retiring to Lincolnshire, Air Vice-Marshal Hughes died in
January 1992.
Only 15 aircrew were awarded the combination of a D.S.O.
and three D.F.Cs in the 1939-45 War. The addition of the
recipient’s post-war C.B., C.B.E, and A.F.C., his fifth
decoration, most probably make this a unique combination
of awards.
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THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
2
The Outstanding C.B., Second War D.S.O. and
Bar, D.F.C. Group of Twelve to Air Vice-Marshal
R.N. ‘Pinpoint’ Bateson, Royal Air Force, The
Famous Mosquito Pilot Who Led the Spectacular
Low-Level Raids on Gestapo Headquarters in The
Hague, Copenhagen, and Odense, His Bombs on
the Former Occasion Going ‘Bang Through the
Front Door’
a) The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Military
Division, Companion’s (C.B.) neck Badge, silver-gilt
and enamel, with neck riband, in Collingwood, London,
case of issue
b) Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt
and enamel, reverse of suspension bar officially dated
‘1944’, with Second Award Bar, reverse officially
dated ‘1945’, with integral top riband bar
c) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse
officially dated ‘1941’
d) 1939-1945 Star
e) Air Crew Europe Star, with France and Germany
Bar
f) Africa Star
g) Pacific Star
h) Defence and War Medals
i) Coronation 1954
j) Denmark, Kingdom, Order of the Dannebrog,
Commander’s neck Badge, C.X.R. (1912-47), 79mm
including crown suspension x 40mm, silver-gilt and
enamel, significant enamel damage, with neck riband,
in Michelsen, Copenhagen, case of issue
k) Netherlands, Kingdom, Distinguished Flying
Cross, silver, lacquered, generally extremely fine,
mounted Court style as originally worn, with the
following related items:
- The recipient’s related miniature awards
- Bestowal document for the C.B., named to Air Vice-
Marshal Robert Norman Bateson, and dated
1.1.1964, together with various Central Chancery
enclosures
- Bestowal Document for the D.S.O., named to Wing
Commander R.N. Bateson, D.F.C., and dated
28.4.1944
- Bestowal Document for the Order of the
Dannebrog, Commander, named to Wing
Commander Robert N. Bateson, and dated
19.12.1946, together with Danish Legation enclosure
- Bestowal Document for the Dutch Distinguished
Flying Cross, named to Wing Commander R.N.
Bateson, D.F.C., and dated 20.4.1944, together with
an English translation
- Commission appointing Robert Norman Bateson a
Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force, dated 7.9.1936
- Central Chancery letter regarding the investiture of
the D.F.C., dated 24.2.1945
- A complete copy of the recipient’s Flying Log Books,
the originals being held in the Collection of the Royal
Air Force Museum, Hendon
- Royal Air Force Officer’s Clothing Card
- Painting of the attack by the Mosquitos of No. 613
Squadron bombing the Gestapo Headquarters in The
Hague, mounted in a glazed frame
Air Vice-Marshal R.N. Bateson
- Presentation photograph album commemorating the
Annual Inspection of RAF Binbrook by the recipient,
17.5.1966
- Presentation photograph album commemorating the
Annual Inspection of RAF Wattisham by the recipient,
25.4.1967
- A vast selection of photographs and newspaper
cuttings (lot)
£20,000-25,000
C.B. London Gazette 1.1.1964 Air Vice-Marshal Robert
Norman Bateson, D.S.O., D.F.C., Royal Air Force.
D.S.O. London Gazette 28.4.1944 Acting Wing Commander
Robert Norman Bateson, D.F.C. (39054); Reserve of Air
Force Officers, No. 613 Squadron
‘This officer has displayed the highest standard of skill and
leadership throughout the many and varied sorties in which
he has participated. In April, 1944, Wing Commander
Bateson flew the leading aircraft of a formation detailed to
attack a target in Holland. The operation, which demanded a
high degree of courage and determination, was completed,
with success and reflects the greatest credit on the efforts of
this officer, whose leadership was outstanding. His
achievements have been worthy of great praise.’
D.S.O. Second Award Bar London Gazette 22.6.1945 Acting
Group Captain Robert Norman Bateson, D.S.O., D.F.C.,
R.A.F.O.
‘Since being awarded the Distinguished Service Order this
officer has completed very many sorties and the successes
obtained are a splendid tribute to his exceptional skill, great
courage and unfailing devotion to duty. In March, 1945,
Group Captain Bateson led a large formation of aircraft in an
attack on the headquarters of the German Gestapo in
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THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
‘Bang Through the Front Door’
Copenhagen. The operation called for the highest standard of
skill as the target was small and well defended. Nevertheless,
the attack was pressed home with a determination and
accuracy which ensured success. In April, 1945, this officer
led his squadrons in an attack against a similar target at
Odense. In spite of opposition from the ground defences the
attack was vigorously and accurately pressed home. By his
brilliant leadership. Group Captain Bateson played an
important part in the success of these notable sorties.’
D.F.C. London Gazette 14.1.1941 Acting Squadron Leader
Robert Norman Bateson (39054), No. 113 Squadron
‘Squadron Leader Bateson has displayed great devotion to
duty when leading his squadron during extensive operations
during September and October, 1940. His leadership has in
fact played a considerable part in forcing the enemy to
abandon several of his military base ports. He has led
operational formations on thirty-six occasions and often, after
objectives have been attacked, he has had to force his way
through superior numbers of enemy fighters. Squadron
Leader Bateson has also carried out a long series of hazardous
reconnaissances and has obtained vital information.
Throughout the period of active operations he has displayed
rare courage and devotion to duty.’
Danish Order of the Dannebrog, Commander London
Gazette 25.1.1947 Wing Commander Robert Norman
Bateson, D.S.O, D.F.C.
Dutch D.F.C. London Gazette 9.5.1944 Acting Wing
Commander Robert Norman Bateson, D.S.O., D.F.C.
(39054), Reserve of Air Force Officers
‘In recognition of valuable services rendered in connection
with the war.’
The original Dutch Citation, dated 20.4.1944, states: ‘In
recognition of carrying out, at the special request of the
Netherlands Government, an important and dangerous
assignment in the occupied Netherlands, thereby rendering
most important service to our national interest.’
Air Vice-Marshal Robert Norman ‘Pinpoint’ Bateson,
C.B., D.S.O., D.F.C., was born at Barcombe, Chailey,
Sussex, 10.6.1912, and educated at Hove High School and
Watford Grammar School. He joined the Royal Air Force on
a Short Service Commission in 1936, gaining his Wings at 2
F.T.S. Posted Pilot Officer to No.113 Squadron (Blenheims)
in 1937, he moved with his Squadron in 1938 to the Middle
East, and on the 11th June 1940, a few hours after Italy’s
Declaration of War, he attacked El Adem aerodrome in what
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Air Vice-Marshal R.N. Bateson receiving his Dutch D.F.C. from Prince Bernhard
is believed to be one of the first strikes by an Allied Squadron
against the Italians. During the Libyan Campaign he rose to
the command of No.113 Squadron and was blown up by a
booby trap, suffering corrosive acid burns to his face. At the
end of 1941 he was appointed to the command of No.211
Squadron then destined for Singapore, but, when the island
fell to the Japanese in February 1942, he commanded it
instead at Sumatra until that too was overrun. Bateson then
escaped via Australia, and in June 1942 was appointed to the
command of No.11 Squadron in Ceylon. By the time he
returned to the U.K. in 1943, the Mosquito had emerged as
one of the fastest and most formidable weapons of the war,
and after a stint at 13 O.T.U. he was promoted Wing
Commander and given command of No.613 (City of
Manchester) Squadron, equipped with Mosquitos at RAF
Lasham. As part of No.2 Group, 2nd T.A.F., the Squadron
under Bateson’s command opened 1944 with repeated lowlevel
precision attacks in the ‘Noball’ offensive against V1
Flying Bomb sites in Northern France. On the 24th January
he was holed by flak, and four days later he was holed in four
places. By March 1944 he was frequently engaged in various
Night Intruder Operations and a Day Ranger Sweep against
Northern European targets.
‘Bang Through the Front Door’
The most spectacular of all No. 613 Squadron’s Mosquito
operations was undoubtedly the precision daylight raid made
on the 11th April 1944 when Bateson, leading six aircraft,
succeeded in destroying the Gestapo archives housed in the
Kunstzaal Kleizcamp in the Hague. The operational
requirement was for the destruction of the archive alone
without harming the surrounding buildings, a feat which was
virtually achieved by Bateson’s bombing run alone.
Describing the celebrated raid for The Times he said: ‘l came
down, and we went in on what was virtually a perfect practice
bombing run. The building was a five storey affair - I should
say about 90 feet high. We bombed from below the height of
the building at about 50 feet. I was a bit worried about my
port wing catching the spire of the Peace Palace. I could not
see what happened myself, but my Number Two told me that
he could follow my bombs all the way down, and that two
went bang through the front door and the other two went
through the two big windows on each side of the doorway. I
was a bit worried about the two wing bombs: if any of us had
been the least bit too much to port or starboard we should
have hit one of the next door houses. We all bombed dead
on, and the incendiaries did their stuff beautifully. Actually,
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THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
by the time my Number Five or Six came along the building was not there and as we were bombing
more or less horizontally, these bombs went straight through the gap and landed in a barracks just
behind the house.”
On this occasion Bateson’s customary prosaic Log Book style gave way to comparative exuberance:
‘Daylight Attack Leading 6 aircraft on single house in centre of The Hague. House completely
demolished. Whoopee!’ Meanwhile, an Air Ministry bulletin acclaimed the Hague strike as
‘probably the most brilliant feat of low-level precision bombing of the War’.
Following further valuable Night Intruder operations in support of the invasion of Europe, Bob
Bateson, or ‘Pinpoint’ as he was now known, was posted to Basil Embry’s No.2 Group
Headquarters in July 1944, but remained there only briefly being next posted to No.136 Wing as
Wing Commander Flying, and then a month later in December 1944 to the command of No.140
Wing (comprising No.21 Squadron, R.A.F., No.464 Squadron, R.A.A.F., and No.487 Squadron,
R.N.Z.A.F.), the low-level specialists whom ‘Pick’ Pickard had led in the celebrated Amiens Prison
Raid of the preceding February.
The Shellhurst Raid
In early 1945 crippling Gestapo infiltration of the Danish Resistance prompted those still at liberty
to send out the following urgent call for help on the 15th March: ‘Military leaders arrested and plans
in German hands. Situation never before so desperate. Remaining leaders known by Hun. We are
regrouping but need help. Bombing of S.D. Copenhagen will give us breathing space. If any
importance is attached at all to Danish resistance you must help us irrespective cost. We will never
forget R.A.F.’
The feasibility of attacking the Gestapo’s Copenhagen H.Q. housed in Shell Oil Company’s former
head office - the Shellhuset - had been under consideration at No.2 Group Headquarters for some
months, and now that there was clearly a desperate need for the operation it was given the green
light. Bateson and his Navigator, Squadron Leader ‘Daisy’ Sismore, D.S.O., D.F.C., would lead 20
Mosquitos to the target, where 18 would make the attack and two, of the Film Production unit,
would record it. An escort of 28 Mustangs was provided by No.64 Squadron and No.126 Squadron.
On the afternoon of the 20th March 1945 the specially selected Mosquito crews were flown to
Fersfield in Essex for a detailed briefing: ‘Briefings were provided by three of the four key individuals
who had planned the attack - Group Captain Bob Bateson, D.S.O., D.F.C., Squadron Leader
Sismore, Lead Navigator, and Major Truelson, whose local knowledge of and co-ordination of
Danish help for shot down or force landed aircrews, should it be necessary, was so important. The
fourth person, Air Vice-Marshal Embry, A.O.C., No. 2 Group, was also present at the briefing with
his Navigator, Flight Lieutenant Peter Clapham. They would be flying in the operation and sat
amongst the other selected crews listening to the details of what was now known by the codename
of ‘Carthage’. The briefing stressed that as on previous occasions, the lives of prisoners were
endangered by the attack but their probable deaths were a necessary sacrifice to achieve the required
goal. For hours the crews studied the maps, photographs and plaster cast models before obtaining
what sleep they could. Take-off was scheduled for the next morning at 08.40 hours so that the
attack would take place at the height of the Gestapo’s morning work’. The proven vulnerability of
Gestapo personnel whilst at work had caused them to take certain additional steps to protect
themselves. At Copenhagen they had unimaginatively camouflaged the Shellhuset with green and
brown paint, a measure well known at No.2 Group Headquarters and one which in the event of
Bateson’s attack proved a useful recognition aid as the Shellhuset was the only office block in the
city so decorated. Further to this and in keeping with their customary practices they let it be known
that they had converted the sixth floor into a 22 cell prison for their most valuable Danish prisoners.
The 21st March 1945 was a fine day and the take-off timetable was strictly adhered to. Within a
quarter of an hour the whole force was airborne with Bateson and Sismore leading the first wave of
six No.21 Squadron Mosquitos, and with Air Vice-Marshal Embry and his Navigator flying in the
No. 3 position. The second and third waves consisted respectively of six Mosquitos each from
No.464 Squadron and No.487 Squadron. Embry recalled rarely flying ‘behind a better leader than
Bob Bateson’, and remembered a rough and boisterous flight across the North Sea at 50 feet. Over
the countryside beyond he saw the Danish flag proudly flying over many homes: ‘We had now
worked up to maximum cruising speed and were flying just above the ground in perfect formation,
preparing for our final run up to the target. At times we had to pull up to avoid high-tension cables,
trees and other obstructions, but our mean height was below tree-top level. It was an invigorating
and satisfying sensation, especially as we were on our way to strike another blow at the evil Gestapo’.
With Sismore navigating a perfect course to the target, check point after check point flashed past
until over the streets in Copenhagen the Shellhuset raced into view. Sismore had the bomb doors
open, and Bateson pressed the release. The incendiary from Bateson’s Mosquito thundered into the
building between the first and second floors, followed by that of the second Mosquito and then by
Embry’s. Few of the wrong sort survived the holocaust inside. Between 100 and 200 Gestapo
workers perished, and yet only ten of the prisoners held on the sixth floor lost their lives. As Bateson
set course for home and the dust began to settle, the Resistance moved in to comb the rubble and
spirit away five safes and two filing cabinets containing among other much useful information, a
complete list of Gestapo informers.
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Air Vice-Marshal R.N. Bateson, at the Annual
Inspection of RAF Wattisham, April 1967
Less than a month after the Shellhuset Raid, Bateson led six aircraft on one last low-level daylight
operation on the 17th April against the Gestapo’s sole remaining H.Q. in Denmark in order to
ensure that they were unable to re-group. The target was situated on the Island of Odense and was
completely destroyed though not bombed until the fourth run. There were no losses to the civilian
population, nor the attacking aircraft or the Mustang escort, and 121 Gestapo were killed. The raid,
like the Shellhuset operation, was filmed by F.P.U. Mosquitos. A week after Odense, Bateson flew
his last operation of the War, a Night Intruder mission in the teeth of ‘considerable flak’, but during
which he started an ‘enormous fire’ in a marshalling yard west of Flensburg. In May 1945 he made
a pilgrimage to Denmark and was received as a hero. Several men, who had been undergoing torture
in the Copenhagen H.Q. when his force had arrived overhead, told him personally that they owed
their lives to him. He twice dined with the Queen and Crown Prince and on the 22nd May 1945
in a heart-felt and successful effort to safeguard the financial future of Danish child war victims, he
climaxed a fund raising air show at Kastrup before a quarter of a million spectators by leading an
exhilarating low-level Mosquito fly-past.
Continuing in the R.A.F., Bateson was promoted Air Commodore in 1958 and Air Vice-Marshal in
1960. Post-War appointments included A.D.C. to the Queen, 1958-60, the command of Duxford,
and three years as Chief Assistant of the Air Staff. From 1961 to 1962 he commanded No.12
Group, Fighter Command, and from 1963 was S.A.S.O. Fighter Command, until his retirement in
1967. ‘Pinpoint’ Bateson, a ‘stocky, quietly-spoken’ man who ‘brought a touch of inspired genius
to attacking some of the most difficult targets of the whole War’, died 6.3.1986.
PROVENANCE:
Aviation Collection, Spink, May 1998
17

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
3
The Historically Important C.B.E., Second War
‘Immediate’ D.S.O. and Two Bars, D.F.C. and Bar
Group of Nine to Beaufighter and Mosquito Pilot,
Group Captain John ‘Cat’s Eyes’ Cunningham,
Royal Air Force; The Highest Scoring Night
Fighter Ace of the Second World War, With 20
Confirmed Victories; An AI (Airborne
Interception) Pioneer, He Commanded Both 604
Squadron and 85 Squadron Before Being
Promoted Group Captain, Night Operations, HQ
No. 11 Group, Aged Just 26. A Night Fighter Ace
of Almost Unrivalled Ability and a Much Loved
Wartime Hero Amongst the Great British Public,
He Moved Seamlessly into the World of Civil
Aviation - Spending 32 Years Perfecting His Art
As Chief Test Pilot at de Havilland. Breaking Both
Height and Speed World Records He Also
Oversaw the Development From Prototype to
Production of the D.H. 106 Comet - The World’s
First Jet Airliner. Cunningham Gave His Life to
Aviation in Both Times of War and Peace, and
Became a Legend During the Golden Years of
British Aviation
a) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire,
2nd type, Civil Division, Commander’s (C.B.E.) neck
Badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with neck riband, in
Collingwood case of issue
b) Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt
and enamel, obverse centre slightly loose, reverse of
suspension bar officially dated ‘1941’, with Second
Award Bar, reverse officially dated ‘1942’, and Third
Award Bar, reverse officially dated ‘1944’, with
integral top-riband bar, in Garrard & Co. Ltd case of
issue, top additionally dated, ‘29.4.1941’
c) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse
officially dated ‘1941’, with Second Award Bar,
reverse officially dated ‘1941’, in Royal Mint case of
issue, top additionally dated, ‘9.1.1941’
d) 1939-1945 Star, with Battle of Britain Bar
e) Air Crew Europe Star
f) War Medal, M.I.D. Oak Leaf
g) Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R. (Act. Sqn. Ldr. J.
Cunningham. A.A.F.)
h) United States of America, Silver Star, in case of
issue
i) Russia, Soviet Union, Order of the Patriotic War,
First Class, 2nd type breast badge, with screw back
suspension, silver, gold, and enamel, reverse officially
numbered ‘53161’, generally good very fine
with a large archive and associated career memorabilia,
including:
- The Segrave Trophy, obverse engraved ‘John
Cunningham’, reverse engraved, ‘Segrave Trophy
1978, For Services to Aviation’, in leather presentation
case
- Royal Aero Club, Britannia Trophy, obverse
engraved, ‘J. Cunningham 1948’
- Royal Aero Club, Britannia Trophy, engraved, ‘John
Cunningham D.S.O., O.B.E., D.F.C., D.L., 1958’
- Royal Aeronautical Society Medal For Advancement
of Aeronautical Science, white metal, edge engraved in
‘G/Capt. J. Cunningham, For Outstanding
Achievements as a Test Pilot, 1951’, in presentation
case
Group Captain J. Cunningham
- The Royal Aero Club Medal, silver-gilt, reverse
engraved ‘J. Cunningham D.S.O., O.B.E., D.F.C.,
1955’, in presentation case
- The John Derry and Anthony Richards Memorial
Medal For Experimental Flying, bronze, reverse
engraved, ‘John Cunningham, 1965’, in presentation
case
- Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators, Sir Barnes
Wallis Medal, white metal, reverse engraved, ‘J.
Cunningham, 1997’, in Royal Mint presentation box
- (3) Geoffrey de Havilland Trophy Medals, white
metal, reverses engraved: ‘1948 John Cunningham
Vampire 3’; ‘John Cunningham, D.S.O., O.B.E.,
D.F.C., D.L., 1957’ and ‘Group Captain John
Cunningham C.B.E., D.S.O., D.F.C., 1965’, all in
presentation boxes
- (3) Geoffrey de Havilland Trophy Medals, bronze,
all unnamed and in presentation boxes
- Air League Founders’ Medal, silver-gilt, reverse
engraved, ‘John Cunningham, 1979’, in Spink and
Son presentation case
- The Sir Peter Masefield Medal, gilt-metal, reverse
engraved, ‘John Cunningham 1996’, in presentation
case
- The Daily Mail Initiative Prize Medal Awarded to the
BEALINE Syndicate for the 1959 Bleriot Anniversary
Air Race, white metal, reverse engraved, ‘J.
Cunningham London-Paris-London 19 July 1959’, in
presentation case
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THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
- The Geoffrey de Havilland Flying Foundation, Seven
Barrows Re-Dedication Commemorative Medal,
1986, bronze, in presentation case
- Control Column Head, believed to have been
salvaged from the wreckage of Cunningham’s R-
Robert
- A Blade from a Ghost Mk 50 Turbine Engine which
powered the World’s first Jet Airliner the D.H. 106
Comet, presented to Cunningham by the de Havilland
Comet Heritage Trust, mounted on a wooden base
- Cufflinks (9 carat gold), engraved with 604
Squadron’s crest and motto, and the initials ‘J.C.’, in
D&J Wellby Ltd box; with another pair of decorative
metal cufflinks
- Silver Tankard (Hallmarks for Birmingham 1937),
engraved, ‘To Wing Commander John Cunningham
D.S.O. and Two Bars, D.F.C. and Bar, From the
Aircrew and Officers of 85 Squadron on his
relinquishing Command, February 1943 to February
1944’
- Presentation Salver, silver-plate, engraved, ‘Presented
by Hawker Siddeley Group in appreciation of the
services of J. Cunningham to Hawker Siddeley
Aviation Limited’, in presentation case
- Presentation Salver, silver-plate, engraved ‘Presented
to Group Captain John Cunningham, C.B.E., D.S.O.,
D.F.C., British Aerospace Aircraft Group 1980’
- a large quantity of souvenirs and presentation gifts
from Cunningham’s flights around the World,
including: a Silver Cigarette Case, by Mappin & Webb
(Hallmarks for Birmingham 1953); several lighters,
tankards and commemorative plaques and shields
- a large selection of de Havilland promotional items,
including: a D.H. 125 Stick Pin (9 carat gold); a
Trident Stick Pin (9 carat gold); Trident Fork, silver
(Hallmarks for London 1963), all by David Mappin
and (2) D.H. Aircraft Tie Pins (9 carat gold)
- a number of Model Aircraft representing the
aeroplanes upon which Cunningham worked and flew
in
- Domed Flying Helmet, with visor; Air Ministry Stop
Watch; in-flight note book; (2) pairs of white Overalls,
both torn in places
- White Silk Flying Scarf; a number of ties and
shoulder insignia
- Group Captain’s R.A.F. Cap, by Millhouse & Co.,
New Bond St., named inside rim ‘J. Cunningham’;
with (7) other Caps from various airlines with which
he flew, including B.E.A. and M.E.A.
- (5) Airline Pilot’s jackets including M.E.A. and
B.E.A., the latter with medal ribands attached, and a
B.E.A. Long Coat
- (4) R.A.F. Pilot’s Flying Log Books (27.10.1935-
29.12.1939; 1.1.1940-30.7.1943; 1.8.1943-
11.6.1952 and 13.6.1952-11.2.1963)
- (4) Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation Flying
Log Books (20.4.1938-23.8.1939; 11.2.1963-
29.11.1968; 2.12.1968-5.3.1969 and one unused)
- (14) Note books listing Cunningham’s World flights,
including delivery flights, crew training flights etc,
with annotated notes and encompassing the period
December 1960-October 1978
- Royal Aeronautical Society Certificate electing John
Cunningham as an Honorary Fellow of the Society,
dated 8.9.1997, glazed and framed
- Royal Aeronautical Society Certificate electing John
Cunningham as a Fellow if the Society, dated
17.3.1970
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
- The Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators of the
British Empire Certificate electing John Cunningham
as a Full Member of the Guild, dated 8.4.1948; Copy
of Freedom of the City of London
- L’Academie Nationale de L’Air et de L’Espace
Certificate electing John Cunningham a Honorary
Member, dated 21.9.1983
- (5) Pilot’s Licences and Royal Aero Club
Competitor’s Licence
- a large quantity of photographs, mostly official
relating to de Havilland, Cunningham’s career with
the company, and the aircraft which he flew
- a leather-bound presentation photograph album
annotated, ‘John Cunningham This Album of
Photographs is presented to you by the Members of
the Directors and Executive Mess as a Cheerful
Memento of over 45 years of association with Hatfield
people and aeroplanes, September 1980’
- a painting of a D.H. Comet, in oils, signed ‘Edmund
Miller, 1980’, framed
- a signed print of a D.H. Trident with BEA Markings,
by Edmund Miller, annotated, ‘Presented by the
Members of the Directors and Executive Mess to John
Cunningham on his retirement after over 45 years with
de Havilland, Hawker Siddeley and British Aerospace,
September 1980’, with additional signatures of the
Mess Members and employees, framed and glazed; (5)
aircraft limited edition prints, all framed and glazed
- a set of four glazed and framed portrait prints of
Cunningham, Learoyd, Bader and Lacey, produced to
celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of the R.A.F.
Benevolent Fund, all numbered 4 out of a limited
edition of 950
- approximately 150 books on military and civil
aircraft, with a number of titles relating to personnel
(lot)
£140,000-180,000
21

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
C.B.E. London Gazette 8.6.1963 Group Captain John
Cunningham, D.S.O., O.B.E., D.F.C., D.L., Director and
Chief Test Pilot, de Havilland Aircraft Company Ltd.
D.S.O. London Gazette 29.4.1941 A/Squadron Leader J.
Cunningham (90216), D.F.C., Auxiliary Air Force, No 604
Squadron
The Recommendation (originally for an immediate Bar to his
D.F.C.) states: ‘A/S/Ldr. J. Cunningham was awarded the
D.F.C. on 3rd January 1941. Since his award he has
continued to show the highest devotion to duty and has in
combat with the enemy destroyed three, damaged three and
probably destroyed one more. Both by his meticulous
attention to the training of his radio operator and by his work
in the air he is an inspiration to all the air crews in the
Squadron. I recommend him for an immediate award of a bar
to the D.F.C.’
Covering Remarks of Commander-in-Chief, Fighter
Command: ‘Since the above recommendation was made
Acting Squadron Leader Cunningham has destroyed five
more enemy bombers at night. On the night of 8/9th April
he destroyed two enemy bombers during the same patrol. On
the night 15/16th April he destroyed three enemy bombers
during three different patrols. He has now definitely
destroyed ten enemy bombers at night, probably destroyed
two more and damaged four others. Squadron Leader
Cunningham’s courage and skill in attacking enemy bombers
at night is an inspiration not only to his Squadron but to the
whole of Fighter Command. I approve the Immediate Award
of the Distinguished Service Order.’
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
D.S.O. Second Award Bar London Gazette 24.7.1942 Acting
Wing Commander John Cunningham, D.S.O., D.F.C.
(90216), Auxiliary Air Force, No. 604 Squadron
The Recommendation states: ‘A brilliant leader and a
relentless pilot of matchless skill Wing Commander
Cunningham has destroyed at least 16 hostile aircraft, many
of them at night, as well as damaging several more. One day
recently, Wing Commander Cunningham destroyed an
enemy aircraft without firing a shot. He achieved his purpose
by diving through cloud at great speed and drove the enemy
aircraft down to the ground.’
Covering Remarks of Station Commander: ‘Cunningham has
become almost a legend. His powers of leadership in one so
young are outstanding. In addition to his astonishing skill as
a pilot he is always anxious to engage the enemy and he often
operates in weather which would be fatal to others. Quite
recently he destroyed an enemy without even firing a shot by
“driving it into the ground” in atrocious weather. This was
only done by diving through cloud at great speed.
His general behaviour is faultless and he is outstanding in
every way.’
Covering Remarks by Air Officer Commanding: ‘In all this
officer has destroyed 16 enemy aircraft, probably destroyed
two and damaged 6, practically all at night. His recent
successes of one damaged and another destroyed have both
been in daylight, but in such difficult cloud conditions that
few, if any other, pilots could have succeeded. I recommend
the award on account of his outstanding personal ability and
his brilliant leadership.’
D.S.O. Third Award Bar London Gazette 3.3.1944 Wing
Commander John Cunningham, D.S.O., D.F.C. (90216),
Auxiliary Air Force, No. 85 Squadron.
The Recommendation states: ‘Already the holder of the
D.S.O. and Bar and D.F.C. and Bar, Wing Commander
Cunningham has, since his last award of a bar to the D.S.O.,
shot down four enemy aircraft at night, bringing his total up
to twenty aircraft destroyed, of which nineteen have been
destroyed by night.
On 26th January, 1944, Wing Commander Cunningham
completed one year as Commanding Officer of 85 Squadron,
during which time it has been most successful and the total
of enemy aircraft destroyed at night has risen from fifteen to
fifty-six and a half, and on the night of 21st/22nd January
the Squadron shot down its two-hundredth enemy aircraft of
this war. It is almost entirely due to Wing Commander
Cunningham’s magnificent powers of leadership, patience,
organising ability and very wide knowledge of every aspect of
night fighting that these excellent results have been achieved
and caused 85 Squadron to deserve and enjoy its present very
high reputation.
Flying with F/Lt. C.F. Rawnsley, D.S.O., D.F.C. and Bar,
D.F.M. and Bar, he shot down a F.W.190 which crashed at
Wrotham on June 13th 1943.
On the night of August 23rd 1943 this combination shot
down another F.W.190 over Dunkirk after a thirty minute
chase, and another F.W.190 off Aldeburgh on the night of
8th September 1943. Parts of the wreckage of this last
F.W.190 hit Wing Commander Cunningham’s aircraft and
pierced one of the radiators, forcing him to return to base on
one engine.
23

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
On the night of 2nd January 1944 he destroyed an Me 410
over the French Coast.
On the night of 7th October 1943 Wing Commander
Cunningham, flying with F/Lt. Rawnsley, had a visual of a
Junkers 88, but before they could engage the enemy opened
fire and shattered the Wing Commander’s windscreen
covering his face with particles of glass. Notwithstanding he
was able to bring his aircraft safely to base.’
Remarks of Sector Commander: ‘Wing Commander
Cunningham is a Night Fighter Squadron Commander of
unique ability and unparalleled achievement.’
D.F.C. London Gazette 28.1.1941 Flight Lieutenant John
Cunningham (90216), Auxiliary Air Force, No. 604
Squadron.
The Recommendation states: ‘The above named officer has
carried out during the past three months twenty-five night
sorties and has flown a total of 34.54 hours operational night
flying. In this period he has destroyed two enemy bomber
aircraft and made seven AI interceptions. He has at all times
shown the utmost enthusiasm to seek and destroy night
raiders and has operated with confidence and success in
weather conditions that have been far from easy.
An accurate and reliable pilot and an example which has done
much to raise the operational efficiency of his squadron.’
D.F.C. Second Award Bar London Gazette 19.9.1941 Acting
Wing Commander John Cunningham, D.S.O., D.F.C.
(90216), Auxiliary Air Force, No. 604 Squadron.
The Recommendation states: ‘Wing Commander
Cunningham continues to uphold and improve his
outstanding record as a night fighter pilot. With his operator,
Pilot Officer Rawnsley, brilliant tactics and perfect teamwork
have been displayed in the pursuit of enemy aircraft at night.
Since April, 1941, they have added a further four enemy
aircraft to previous victories. Throughout the operations,
Wing Commander Cunningham has been greatly assisted by
Pilot Officer Rawnsley whose skill has been outstanding.’
Covering Remarks of Station Commander: ‘Wing
Commander Cunningham continues to uphold and improve
his outstanding record as a night fighter pilot. Recent
operations have demanded a new and difficult technique in
night fighting but by brilliant tactics and perfect team work
with his Radio Operator, he has succeeded in destroying one
enemy aircraft and damaging another besides obtaining a
number of visual contacts under these conditions. Since
being awarded the D.S.O. this officer has destroyed four E/A
at night and damaged one other.’
U.S.A., Silver Star, Acting Group Captain John
Cunningham, D.S.O., D.F.C. (90216), H.Q.
The Recommendation states: ‘This officer has rendered
excellent service in the field of night fighting. His record
shows a combination of the very highest qualities of inspired
leadership, of unexcelled personal example and a keen
determination to destroy the enemy.’
U.S.S.R., Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class, London
Gazette 11.4.1944 Wing Commander John Cunningham,
D.S.O., D.F.C. (90216) 85 Squadron
The Recommendation states: ‘With the exception of a period
of 3 months when he was serving with No.81 Group, Wing
Commander Cunningham has been engaged on active
operations since the war began. He has displayed brilliant
leadership, outstanding courage and devotion to duty which,
combined with exceptional knowledge of every aspect of
flying, had made him one of the outstanding personalities of
the Royal Air Force. Wing Commander Cunningham has
destroyed 19 enemy aircraft, 18 of them at night.’
Group Captain John ‘Cat’s Eyes’ Cunningham, C.B.E.,
D.S.O., D.F.C., A.E. (1917-2002), born Croydon; son of
Arthur Gillespie Cunningham, Company Secretary of The
Dunlop Rubber Company; educated at Bowden House
School, Seaford and Whitgift School, Croydon; in the
summer of 1926, ‘when he was nine, John and one of his
elder sisters had their first taste of the air in an Avro 504
biplane. It was half term at his prep school, and he persuaded
his mother to let them go for a joyride... John’s baptism of
the air was the result of a visit to Seaford from St. Austell,
Cornwall, by Percival Phillips, D.F.C... John recalled sitting
in the open air surrounded by the cockpit.... the excitement
of lift-off having first broken the cord that bound one to
Earth... But even on his first flight, John was more captivated
by the aircraft and its behaviour, particularly recalling the
smell of Castor oil from the rotary engine. Whenever he
heard the sound of an aircraft engine he would look up to see
what it was. This habit irritated his headmaster, who called
out to him one day in class when he gazed out of the
window: ‘Cunningham, I hope an aeroplane runs you over.’
(John ‘Cat’s Eyes’ Cunningham, The Aviation Legend, J.
Golley, refers).
Having left prep school he went to Whitgift; the latter’s
proximity to Croydon Aerodrome (then the airport for
London) was the perfect stimulus for Cunningham’s
burgeoning interest in all types of aircraft; armed with his
bicycle he regularly went to watch Handley Pages and de
Havilland Moths amongst many others.
Joining the de Havilland ‘Family’
With the end of school, and the age of 18 rapidly
approaching Cunningham applied to join the apprentice
scheme at the de Havilland Technical School; having got
through the interview he was accepted to join the scheme
based at the new de Havilland HQ at Hatfield; one of the
other students who he shared digs with was J.P. ‘Phil’ Smith,
who became Chief Designer during Cunningham’s later years
as Chief Test Pilot; he started the three year course in August
1935, ‘during which he learned how to build the wooden
airframes, the sequences of designing an aircraft, engine
technicalities, and aerodynamics. When he had completed the
course he was given work in a new branch of the D.H.
operations. Captain de Havilland decided that he could
utilise technical students with the production of the Moth
Minor, a low-wing monoplane, which would lower
production costs and over-heads.’ (ibid)
Despite being busy with the construction of the T.K.2
monoplane prototype Cunningham decided that he wanted
to increase his overall understanding of aircraft, and as a
consequence embarked on learning to fly; he joined 604
Squadron, as part of the Auxiliary Air Force, 1935; based at
Hendon the majority of the squadron were several years older
than Cunningham and were well-heeled ‘week-end’ flyers;
this did not deter Cunningham in his pursuit of mastering the
Hawker Demon fighter biplanes that the squadron had just
been re-equipped with; training in Avro 504Ns he first went
solo, 15.3.1936 and gained his R.A.F. ‘Wings’ in the summer
of the same year.
The Start of an Extraordinary Partnership
In 1937 when being ‘crewed up’, ‘a partnership emerged
between John Cunningham and Jimmy Rawnsley which was
to last for eight action packed years, and make them into
national heroes as the most successful RAF Night Fighter
Crew of World War II. It began when Jimmy became his air
gunner, and commented that, ‘What with John’s blue eyes
and his crinkly fair hair, his downy pink cheeks and slim,
boyish figure, it was not altogether surprising that this young
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Pilot Officer should be nicknamed “Boy” by his fellowofficers.
But the name did not stick. Young as he was, there
was a certain quiet determination in his manner, and a
steadfastness in the gaze of those blue eyes that soon made
them think of him as more than just a boy.’
He won the respect of the men who serviced the aircraft.
Here was a pilot who asked shrewd questions, and whose
criticisms were always constructive. This young pilot officer
was no flying-club-week-ender to be turned aside with
smooth answers, or a bit of technical double-talk.’ (ibid)
Rawnsley, then aged 32, had originally joined 604 Squadron
as an Aircraft-hand; his dream had always been to be a
member of aircrew; however, his advanced age and
diminutive stature stood against him; he changed roles and
through a lot of hard work became an air gunner in
September 1937; as the junior air gunner in the squadron he
was crewed up with the youngest pilot - this suited
Cunningham and Rawnsley perfectly.
At roughly the same time Captain de Havilland’s eldest son
Geoffrey became the Company’s Chief Test Pilot, ‘at this
time Geoffrey and his small test-pilot team of George Gibbins
and Guy Tucker had an almost impossible workload.
Production lines were turning out Tiger Moths, Queen Bees,
Rapides and Oxfords... Captain de Havilland was well aware
of John Cunningham’s growing flight experience, and that
the Company was becoming seriously short of test pilots.
He suggested to John that he’d like him to help out by testflying
the Moth Minors. This machine was at the production
stage, and John had done a considerable amount of work in
developing the prototype... he realised that specialised design
and engineering work were not for him. His ambition was to
become involved in the manufacture of aircraft, or, better
still, in flight-testing... He could not have wished for
anything more than to have the opportunity of becoming the
fourth member of the D.H. test team.’ (ibid)
An Early Taste For Night Flying
Prior to the outbreak of the Second War Cunningham took
every opportunity to be airborne, ‘he enjoyed flying the
Hawker Demon at night with his air gunner in the rear
cockpit. They went up only when the weather conditions
were good, and they could see the conurbation of London lit
up like a giant Octopus, with the Thames running through
the centre. ‘You could see where you were,’ he said, ‘picking
up the river and identifying the major roads leading out. I
could always spot the Edgware Road - originally built by the
Romans, it was dead straight for miles - and then the paraffin
flares just east of that road at the aerodrome. The demon was
nice to fly at night, and it was the only time when a pilot had
to attend to his instruments.’ (ibid)
Rawnsley had been inspired by the Air Aces of the Great War,
for Cunningham it was all about the aircraft and the
engineering, not heroics but the machine itself and his
dedication to improving the symbiosis between pilot and
machine; having been mobilised at the time of the Munich
Crisis, September 1938, Cunningham recalled that, ‘War was
fast approaching, and we were given the Blenheim with a tray
of four machine-guns underneath, where the bomb bay had
been. “There you are”, they said, “you now have a night
fighter.” We had no radar and, although the machine was
pleasant to fly, I realised that we stood little chance in
combat. We all knew how active the Germans had been in
Spain, and how well the Messerschmitt Bf 109 had
performed.’ (ibid)
Down To Earth With A Bump
Work was progressing well at de Havilland and Cunningham
was testing both the Moth Minor and the Hornet Moth; at
the start of 1939 he had nearly completed flight-testing the
Moth Minor and Cunningham asked the Chief Test Pilot to
take it up for his opinion, ‘he reacted somewhat impatiently
to John’s suggestion, saying that he was far too busy.
However, John persevered, repeating that he was only a
junior, and that Geoffrey ought to fly it himself before
launching it into the world. Later Geoffrey acquiesced, and
suggested that he should do the aft-centre-of-gravity
spinning tests, with John accompanying him to provide a
representative load... Having reached a compromise, the two
test pilots climbed into the Moth Minor on 11th April 1939,
to carry out spinning tests. The prototypes had had an antispin
parachute fitted before spinning programmes were
carried out, but recoveries had always been achieved without
recourse to this safety device. The standard production
machine they were flying, however, naturally had no such
safeguard.
They took off, with John in the rear cockpit, and climbed to
about 8,000 feet, where Geoffrey initiated a left-hand spin,
completing eight turns before the textbook recovery. They
climbed back to 8,000 feet, where Geoffrey put her into a
right-hand spin. During the first revolution the engine
coughed and stopped, and simultaneously the nose reared up
and she went into a flat spin. She whizzed round rapidly but
with a slow rate of descent, like a sycamore leaf, resulting in
a total loss of control. After a few turns of this unpleasant
state of affairs Geoffrey spoke into the Gosport tube, the
primitive intercom, saying that he was getting no response
from the controls and asked John to try. John could not
achieve anything and suggested that they both jump.
Geoffrey agreed, and told him to go right away.
The ground was revolving fast, and coming up to meet them
when John hauled himself out of the cockpit. He watched
Geoffrey get out and, he thinks, pulled his own ripcord while
standing on the wing. The chute blossomed and whipped
him clear of the aeroplane as, simultaneously, the Moth
Minor dropped its nose and recovered from the flat spin! The
propeller then started windmilling, which got the engine
going because they had not switched off the ignition before
baling out. The aircraft began turning around the descending
pilots, with the danger of either of them drifting into it.
Fortunately the Moth Minor was coming down fairly quickly
and bade them adieu before crashing into a large oak tree
near Wheathampstead and bursting into flames.
John remembered coming down rather sharply... He landed
near the rapidly burning wreckage, and, having collected
himself, he fished out his camera, and took a photo of the
wreckage, and of his parachute neatly laid out on the ground.
Such a reaction from someone who had just baled out in dire
emergency - few had in those days - was quite remarkable,
and reveals what a cool, calm character he was.
Collecting up his parachute, and tucking it under his arm, he
saw a lady on a horse approaching and recognised Jean
Paterson, daughter of the owner of the land. ‘Are you all
right Can I help’ she asked. ‘No harm done - nothing
broken’, he said. ‘I’m going to walk across the field to the
road’. He knew that he would find Geoffrey in the nearby
Crooked Chimney, so he thumbed a lift and a passing car took
him there.
Sure enough, there was Geoffrey surrounded by various
colleagues. It was evident that the crowd had the same hunch
as to where they would find Geoffrey, and a few drinks were
consumed. After chatting about their good fortune, and the
behaviour of the aeroplane, John recalls Geoffrey saying
something like, ‘Oh God, now we’ve got a job to do. You’d
better get on with it. That’ll keep you busy’. (ibid)
25

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
No.604 Squadron, North Weald, September 1939, Cunningham standing
604 Squadron and Mobilisation
After the Munich Crisis it became apparent to Cunningham
that War was imminent and as a consequence he would have
to choose between carrying on as a test pilot or going to war,
‘he was well aware that test flying would become a vital war
time activity, but recalled that at the particular moment when
he was asked the question, ‘I didn’t hesitate. I simply told
them that I would remain with the squadron. They had
taught me to fly and I was one of them. Apart from that, I
thought that I could be more useful in the R.A.F.’ (ibid)
On 23.8.1939 Cunningham joined his squadron as general
mobilisation was called; 604 Squadron were designated as a
day/night fighter unit and moved from Hendon to North
Weald the day before War was declared; they had to deal with
fairly Spartan conditions, sleeping in tents whilst the Regulars
occupied the buildings; conditions worsened as Winter
progressed, ‘neither the Blenheims nor their flying suits were
heated. Long daytime shipping patrols up and down the
North Sea, as far as the Humber Estuary, and night patrols in
bitterly cold weather, made life most uncomfortable! John
recalled, ‘As one climbed, the temperature inside the cockpit
dropped rapidly. The air was searingly cold to breathe, and
seemed to bite the nose and the eyes, tending to make the
eyes stream, and one could even end up with ice on the inside
of one’s face mask... It required considerable concentration
to stay awake and make sensible decisions.’
The night patrols proved hazardous... In Wartime, in the
blackout, at night there were no landmarks, and wintry
weather meant that one was flying blind. They had no
homing beacons, no system of blind approach, and no way in
which they could be talked down on the final approach and
landing. They also had trouble with blind flying instruments,
and the radio was weak and had short range... It was hardly
surprising that John lost a number of his friends as they
carried out night patrols. Stalling after take-off, or becoming
disorientated while turning at low speeds close to ground,
were two common factors, and the accident rate continued to
be alarmingly high.’ (ibid)
Cunningham’s attention to night flying prior to the War
stood him in good stead; concentration was key, ‘on one
occasion during a four hour stint he got so stiff and cold that,
in order to ease his frozen muscles, he moved over and sat in
the navigator’s tip-up seat, keeping a hand on the wheel!’
(ibid)
AI (Airborne Interception) Pioneer
The aircraft instruments were notoriously temperamental at
this stage and brief night-flying tests were carried out almost
daily to ensure that the instruments were functioning
correctly prior to a patrol; on 8.1.1940 Cunningham was
‘asked to do a circuit in a ‘long-nosed’ Blenheim IV, serial
number P4847, with something secret on board. He was told
that the box inside was the sort of thing that was being
developed to make possible an interception with another
aeroplane. ‘I thought at the time how bloody stupid it all
sounded! But on 8 January I took a Sergeant Horder and an
air gunner [Corporal Love] for an hour’s flight without
realising that I was carrying the first purpose-designed AI
(Airborne Interception) radar set ever installed in an aircraft.’
(ibid)
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On the 16th January Cunningham moved with the squadron
to Northolt; the squadron were engaged in sector
reconnaissance, minelaying patrols and search-light cooperation,
February-April 1940; then on 22.4.1940, ‘three of
604’s Blenheims flew to Hendon to escort a D.H. Flamingo
to Le Bourget. John recalls that his tail-wheel tyre burst while
taxying at Northolt, which was quickly dealt with. The
Flamingo was carrying Winston Churchill (then First Lord of
the Admiralty) and others for a meeting of the Supreme War
Council in Paris, at the Quai d’Orsay, to discuss the serious
situation in Norway, which was being invaded by the
Germans.
John smiled when he recalled that his gunner on that
occasion was Leading Aircraftman Rawnsley, and that the Air
Attaché looked after them. ‘We were put up that night in a
splendid Paris hotel... The Blenheims escorted the Flamingo
back to Hendon later that day, with a supply of good French
wine in the Blenheims.’ (ibid)
Having had one brush with Churchill, Cunningham spent
May-June carrying out flying trials for the great man’s close
friend Professor Lindemann; the latter was investigating
bombs which could be detonated by photo-electric cells;
Cunningham was sent with his Blenheim to Exeter to carry
out the trials, working with an RAE (Royal Aircraft
Establishment) team; although the trials were eventually
abandoned this was to be the first of many forays for
Cunningham into the experimental side of wartime flying and
development.
Night Fighter
Having rejoined 604 Squadron Cunningham moved with
them to Middle Wallop, Hampshire, 26.7.1940; operating
from Middle Wallop they became a full-time night fighter
squadron, ‘their Blenheims had been fitted with the secret
‘magic boxes’... There were a host of purely technical people,
including signals mechanics, whose shop talk was
incomprehensible. Then, a new breed of ‘operators’ appeared
on the scene, classed as aircraftmen, and hardly knew one end
of an aeroplane from the other. These were the chaps who
were going to operate the ‘magic boxes’.
Word soon got around that the box was known officially as
AI, standing for Airborne Interception. When its existence
was disclosed it was called radio location, but this term was
later replaced by the American name ‘radar’. At the time,
however, nobody referred to it at all, because it was secret.
However, there was no doubt in everyone’s mind that
Fighter Command was determined to develop the science of
night fighting, and that 604 was to be part of it in their own
particular way.’ (ibid)
The airfield at Middle Wallop was a hive of activity with the
Spitfire and Hurricane squadrons fully engaged in the Battle
of Britain; by day Cunningham was carrying out NFTs and
ops by night; this was the formative stage of Night Fighting
carrying on secretly in the background whilst the Battle of
Britain raged in the foreground; 604 Squadrons’ “Magic
Box” operators were being vigorously trained and advanced
ground-control systems installed; the squadrons existing air
gunners, such as Jimmy Rawnsley, were given the choice of
being posted elsewhere or retraining as radar operators; by
late summer 1940, ‘it was mere groping in the dark, when the
prime objective - being to track another aircraft while
operating the ‘magic box’, until the pilot could see it - was
utterly unattainable. Also, the business of night fighting in
those primitive early-war conditions was an extremely
hazardous occupation... The Grim Reaper took his toll, but
he didn’t crack the spirit of those determined to make radarequipped
night fighters work. John Cunningham pointed
out, ‘You were at war. Night fighting was a highly specialised
game. You had to set a standard to everybody around you. It
had to be made to work, and we had to be the ones to master
it and get it to work.’ (ibid)
Working what was to become the standard pattern for night
fighters - two nights on and two off - improvements started
to occur for Cunningham by winter 1940; in September
Cunningham was promoted Squadron Leader and given
command of B Flight, whilst Rawnsley became the Flight’s
Senior Gunner; perhaps more importantly the squadron
received the first of the new Beaufighters, and ‘during this
period radar control from the ground had been on trial in the
Middle Wallop sector... John had become involved liaising
with the ‘boffins’ concerned, keeping them up-to-date with
the pilots’ problems concerning the system they were
developing, known simply as GCI (Ground Control of
Interception). Gradually the system was able to direct a radarequipped
fighter near enough to an enemy bomber to make
first a radar, then a visual contact, and the Beaufighter had
the speed to overtake it. All the night fighter Beaus were
painted black, and were fitted with AI Mk IV, with a
harpoon-like transmitter antenna on the nose and dipole
receiver antennas ahead of the outer wings.’ (ibid)
The Blitz began on the 8th September and Fighter
Command reacted by giving full priority to developing radarequipped
night fighters and the G.C.I. system; Cunningham
was once again at the forefront regularly racing off to Bentley
Priory for meetings with Air Marshal (later Marshal of the
Royal Air Force) Sir Sholto Douglas; whilst carrying out his
duties with the squadron he also took up student operators
from the AI school, as well as carrying out stability checks and
other tests on the Beaufighter; his test pilot background was
already proving invaluable.
At the start of November the Germans changed tactics and
began systematically destroying cities across the Midlands and
the North; apart from the all too obvious devastating results
it was also crippling for public morale; the Germans were
virtually unopposed at night and appeared to strike at will,
‘then on the night of 19/20th November John
Cunningham, with John Phillipson as his radar operator,
took off on a night patrol... There were enemy aircraft about,
and John Cunningham was vectored by G.C.I. after one of
them. A little later he saw a concentration of searchlights on
the clouds and headed towards it. Phillipson was staring
intently at his cathode-ray tubes, and suddenly he got a good
firm contact. During the chase that followed he had problems
with his micro-phone freezing up, but managed to clear it.
Gradually he brought John into close range of the target.
In the dark night ahead John caught a glimpse of a cluster of
stars which seemed to be moving in a different direction from
the others, and as he did so a dark shape formed around
them, only to fragment as he looked directly at it. Climbing
a little closer, a silhouette took shape. ‘Ok’, he called, ‘I can
see it.’
John skilfully manoeuvred his Beaufighter below the contact
and there was no doubt that it was a Ju 88, and at long last
he had come to grips with the enemy. He throttled back,
keeping below the Ju 88 until he was well within range, and
fired his cannons. The Junkers went down and finally
exploded when it dived into the ground. For the first time, an
AI equipped Beaufighter had justified the faith of all of those
who had worked for so long to prove that the system worked,
and that now there was a major role for the radar-equipped
night fighter. For the record, this interception had been
preceded by two others, the first in July 1940, both achieved
by F/O Ashfield flying a Blenheim from the Fighter
Interception Unit, a research unit engaged in radar
development.
The splendid news was transmitted to Group Headquarters,
Fighter Command, and to the Air Ministry. The initial
optimism was fully justified when a few nights later the CO,
Mike Anderson, bagged a He 111. At the time of John’s
success there were only three crews in 604 Squadron who
were operational on Beaufighters. More aircraft and further
training of former Blenheim crews were badly needed. Even
by the end of 1940 only six pilots and operators were
available to allow the operational programme to proceed
exclusively with Beaufighters.’ (ibid)
27

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
A Brief Interlude With de Havilland And The Mosquito
Prototype
Shortly after his first ‘Victory’ Cunningham was asked to see
Sir Charles Portal, Chief of the Air Staff, at the Air Ministry;
having no idea what the meeting was about, ‘he was ushered
in and was very relieved to learn that his former boss, Captain
de Havilland, had asked Portal if he could have John’s
services for a day to fly his new machine - the D.H. 98
Mosquito - and make a judgement as to its suitability as a
night fighter.’ (ibid)
On the 2nd of February 1941 Cunningham flew to his old
stomping ground at Hatfield, ‘shortly afterwards he got his
first glimpse of the Mosquito. ‘I was overjoyed’, he said. ‘It
had a marvellous shape and was a typically elegant looking
D.H. aeroplane following the lines of the D.H. Albatross... It
was light on the controls, and lovely in the air’, he said. ‘Its
performance matched its elegance, and I was convinced that
it had great night fighter potential.’
Cunningham was the first Service pilot to fly the Mosquito,
and the aircraft was subsequently taken to the Boscombe
Down testing airfield for Service trials.
‘Cat’s Eyes’ - The Start Of A Legend
604 Squadron now altered their tactics and from December
onwards tried to make contact with the German bombers
whilst they were still out at sea; on the 23rd December
Cunningham took off with Phillipson on one of these patrols,
‘at five o’clock, when it was already getting dark on the
ground, they spotted a Heinkel 111 coming in about fifty
miles out at sea. At 15,000 feet, however, it was still daylight.
John calmly bided his time stalking the pathfinder, and then,
firing his cannons, hit him squarely in the bombload. The
Heinkel blew up like a gigantic firework display, with
coloured flares and burning incendiaries showering out as the
machine plummeted down in a near-vertical dive. Finally it
disappeared through cloud with three parachute flares, which
had fallen out, dramatically lighting the scene.
John’s first kill, the Ju 88 on 20 November, had generated
confidence amongst all those engaged in the night fighting
business. The long suffering public, who were enduring
constant bombing raids, needed some encouragement, and
the fact that our night fighter force was at last achieving
results was to become the subject of satisfying Press
comment, to lift morale. However, neither the public nor
even most of those in the Services knew anything about the
‘magic box’. It had to be kept secret. So a legend was created
which boosted the public image of the night fighter, and
effectively cloaked the secret.
The Press were allowed to publish pictures of John
Cunningham - the first night ace - whose night vision was
said to be so miraculous that it enabled him to see in the dark,
as with the eyes of a cat. Inevitably, from then on he was
known throughout the country as ‘Cat’s Eyes’ Cunningham’.
It was also said that he ate lots of carrots, whose Vitamin A
content helped to maintain his supposed extraordinary night
vision.’ (ibid)
Despite being unpopular with the man himself, who was
uncomfortable with being singled out from other pilot’s
achievements, ‘the branding of John as ‘Cat’s Eyes’
Cunningham, the ace night fighter, achieved its object in
making people aware that Great Britain actually did have a
night fighter force, which was rapidly becoming an increasing
deterrent to German night bombers. The public at that time
were under severe strain and ready to accept any news which
gave them a lift, such as the Cats Eyes and carrots
explanation! The Germans must have known from their
casualty figures - 604 Squadron destroyed thirty bombers in
one two-month period - that the RAF was either improving
its techniques or had something special. However it appeared
that the Cunningham press comment had effectively cloaked
the secret of the ‘magic box’.
The introduction on the South Coast of the local GCI
stations was also an important factor in starting to turn the
tide, ‘these enabled every night fighter to be vectored by a
Controller, who could follow the entire course of an
interception on a large cathode-ray tube, and who could
direct the fighter until he had brought it within a mile or so
behind the bomber’. (ibid)
Cunningham And Rawnsley - A Permanent Partnership
Up to this point in the War Cunningham had flown the
majority of his successful operations with Sergeant Phillipson,
and on 2.1.1941 they got another Probable, ‘Fighter Patrol
- Dusk Patrol - intercepted He 111 in Lyme Bay - Probable’
(Log Book refers); this was to be their last success together as
during the second week of January Rawnsley regained his
partnership with Cunningham as his radar operator, ‘his long
experience of flying with John from the Hawker Demon had
enabled him to understand John’s manner and style in the air.
John’s voice was even more brisk and economical while
flying, and there was never any casual conversation. John’s
patience and Jimmy’s honesty were essential ingredients in
establishing a natural co-ordination between them. Jimmy
always admitted liability for his mistakes, and did his best to
eradicate them, while some of the other operators covered up
by giving pseudo-technical reasons.’ (ibid)
It did not take long for the pair to find their feet, scoring a
He 111 damaged, 12.1.1941, before achieving their first
victory together over Poole Harbour, 15.2.1941, ‘they
reached their patrol point at 15,000 feet, some forty miles
south of Lulworth, and began going up and down the line.
Jimmy had his AI warmed up and tuned in, ready for a radar
search.... he looked intently towards the south-west, from
where the Heinkels would come.
Minutes later the Controller told them that the first bandit
was on its way flying at 12,000 feet, and right on his track.
Then began the cat and mouse came in which John excelled.
He dropped down to 11,500 feet into the misty obscurity
that lay shorewards, leaving the enemy silhouetted against the
luminous background. John made no move and continued
on his beat as the minutes ticked by... Then Jimmy suddenly
spotted the German visually high on the port quarter, a tiny
black speck still miles away but easily picked out against the
light sky.
When he reported the bandits position, John turned the Beau
smartly around on its wingtip.
The Heinkel was coming fast, and was soon high overhead,
and John kept vertically beneath it. He managed to stay in
position by keeping watch through the roof panel as the
bandit flew serenely on, blissfully unaware of what was
lurking below. For ten minutes or more the two aircraft
continued in company, while all the time night time was
approaching.
When the Dorset coast became visible the Heinkel started to
circle and John followed him, glancing up to the bomber and
down to his instruments. The German was biding his time,
waiting for the cloak of darkness before he crossed into
hostile territory. Round they went, with John maintaining
station until the curve of Lyme Bay was close ahead... The
night was descending fast when John pounced.
He increased power, and the Beaufighter rose towards its
quarry, so that the Heinkel grew ever larger above their
heads. Jimmy was filled with a ridiculous sense of the need to
go on tiptoe, as if he were stalking the enemy. He checked
the AI, the safety catches on the Hispano cannon, and the air
pressure in the firing circuit, and then he checked the sky
behind and below. He told John that he was ready, and there
was nothing behind.
‘Good’, John replied, ‘Here goes’. The Heinkel slowly sank
into the line of fire as Jimmy anxiously waited, expecting a
stream of tracer from a German gunner. Then John pressed
the gun button and released an avalanche of 20mm shells...
Then, just beyond the line of flame, there was an angry red
explosion and they knew that the Heinkel had gone in’. (ibid)
Cunningham piloted his Beaufighter like a predatory cat
stalking his prey - as a consequence it would appear that his
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‘Jimmy and John’
newly acquired nickname was apt in at least one way; on the
night of the 12th March the pair managed to damage both a
He 111 and a Ju 88.
The Devil Is In The Detail
By Spring 1941 the GCI system was functioning well and
more crews were getting victories; morale was high and a
competitive spirit within the squadron was beginning to be
fostered, ‘But it was John Cunningham who was expected to
define the techniques and lead the way. It hadn’t been easy
for John to pin down the small details, but he had a natural
touch, and a sense of the scale of things. Somehow he made
it all seem simple and effortless, but nobody worked harder
than John did to achieve that mastery. An example of that
was in his attitude towards landings. If he ever made a
landing, day or night, that was not to his satisfaction, he
would always take off immediately and try it again.
The others watched him closely, some with delight, some
with envy, and in imitating his style they followed him with
pride and affection. With blood and sweat, not to mention
tears, they strove to acquire his easy mastery, and in doing so
many of them, over the years ahead, fought their way to
future leadership’. (ibid)
This hard work paid off in April 1941, when Cunningham
and Rawnsley went through somewhat of a ‘purple patch’
with four victories in quick fire succession: 3.4.1941, ‘He
111 Destroyed S.W. of Needles. Blew up & bits came back
and dented the Beau’; 7.4.1941, ‘G.C.I. Patrol. He 111
Destroyed near Bridport - a flamer’; 9.4.1941, ‘He 111
Destroyed. Fell into sea in flames about 4-5 miles S of
Bournemouth’; 11.4.1941, ‘He 111 Destroyed. Fell near
Sherbourne. Burst into flames.’ (Log Book refers); they also
managed a He 111 Damaged on the 9th and another
Probable on the 11th.
Hat-Trick
On the 15th April Cunningham, ‘managed to put 40 rounds
straight into the fuselage of a Heinkel over Monmouthshire,
and after returning to base was sent off on a second sortie to
reinforce the cab-rank. While waiting for Starlight [local
G.C.I. station] to give them instructions, John’s eyes caught
a searchlight cone to the north, in the direction of
Marlborough. Starlight was too busy to employ them, and
gave them the ok to investigate. They reckoned that it was a
bomber heading south on the way home. John wheeled
around, but the blip on Jimmy’s cathode-ray tube rushed on
and off before he could hold it. John responded by pushing
the nose down and opening up the throttles, and Jimmy soon
had the contact sliding down towards visual range.
When they should have been getting close to the bandit, a
number of long, straggly blips came swarming out of the
Christmas tree at the top of the trace. Jimmy thought that
they must be running into a whole gaggle of Luftwaffe
bombers, but kept his eye on the original blip. Then he
suddenly realised that they were approaching the
Southampton balloon barrage.
John caught sight of the bandit and, closing in to some 800
yards, gave it a burst and the Heinkel flicked over into a dive.
They went after it, but at 9,000 feet John decided that the
balloons were quite close enough, and eased out of the dive.
A great red explosion from the ground revealed that the
bomber had gone in.
They headed back to base, and were soon over Middle
Wallop and at 17,000 feet. John liked extra height when
attacking bombers that had dropped their load. ‘Returned
empties’, he said, ‘run light and dive fast for home’. Starlight
had no fighters available, but had their eye on a home-bound
customer, so they sent John north-west following a similar
track taken by his last victim. Then, in superb style they
swung him back on the tail of the bandit. John, however, was
6,000 feet too high, and, while Jimmy maintained contact, he
gradually lost height until they found themselves back on the
outskirts of Southampton again! Then he saw moonlight
glinting on the windows of another Heinkel, and again closed
in to 80 yards. The moonlight shone all along the Heinkel’s
port side, and with a brief stab on the gun button, it burst
into flames. Burning wreckage bounced off the Beaufighter’s
nose as John broke away left and high. His third victim that
night fragmented on the ground somewhere near
Lymington.’
29

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
Cunningham being introduced to H.M. The King, Middle Wallop, May 1941
By Royal Command
Having bagged another He 111 on the 3rd of May
Cunningham and Rawnsley barely had time to spare to don
their ‘Sunday best’ for a Royal Visit; King George VI visited
604 Squadron at Middle Wallop on the 7th May; he was
introduced to Cunningham and then ‘went on down the line
and confronted Jimmy Rawnsley, asking him what his score
was. Jimmy, somewhat taken-aback hastily did some mental
arithmetic and replied, ‘Er-nine, Sir’. Whereupon, the King
asked him to get another one tonight, especially for him.’
(ibid).
Once the King’s car had departed 604’s crews rushed off to
change before quickly getting into the air, ‘Although a little
behind time, the first patrols climbed into their Beaufighters
and headed for the Channel at full power. When John
reached patrol height and was in position, he throttled back
and called Starlight. The King had arrived, and the Royal
Command Performance was about to commence. Obligingly,
the Luftwaffe had provided a bandit, and it was ‘on with the
show’. (ibid)
The King had been driven off to Starlight (G.C.I. unit at
Sopley) to be shown how it worked by Chief Controller
Squadron Leader John ‘Brownie’ Brown, ‘the bomber was
far out over the English Channel, but heading in the
direction of the Royal Party. Brownie had plenty of time to
stage-manage the opening sequence. He vectored John on to
‘three three zero’, and then ‘three one zero’. Jimmy’s eyes
were glued to his cathode-ray displays, thankful for a clear
picture, but there was no contact. Brownie gave John the
final vector.... and told him that he was now three miles
behind the bandit. John opened up the engines, and the time
was rapidly approaching for Beaufighter R-Robert to take
centre-stage.
In the darkened caravan at Starlight, the King peered over
Brownie’s shoulder at the glowing PPI tube... the players in
this scene, came closer together as each crept slowly across
the tube. Nothing broke the tense silence but an occasional
crackle from the loud speaker. Finally, the blobs seemed to
merge into one. The audience waited, fascinated... John
caught sight of the bandit. Now it was John’s turn to take
centre-stage. The light was still too bright. The Moon was
shining down behind them, and the sea shimmered silver.
John considered that the bandit might spot them against the
sea, so he decided not to go straightin. The coastline was
coming up, and inland the ground would be black and would
hide them. Accordingly, he planned to wait until the bomber
was over the land.
The Controller suggested to his audience that they might like
to go outside, where there was a chance of witnessing the
interception. As they were going down the steps from the
caravan, they could hear the sound of aircraft engines high in
the southern sky.
The bandit played its part to perfection, seemingly oblivious
of what was coming up behind. John positioned R-Robert
just below and behind the target - a big black Heinkel. Slowly
he pulled the Beau up until he was dead astern, and still
slightly below. At that tense moment he brought the
gunsight to bear, and still the Heinkel hadn’t noticed. Then
he pressed the firing button.
The crescendo of guns opened the final act as John pulled
away, to avoid hurtling wreckage. A flickering glow lit the
inside of the Heinkel, and - like most Heinkels when seriously
hit - its wheels dropped down, the hydraulics shot through.
Flying alongside, the Beaufighter crew watched the glow
expand through the skin, as engulfing flames took over.
Mortally wounded, the He 111 shuddered, and curved over
into a steepening dive, flames streaming behind. The curtain
had come down on this Royal Command Performance,
leaving R-Robert to return home to have its twelfth Swastika
painted on the tail fin.’ (ibid)
Cunningham went to sleep that night only to wake the
following morning to the news that R-Robert was no more;
another crew had been scrambled in it during the early hours,
they destroyed a Heinkel but had been shot up in the process;
the crew baled-out and R-Robert crashed to the ground.
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Column Control Head, believed to have been salvaged from the wreckage of Cunningham’s R-Robert
A Leader Of Men
In March Cunningham had been awarded the D.F.C.,
quickly followed by the D.S.O. the following month; he
destroyed another Heinkel 111, 1.6.1941 and was promoted
Wing Commander and CO of 604 Squadron in August of the
same year; despite the growing number of his achievements
at such a young age, his commitment and perfectionist
approach to flying remained clear, ‘promotions and
decorations were an achievement, but part of the job. They
were nice to have, but didn’t make any difference to me. I
had survived so far, and was grateful for the recognition. Lots
of people were being killed, and one could not look ahead.
Of course, I was thankful to be alive, but mastering the use
of radar was a whole-time occupation, and left one little time
to think of one’s career and decorations.’ (ibid)
Cunningham continued to inspire the squadron with his
record, when on the 22nd August he destroyed another He
111, during a ‘free-lance’ off Wells; however, he was to prove
that he was mortal the same night; during an attack on
another Heinkel, which he damaged, he took fire to his port
engine; despite being out to sea he managed to limp home
with one engine spluttering and the other on fire.
Cunningham’s dedication to his men was obvious by the time
that he personally put into training them - he not only
wanted them to be in the best position to achieve, but also
ultimately to survive, ‘when new pilots arrived on the
Squadron from a OTU, and were confronted with the
Beaufighter, they were invariably apprehensive. Word had got
around that the awesome machine was a death-trap, and that
an engine failure was inevitably fatal. John accordingly made
a practice of taking every new crew for a demonstration trip
in his own aircraft when they first arrived. The new pilot
stood up behind John in the front, and his operator squeezed
beside Jimmy in the rear.
John would take off loaded with four people, and as he
climbed out across the boundary hedge he would cut one
throttle right back, and complete a single-engined circuit
with one prop idly windmilling. But the show was not over,
because he would then take off in company with another
aircraft, and demonstrate an interception and an attack. This
would lead to a steep curved landing approach, with power in
hand, which enabled him to keep a look out below and
behind, before flattening out for touch-down. Such
approaches were nerve-wracking to the young pilots, but
John’s comment was, ‘It’s better to step out of the wreckage
at the far end of the flare-path than to be dug out at the near
end.’ Unquestionably, however, he proved the versatility of
the Beaufighter this way, and generated a much greater
eagerness and confidence in the aircraft on the part of his new
crews to get on with their own flying.’ (ibid)
Two ‘Aces’ - A Fight To The Death
Cunningham and Rawnsley tried to stay at the forefront of
every new advance with the A.I. system, spending large
amounts of time interacting with the scientists of units such
as the TRE (Telecommunications Research Establishment)
and the FIU (Fighter Interception Unit); these commitments
combined with the new German system of blind bombing
which enabled the bombers to navigate to their targets,
bomb it, and return without leaving cloud cover, lead to a
temporary slowing of ‘trade’; the pair destroyed a Ju 88,
1.9.1941, and damaged a He 111 by day, 4.2.1942.
On the 23rd May, ‘John had a unique and memorable duel
with a Heinkel 111. Drizzling clouds covered hills, and layers
of cloud went up to 20,000 feet. Having studied the weather
reports, KGr. 100 [a specialist German bomber unit] decided
to ‘have a go’. John was called, and took off at four o’clock
in the afternoon, with the cloud base frighteningly low. Soon
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THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
after the undercarriage retracted the Earth vanished, and they
were cocooned in white vapour. It was an eerie feeling, as if
they were hanging motionless in a ghostly void, with only the
needles of the instruments to tell them what was happening.
Within minutes Starlight had vectored them on to a bandit,
and soon between layers of cloud John had a Heinkel in sight
1,000 yards ahead.
This was no sitting duck. Suddenly, the Heinkel whipped
over into a steep left turn, enabling the gunners to fire a
broadside as they flashed past about a hundred yards away on
the Beaufighter’s beam. In a flash, John pulled round in a
violent turn which put heavy ‘g’ on Jimmy, ramming him
down hard into his seat. John instinctively knew that this
German pilot knew his stuff, and his crew likewise.
The Heinkel had already disappeared into the mist and
Jimmy, dazzled by the glare outside, could not decipher
anything on his radar displays. Almost a minute had gone by,
and he had lost contact. John called Starlight for help. They
had tracked the bandit flying north, near Shaftesbury. Jimmy
was annoyed at his failure to maintain contact, and resolutely
kept his head down, concentrating on his AI set.
Starlight produced more vectors, and the chase continued.
Suddenly John saw the Heinkel again, and closed in on him
with ruthless determination. Jimmy, realising that this was
going to be a duel between champions, put on his sunglasses,
which he carried for daytime practice, so that he could see
what was going on. He was just in time to see the Heinkel
whip past, heeling over at a staggering angle, with the
gunners blazing away off-target. John was saving his
ammunition in his usual fashion until he was within lethal
range.
Jimmy turned back to his set, and now, when he removed his
glasses, the blip showed up clearly. The Heinkel pilot
straightened up, apparently thinking that he had thrown off
his pursuers. He must have been amazed and shocked when
John re-appeared behind him yet again a few minutes later.
But he did not panic, and again turned to the attack, a sound
tactic. The Heinkel’s engines were clearly at full power. This
time John held his turn inside the bandit, determined not to
give an inch. The turns became tighter and tighter, until the
Heinkel seemed to be upside-down over their heads. The ‘g’
forces were becoming intolerable, and the tactics were
becoming a ‘winding match’, John’s term for two aircraft
trying repeatedly to out-turn each other. Eyeballs drag in
their sockets, and neck muscles ache with the effort it takes to
look at dials and instruments. Breathing becomes laboured,
proving that the aircraft can take more ‘g’ than the crew.
Relentlessly, John continued to haul the Beaufighter round
the sky.
Finding that he could not out-turn the Beaufighter, the
Heinkel dropped the thwarted tactic, and resorted to twisting
and diving... He would disappear under John’s wing, and
then re-appear on the opposite track, flashing past at
impossible angles.
The contest had developed into a death-or-glory duel
between two absolute masters of their machines. The entire
fuselage of the Beaufighter vibrated, the sleeve-valve engines
no longer making a soft booming sound but howling as
airspeed built up. The needles of the altimeter raced
backwards around the dial, while the blind-flying panel had
gone crazy and the artificial horizon had gone haywire and
‘thrown in the sponge.’
John muttered, ‘Hm... this isn’t good enough’ very quietly,
talking half to himself. Calmly, he looked at the instruments
interpreting the message they were trying to tell him. ‘Now...
let me see... left bank... that’s better.’ Jimmy suddenly saw
the Heinkel again as it flashed past apparently heading
straight downwards. A quick glance at the AI set told him
that they were frighteningly close to high ground, which rose
up to 900 feet. As he watched the blip from the Heinkel it
disappeared in the foliage of ground returns. Starlight could
do nothing, and the blip had vanished from their own
cathode-ray tube.
Jimmy, exhausted, searched for a homing beacon on the AI
set. John who could resist feeling exhausted, felt his way
gently down through the clouds... It was a relief to get back
to Middle Wallop after two-and-a half hours of highly
charged flying. When they broke off the engagement, John
had the Beaufighter at over 340mph indicated, which was
very high in these blind low-level conditions with a toppled
horizon.
News soon came through that the Heinkel had ‘gone in’ on
the high ground of the sodden slopes of Cranborne Chase.
Apparently it had broken out of cloud cover at a few hundred
feet, diving almost vertically, and failed by only a few feet to
pull out in time. They found the wreckage close to the lonely
village of Alvediston. Intelligence later discovered that the
pilot had been Hauptmann Siegfried Langer, the
Commanding Officer of 7 Staffel of KGr. 100. Throughout
the battle John had not fired a single shot, so the encounter
was truly a match between champions.’ (ibid)
Definitely Time For A Rest
A few weeks later Cunningham was told that he was due a
‘rest’, he had been on operational flying for the best part of
three years straight; usually a rest posting was given after 18
months to 2 years in Fighter Command; Cunningham was to
be posted to Headquarters, No. 81 Group - the training
group of Fighter Command; just before leaving Middle
Wallop he received a Bar to his D.S.O.; Cunningham was to
be tasked with directing the work of all the night-flying
OTUs; he decided that this was a job which required
assistance, and as a consequence managed to pull a few
strings to get Rawnsley posted with him; neither enjoyed
their new desk job, and it was decided that it would be better
to tour the various OTUs and have personal contact with the
pupils and the instructors, ‘the only practical way of visiting
them was by air. Initially they used the Group’s Oxford, but
then John arranged with 604 Squadron to have his beloved
Beaufighter on loan.
Then they felt happy and free, flying above the weather and
making their way from one radar beacon to another as they
traversed the country to visit the OTUs. Instructors and
pupils alike watched with awe John’s faultless touchdowns
and short landing runs, and listened with even greater respect
to his suggestions and advice.’ (ibid)
85 Squadron - Mosquitos At Last
Thankfully for both Cunningham and Rawnsley their brief
sojourn with paperwork was only to last six months; in
January 1943 Cunningham was given the command of 85
Squadron, and Rawnsley was to go with him as the
squadron’s Navigator Leader; Cunningham arrived at
Hunsdon to find the squadron in need of a shake up; several
of the existing crews were due for a rest and through his
connections Cunningham managed to get some of the crews
that he had worked with in 604 Squadron to transfer in;
things started to look up when the Squadron was equipped
with the improved AI Mk VIII in March 1943, and with the
move to West Malling, Kent, in May, ‘This was a plum
posting, because the Squadron would be defending the
famous Biggin Hill sector, and there was plenty of trade
coming in from the short and direct route on the southeastern
approach to London from the Channel ports.’ (ibid)
The Luftwaffe started to employ the Focke-Wulf 190, a new
and very fast fighter-bomber, ‘these aircraft began carrying
out hit-and-run raids by both day and night.... Having a small
wingspan, the 190 was difficult to locate, and, particularly
once it had dropped its wing tanks and large bomb which was
carried under its belly, it was very difficult to catch. It had the
advantages of speed, size and manoeuvrability, and a sudden
dash across the narrow Strait of Dover was going to make it
an extremely hard target. The modus operandi of night
interception had been based on kills by stealth, but it would
need great skill and luck to knock down 190s that way.’ (ibid)
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the aerodrome, and that their CO was close behind. Once
again John was to be on stage for a big show. Naturally they
all rushed out, ears turning to pick up the sound of aircraft
engines from the south... until the aircraft drew closer and
their engine sounds blended into one.
This was John’s cue as he identified the 190 and briefly
touched the trigger. His guns coughed briefly and the bandit
reared up on its nose, flicked over, and dived straightin.
Those far below on the aerodrome heard the short bark of
cannon and then the increasing sound from the 190 engine
until it grew into a tortured scream, silenced by an exploding
red flash that silhouetted the trees to the west, followed by a
giant crump that shook the ground and rattled windows.
This was the second occasion that John had performed on
stage: for the King, he shot down a Heinkel, and then he
bagged a 190 with his Squadron in the stalls.’ (ibid)
On the night of 16.5.1943 Cunningham’s squadron
managed to shoot down four F.W. 190s destroyed and one
probable - these were the first 190s shot down; it was a good
day for the R.A.F. as earlier on the same day 617 Squadron
had undertaken the Dambuster Raid; both Squadrons were
sent congratulations from High Command for their
achievements.
Another Performance For A Captivated Audience
Cunningham’s new charges were starting to repay all his
efforts with them, however, on a personal front he ‘did not
crack his duck on the second tour until the night of 13th
June, when he and Jimmy had gone off on patrol up and
down the Channel off Dungeness just before midnight. They
were flying at 23,000 feet, having plenty of height to build
overtaking speed in a dive. ‘Sky-blue’, the Controller, tipped
them off that a fast customer was on his way in, and timed
their converging courses to perfection. Jimmy picked up the
blip scuttling across his cathode-ray tube only a mile and a
half ahead and well below them. John immediately opened
the throttles, and Jimmy brought him around in a tight
diving turn.
The Focke-Wulf was going full bore, hell-bent for London.
Thus, the range closed only very slowly, but the blip was as
steady as the Rock of Gibraltar... the stage was set as they
continued to creep up on the bandit.
Unknown to them, the Sector Controller had telephoned the
crew room to tell the chaps that there was a 190 approaching
Too Close For Comfort
The 8th of September brought about Cunningham’s 19th
victory in the shape of another FW 190; on the 1st of
October whilst returning to base he and Rawnsley had a too
close for comfort tangle with a new Ju 188, ‘he knew at once
that the bandit was very close, and told John that something
was coming in from the left.
Even while Jimmy was speaking, the bandit flashed past in
front of them almost at the same height. John turned tightly
to come in about 200 yards behind it, and dropped down
below it in his usual style. Jimmy put up his glasses and saw
it was one of the new Ju 188s. John pulled up the nose of the
Mosquito as the bandit began to sink into his line of fire. But
the enemy crew were alert and before he could open up, the
188’s under-gunner fired straight back into their faces. Three
big 13mm rounds came through the top-left hand side of the
windscreen close to John’s head, and the whole of that corner
was sagging. The windscreen was completely opaque, and
John fired blindly, waving the nose of the aircraft around in
the hope of getting a lucky hit. There was no sign of the
Junkers through the side windows as John throttled back to
reduce wind pressure, and headed towards land.
Jimmy had donned his chute in case the windscreen
collapsed, and John asked for an emergency homing. John
had collected a face full of little bits of glass, while Jimmy
could feel the powdered stuff working its way down the back
of his neck.
‘You’d better have my googles’, Jimmy said after taking
another look at the bulging windscreen.
‘All right’, John replied. ‘Stick them over my helmet. I think
there’s a piece near my eye, but I don’t want to disturb it.’
They crossed the coast and John, looking out from the side
window, did a curved approach and at the precise moment
straightened out for a smooth and gentle touchdown. A ring
of torches clustered around the ladder, everybody wanting to
know whether they were all right, what happened, did they
bag one John descended after Jimmy, smiling ruefully at the
anxious faces, and said ‘I was the victim of an unprovoked
assault.’
The Medics carted them off to Sick Quarters where the MO,
Flight Lieutenant ‘Rigor’ Mortimer, gently pulled the tiny
fragments of perspex from John’s face with a pair of tweezers.
One piece was embedded within a fraction of an inch of his
left eye and, although John had been very conscious of it, he
had refrained from rubbing it or touching it.’ (ibid)
Winter 1943 brought fresh problems for 85 Squadron;
despite the squadron notching up its 50th night victory in
November the Germans had now developed a new rearwardbeamed
radar and even faster aircraft in the shape of the
Me 410; the old approach of stealth no longer worked and to
make matters worse the squadron’s Mosquitos started to
show signs of fatigue themselves; by the end of December the
Squadron was equipped with new Mosquitos and had started
to get to grips with the new AI Mk X.
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THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
To France And Back
Cunningham had his first brush with a 410, ‘on 2nd January
1944... They were still using their Mk VIII radars in their old
aircraft, and John was patrolling over the Strait at 25,000
feet. Control called up telling them that there could be some
trade for them, as a fast machine was approaching from the
south-east. Jimmy was a little ‘wound-up’, hoping that he
would be able to give John a visual this time, having lost
some recent contacts... the Controller wheeled them round
to meet the target, and a blip flickered on to his tube. They
had a little height in hand as the bandit, going fast, took
evasive action... When they were about 3,000 feet behind,
John caught a glimpse of the targets’ exhaust flames, and the
bandit sensed that he had somebody on his tail, so he did a
steep left turn and dived, weaving continuously.
This was the moment when John turned on the ‘laughing
gas’ [nitrous oxide] and the Mosquito surged forward. The
German was wriggling like a fish on a hook, having lost the
initial advantage of speed. Jimmy had now got the timing for
cutting off those desperate manoeuvres and they slowly
closed the gap, while streaking back across the Channel.
When they were getting close to the French coast the bandit,
thinking that he was safe, began to ease up on his weaving
and then his speed dropped off.
Jimmy said, ‘The blip on my tube came gliding gently back
to where I wanted it. Twenty degrees at twelve o’clock, range
1,200... 1,000... and we had him cold! I was almost
overcome with relief when John said in the middle of my
patter that he could see it. I sat back and moistened my dry
lips and reached for the night binoculars. There it was: a
410...’
They were very near the French coast when John pulled up
the nose and pressed the firing button. Thinking that they
were nearly home, the German crew must have relaxed, when
suddenly their aircraft was hammered with cannon shells,
exploding in dazzling flashes, before they went down
spewing out a great sheet of yellow flame.
The Me 410 that they had shot down had crashed between
Le Touquet and Berck, and this was confirmed later by the
Royal Observer Corps on the English coast at one minute to
midnight. Later they were to discover that John had fired
only ten rounds per gun.
This, his 20th, was to be his last ‘kill’, because a few weeks
later he was promoted, and posted to a Staff job at HQ No.
11 Group, becoming Group Captain, Night Operations.’
(ibid)
On the 20th February Cunningham managed to damage a Ju
188; he followed this up with a probable Ju 188 three days
later.
A Fitting Send Off
Aged 26 Cunningham was one of the youngest Group
Captains in the RAF; he received his Second Bar to his
D.S.O. and was now firmly fixed as a national hero, ‘John
could always rise to the occasion, not only in the air, but also
on the ground. When he got the Second Bar to his D.S.O.,
and was about to depart to HQ Fighter Command, the
Squadron responded by giving him a hairy farewell party. It
started as a midday session, during which the chaps were
determined to see him for the first time ‘under the table.’
John joined in by drinking his usual half-pint tankard of beer,
but somehow the tankard kept being topped up with straight
gin until it was clear liquid. John naturally rose to the
challenge, and kept steadily working away at it, and by 3.30
had polished it off. Although a little flushed, but otherwise
under control, he pulled himself together and said that he
thought perhaps a little sleep was indicated. Returning to his
quarters, to the Squadron’s delight he reappeared in the Mess
just after six, ready to carry on with the party and looking as
immaculate as ever.’ (ibid)
Cunningham’s new appointment meant that he was
immediately thrust into the planning operations for the
invasion of Normandy, ‘John was primarily concerned with
the organisation of the night fighter force, which demanded
a great deal of paperwork. This time, however, he didn’t
mind labouring away at his desk with the enormous challenge
of an invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe becoming a reality.
It soon became evident that he needed somebody to do highspeed
tours of night fighter stations, and to report on
conditions, effectiveness, ideas, complaints, morale, and so
on. Squadrons were being moved around so fast that the
overall picture was changing from day to day.’ (ibid)
Unsurprisingly Cunningham knew precisely where to find the
perfect man for the job - strings were once again pulled, and
the ‘partnership’ with Jimmy Rawnsley was once again
renewed.
Despite being primarily based at Uxbridge, and
concentrating on top secret plans including co-ordinating
attacks on V1 Rocket sites, Cunningham could not resist a
test-flight; in March 1944, in company with Group Captain
‘Sailor’ Malan, he went to Farnborough and flew the RAF’s
first de Havilland Vampire; he was tasked with reporting on
its potential to be used as a night fighter, ‘this proved to be a
momentous occasion for John, because jet propulsion was
opening up a new era in aviation history, and John was a de
Havilland man.’ (ibid)
When Cunningham did manage to prise himself away from
his desk, he was ‘making trips at home and across Europe
visiting squadrons, and seeing for himself what was going on.
Many of the pilots then flying the latest and even faster Marks
of Mosquito had been selected and trained by John, when he
commanded 604 Squadron. Both he and Jimmy between
them had been a major force in building the structure of the
night fighter business. They were now reaping the reward of
all their dedication and hard work over those years since 604
was designated a night fighter unit. Neither would admit to
anything other than that they had done the job required of
them.’ (ibid)
Paperwork Or Jets
After the briefest of attachments to the Far East, given the
surrender of the Japanese virtually upon his arrival in the
theatre, Cunningham ‘had been offered a Permanent
Commission in the RAF, but was also aware that de
Havilland wanted him back as a test pilot. He knew that if he
stayed on in the Service that he would become involved in
Staff Courses and Committees, and that gradually flying
would become a secondary occupation. He didn’t have to
ponder and think hard about making his conclusion.’ (ibid)
Immediately after being demobilised in November 1945 he
was straight back into the fold at de Havilland; in the time
that he had been away the company had become truly
international, with employees having risen from 5,000 to
38,000 and a turnover increase from £1.5million to over
£25million a year; perhaps more important as far as
Cunningham was concerned was that de Havilland were at
the forefront of jet development.
A Family Reunion
Many of the people who had been working at de Havilland
prior to the Second World War were still there, and
Cunningham was welcomed back to Hatfield with openarms;
he was appointed Chief Test Pilot of the de Havilland
Engine Company, with Geoffrey de Havilland Jnr. still the
Chief Test Pilot of de Havilland Aircraft; test-flying had
always involved a high element of risk, however, this was
greatly increased by the new aircraft speeds available whilst
pioneering the jet era; Cunningham had left behind a human
conflict to embark on a mechanical one.
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Cunningham stepping into a Ghost-Vampire, in which he set a World Altitude Record, 23.3.1948
Cunningham took over flight development of the company’s
Goblin turbojet engine; by January 1946 a large contract had
been signed to equip the Swedish Air Force with Vampire
Jets; the latter also ordered additional Goblin engines to
convert their Saab J.21 Fighter, ‘naturally John became
involved in the introduction of the Vampire to Sweden... The
Swedes were keen to have John. They were buying Vampires
to defend their country, and the operation would require
radar back-up. John’s exploits and experience in this field
during the War were famous. They regarded him as the ideal
choice to get their Vampires operational, and advise on the
back-up system. Other neutrals had expressed similar interest
in Britain’s wartime radar development, but this was classified
information. Thus John had to get clearance from the Head
of Intelligence, Air Marshal Sir Thomas Elmhirst, regarding
any limitations on information he could impart. Fortunately,
the powers-that-be were reasonably generous, or to put it
more bluntly, they had to be condescending, because Britain
desperately needed to earn money from exports. So, having
clearance, John flew over to Sweden and spent nearly a
month there...
John was well suited to his new and much wider role as
international consultant, performer and ambassador. His
natural charm and modesty, backed by his professionalism,
made a great impact on the Swedes. Undoubtedly his RAF
experience during the war, when he was able to meet a wide
variety of senior people, ranging from scientists to highranking
officers, and including people from countries all over
the world, had enabled him to be ‘at ease’ wherever he went.’
(ibid)
Having such a hectic schedule Cunningham needed to find
time to relax, and the perfect opportunity arose when
Switzerland put in a similar order for the Vampire, ‘a large
number of Vampires were delivered by Hatfield pilots to the
Swiss Air Force and it gave the opportunity to combine a
short skiing holiday with business.... On one occasion John
had got approval to have his skis strapped to the boom of a
delivery aircraft - one to each boom. He had checked on a
production flight that they made no measurable difference to
drag and therefore range, which was quite tight without
drop-tanks for the 1 hour and 20 minute flight. The Swiss
thought it a splendid demonstration of the versatility of both
the aircraft and the Chief Test Pilot.’ (ibid)
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THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
de Havilland’s Chief Test Pilot
Whilst Cunningham was on a trip to Switzerland in
September 1946 he received the devastating news of the
death of Geoffrey de Havilland Jnr.; he died carrying out a
test flight of the D.H. 108, an aircraft which he had planned
to try and break the world speed record in a few days later;
when Cunningham returned from Geneva Captain de
Havilland asked him to take over his late son’s role as Chief
Test Pilot; in a time of grief for the company, Cunningham
threw himself into his work, and went about reorganising his
charges much in the same way as he had done during his
command of 604 and 85 Squadrons, ‘apart from having to
take over Geoffrey’s flying programme, John had to assess his
team of test pilots, numbering over twenty. ‘I had to ensure
that I had the right people, in the right place, and in the right
job’, he said, ‘and I soon found that some needed weeding
out.’.... Simultaneously, he had to become fully acquainted
with the D.H. Enterprises’s huge and diverse design,
development and production programmes. The export
market was booming.’ (ibid)
The company had to expand, with Cunningham overseeing
production in more factories; on 31.8.1947 Cunningham
achieved his first official FAI World Record, flying a Vampire
I at a speed of 496.88mph over a 100km closed circuit at
Lympne, Kent; he followed that up in March of 1948,
achieving a World Height Record, also in a Vampire, later
confirmed by the FAI as 59,446 feet; Cunningham had also
secured the services of John Derry as a test pilot, and in
September 1948 he became the first pilot to exceed the speed
of sound in a British aircraft (D.H. 108); after his two records
Cunningham was awarded the Royal Aero Club’s Britannia
Trophy.
With records came continued fame, despite the primary
function of a test pilot being scientific rather than glamorous;
their role was to carry out detailed and exhaustive testing of
aircraft from prototype to production; however, the danger
aspect attracted large amounts of publicity, ‘they had become
heroes of post-war aviation, in the quest for supersonic flight
Jet Flights had captured the imagination of the public at
large.... The aviation industry was earning Great Britain more
money from exports than any other major industry, and the
country had an overall position in jet technology unrivalled
by any other nation. Test pilots symbolised this new age. The
Press portrayed them in much the same dashing style as that
given to wartime fighter pilots.’ (ibid)
The D.H. 106 Comet - The World’s First Jet Airliner
The production of the Comet was Cunningham’s main
project; de Havilland had stolen a march on its’ worldwide
competitors in the field of Civil Aviation; recognising the
opportunities that would be offered to all types of aircraft by
the introduction Jet engines, de Havilland started upon the
production process of the Comet in 1942; The British
Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) had taken a keen
interest in this visionary project from the start, and as a
consequence were able to formulate their plans and
requirements in consultation with de Havilland, ‘after
completing the BOAC Constellation Pilot Conversion
Course at Montreal’s Dorval Airport in December 1946,
John had to gain experience of modern airline operations to
prepare himself for testing the future jetliner. ‘This kind of
experience I lacked’, he said, ‘I had to understand what an
airliner had to face up to, and I wanted to absorb and study
what actually went on in airline operations. I donned the
BOAC Uniform and flew as co-pilot in Constellations on five
return flights across the Atlantic, and two round trips to
Australia’... John had an exceptionally heavy work-load
through-out this period because, apart from his concentrated
test-flying programme with D.H. 108, his airline activities
and experimental work, he had to oversee all test-flying
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The D.H. 106 Comet
activities as Chief Test Pilot. The dedication and skill in
handling the experimental Vampires day after day required
maximum effort and self-control. John would never admit to
being overstretched. For him it was all part of the job. When
asked how many aircraft types he had flown he looked
puzzled. ‘I’ve never counted them’, he said. One must
believe it.’ (ibid)
On the 27th July 1949 (both Cunningham and Captain de
Havilland’s birthday) John Cunningham took the Comet for
her maiden flight, ‘at Hatfield, the weather was good, and
during the morning he had carried out a series of taxi tests,
acceleration to over 90 knots and doing three short hops,
checking elevator, aileron and rudder controls. As she had left
the ground now and again, she was wheeled into the hangar
and put up on trestles for numerous technical checks. It was
a fine afternoon, and at about 4.30pm the Chief Inspector
said to John, ‘All’s well. She’s all yours.’ John took his crew
aboard straight away, comprising John Wilson co-pilot, Frank
Reynolds flight engineer, Harold Waters electrics, and Tony
Fairbrother, flight-test observer.
They took off at 6.17pm and climbed to 10,000 feet,
exploring the handling over a range of low and medium
speeds. Then they flew along the runway at 100 feet in salute
to a few hundred of their colleagues who had got wind of the
flight, before landing after 35 minutes in the air.
Looking back over those years John was asked whether that
day was the most momentous of his life. One expected that
he would betray some personal emotion about such an
achievement, but there was a complete absence of anything
personal when he recalled the maiden flight. ‘It was a single
achievement,’ he said, ‘altering the shape of airline travel to
come. The flight of the Comet had revolutionised civil
aviation - doubling the speed and altitude while enabling
passengers to experience a smoothness in flight that they had
never known before. All the new features which we worked
on over the years were incorporated in the Comet; engine
performance at high level, powered controls, reliability at
higher speeds, all had come together in this great new move
to change air travel as we knew it.’ (ibid)
The emergence of the world’s first jetliner carried de
Havilland’s name across the globe and that of John
Cunningham with it; the Comet shattered world records,
‘compared with existing airliners, she could fly twice as high
and twice as fast on projected airline routes, without the
slightest vestige of competition. Three months after her
maiden flight, and bearing civil registration G-ALVG, she
made her first flight to an overseas airport, from London
Airport to Castel Benito, Tripoli, and back... Then on 16
March 1950 ‘Victor-Golf’ set up her first world records flying
from Hatfield to Rome and back. Her outward trip took 1
hour 55 minutes 37 seconds, establishing a C-1 (Class 1)
point-to-point record with an average speed of 447.246mph.
The return flight took 1 hour 48 minutes 4 seconds at an
average speed of 453.296mph - another C-1 record. She had
on board the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Supply,
Sir Archibald Rowlands, together with other senior civil
servants and Government officials, making it a first-class
public-relations exercise!
Later, the Comet was to attract the rich and famous to enjoy
the experience of a lifetime flying in this remarkable machine,
and to be photographed on the steps leading to its elegant
fuselage. Today, millions of people travel by jet airlines
without giving it a thought. Concorde is the only airliner to
match the Comet’s fame.’ (ibid)
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THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
H.M. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother meeting Cunningham before
embarking on her afternoon tour of Europe, 23.5.1952
Renewing Acquaintances In High Places
Cunningham flew the Comet all over the world, on various
trials and demonstration flights for airline executives; he
personally flew the first delivery to BOAC, which opened the
world’s first jet airline service, 2.5.1952, ‘all was going well
on the Comet front as the weeks and months went by
following its triumphant debut. On 23rd May 1952 there was
a special Royal occasion when the recently widowed Queen
Elizabeth the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and Lord
and Lady Salisbury joined Sir Geoffrey and Lady de Havilland
for an afternoon tour of Europe. John Cunningham took
them on a four-hour flight around France, Switzerland,
Northern Italy and home across the Pyrenees. John got out
of his Captain’s seat on the way home to enable the Queen
Mother to take the controls, with John kneeling beside her.’
(ibid)
A Change In Fortunes
Three years after their emergence into the world issues
started to arise with the Comet aircraft in service; in October
1952 a BOAC Comet taking off from Rome failed to become
airborne, and despite their being no casualties, the aircraft
was damaged beyond repair; similar accidents were to occur
at Karachi and Calcutta, with the crew of 6 and 37 passengers
all killed during the latter accident; the BOAC Comet I Fleet
were grounded in January 1954 when the first production
Comet disintegrated at 35,000 feet off Elba.
In April 1954 a similar disintegration took place over
Stromboli and it was decided to test an entire Comet fuselage
for fatigue in a water tank at the Royal Aircraft Establishment,
Farnborough; a fatal flaw of metal fatigue was found in a
pressurised hull; Cunningham took it upon himself to rectify
the situation, flying to Canada to bring back two RCAF
Comet I As, and after their fuselages were rebuilt flying them
home again; in each of the take off accidents it appeared that
the nose of the aircraft had been lifted too high too early,
greatly increasing the drag on the aircraft to damaging effect;
the leading wing of the Comet was revised, along with
Cunningham’s flying instruction to purchasing company’s
pilots.
While all of the above was taking place Cunningham was also
working tirelessly on the production of the Comet 2 and the
Comet 3 series; the latter aircraft would be able to carry over
twice as many passengers as the Comet I, ‘John’s hard work
on the Comet 3 was crowned by a triumphant world tour.
On 2nd December 1955, he took off from foggy Hatfield
and set course for Cairo, followed by Bombay, Singapore,
Darwin and Sydney, which he reached in a flying time of 24
hours and 24 minutes. Then he flew on to New Zealand, Fiji
and Honolulu, crossed the Pacific to Vancouver and went on
to Toronto and Montreal. He then headed home across the
North Atlantic direct to London Heathrow, arriving on 28th
December after covering the 3,350 nautical miles in 6 hours
8 minutes, less than half the best airline schedule.
John said that he was extremely pleased with the wonderful
reception he received wherever he landed, and with the
aircraft’s flawless performance. His objective was to
demonstrate the potential of the Comet 4, and to convince
the world at large that de Havilland was very much back in
business.’ (ibid)
Recognition for his efforts followed, ‘on 23rd October 1956
John went to the USA where, from the hands of President
Eisenhower, he received the Harman Trophy for his
contribution to jet transport - with particular reference to
having flown the first jet airliner round the world in 1955.
This is the highest American honour for services to aviation’
(ibid); Cunningham was appointed to the de Havilland
Aircraft Board, 1.12.1958, after nearly 25 years’ service with
the company; Sir Geoffrey de Havilland described his prime
asset as a ‘test pilot, demonstration pilot and ambassador all
in one and he has made some sensational flights. He can do
thousands of miles for many days and at the end of the flight
can be charming, unruffled and apparently as fresh as ever
when discussing points raised by a host of officials, Pressmen
and others.’
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Cunningham being presented with the Harman Trophy by President Eisenhower, October 1956
A New Company - The Same Dedication
In January 1960 de Havilland became a division of Hawker
Siddeley; the latter had historically been involved with
military aircraft but was anxious to have a strong presence in
the Civil Aviation world; de Havilland brought with it the
Trident aircraft, and thus secured a strong entry into the
market; whilst the Trident was developing with British
European Airways, Cunningham remained busy testing
Comet versions; when the first Trident was completed in
1961 Cunningham returned to test fly it; he and colleagues
carried out more than 1,800 hours of testing on it before the
first Trident was certified airworthy in 1964 (he was awarded
the C.B.E. in 1963, the Derry and Richards Memorial Medal
in 1965, and the Seagrave Trophy in 1969).
Both Pakistan and China made substantial orders for Trident
aircraft, and once again the company’s figurehead was called
into action - with Cunningham heavily involved in the
delivery of the aircraft to Pakistan and the training of their
pilots; China ordered 29 of the aircraft over a seven year
period from 1972-79; Cunningham spent over a year in
China to ensure the smooth running of the hand over of the
aircraft, and Chinese technicians were trained at Hatfield.
Chairman Mao’s China
Cunningham’s task, ‘was basically to deliver Tridents one by
one to Kwangchow, together with a team of technical
experts, and get them accepted. Until the acceptance
agreement was signed, the aircraft remained the property of
Hawker Siddeley, but they were to be delivered with Chinese
markings.
It sounded quite simple for a man who had delivered aircraft
worldwide and trained crews, but China was unknown
territory and seemingly as remote as the Moon... there were
very few aircraft going into the People’s Republic of China.
Pakistan International, Aeroflot, and Air France were the only
airlines allowed to fly there.’ (ibid)
Cunningham went on to make over thirty trips to China, and
he always had to do a test flight with a Chinese crew from
Cunningham with the crew of Trident B280, on the arrival
of Vice-Premier Wang in London, November 1978
39

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
Cunningham’s B.E.A. Uniform
Kwangchow to Shanghai; it was whilst working with the
Chinese that he was to suffer his first air accident since 1939,
‘Lady Luck had flown with him. Even during the traumatic
War years and in the quest for transonic flight, he never had
a serious accident involving injury. He had always been able
to control his aircraft, sometimes in very dangerous
circumstances. Furthermore, he had enjoyed robust health
throughout his life. It seemed to most aviation enthusiasts
that this legendary figure was invincible.
Then on a winter’s day in 1975, just before dusk, at the
Hawker Siddeley airfield at Dunsfold, south-east of Guildford
in Surrey, the Finger of Fate beckoned him. Earlier he had
flown a party of Chinese, including their Minister of
Transport, from Hatfield. The Harrier had been performing
in its inimitable fashion, creating a spectacular volume of
noise which had sent flocks of birds scurrying from the
airfield.
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Cunningham having just been presented
with the Segrave Trophy at the R.A.C.,
November 1979
Cunningham with H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh at the unveiling of the de
Havilland Memorial, July 1997
John had got the Chinese party together, and they boarded the 125 for the short return trip to Hatfield.
Everything was fine as John took off, and at about 100 feet selected wheel-up. Then an extraordinary thing
happened. Looking ahead he saw a huge flock of plover returning to the airfield and there was nothing he
could do to avoid them. His engines ingested numerous birds, and power died.
He had to push the stick forward and the aircraft touched down again at about 130mph. It hurtled beyond
the runway, crashing through the boundary and shot across a public road, before coming to a standstill in a
field. Then it caught fire, but everybody was able to get out. However, in crossing the road it had collided
with a car, and the four occupants of the car were killed. John had hurt his back, and later found that he had
two crushed vertebrae. He was able to return to flying in early 1976, and suffered no lasting effects.
John was then 58 years old, and would normally have been retired. He had long since decided that he was
not going to continue flying for the sake of keeping a licence going after retirement. This had been a difficult
decision for him, because of his passion for flying, and the fact that he had been in the cockpit for all his
working life. However, he was a man who would carefully consider any situation confronting him, make up
his mind and stick to it.
But again, fate had something in store for him. On this occasion it was to provide an extension of his career
as Chief Test Pilot. When the Chinese got wind of John’s impending retirement, they made it plain that they
required his services to fulfil the contract, and they were not going to accept a replacement. So, John was
able to look forward to another three years as Chief Test Pilot, and more visits to Kwangchow and the
concrete Transit Hotel!’ (ibid)
Everything Has To Come To An End
Cunningham remained as Chief Test Pilot after Hawker Siddeley merged into British Aerospace, with whom
he was an Executive Director from 1978 until his retirement in 1980 (awarded the Air League Founders
Medal 1979); having lived most of his adult life in a house not far from the former de Havilland airfield and
factory in Hertfordshire, he spent a lot of his new found spare time devoted to aiding the nearby museum
housing the prototype Mosquito and other important items from de Havilland’s past; Cunningham was also
very active with fundraising for many organisations including the RAF Benevolent Fund and the de
Havilland Flying Foundation; he was President of the 604 and 85 Squadron associations, a Liveryman of the
Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators, and heavily involved with the Battle of Britain Fighter Association;
Cunningham served as Deputy Lieutenant of Middlesex for 18 years, and when Middlesex became part of
the Greater London Council he became Deputy Lieutenant of the GLC, retiring at the required age of 75.
Group Captain John Cunningham, C.B.E., D.S.O., D.F.C., A.E., died in 2002, aged 84. He had given his
life to aviation for his country in both times of war and peace. A night fighter ace of almost unrivalled ability
and a much loved wartime hero he moved seamlessly in to civil aviation. He spent 32 years perfecting his art
as a Chief Test Pilot. He was truly an aviation legend during the golden years of British aviation.
Note: Owing to the large and heavy nature of this lot it is unsuitable for postage and we would recommend
collection.
41

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
4
The Second War ‘1942’ D.S.O., ‘Immediate’
Battle of Britain D.F.C. and ‘1941’ Second Award
Bar Group of Seven to Spitfire Ace, Group Captain
C.B.F. Kingcome, Royal Air Force, Who Led 92
Squadron From Biggin Hill On Over 60
Operations During The Height of The Battle,
With The Squadron Acheiving The Highest
Success Rate of Any Squadron in Battle of Britain.
Shot Down and Hospitalised, 15.10.1940, He
Returned to Fly With the Squadron Until
Appointed to the Command of 72 Squadron,
February 1942; He Led His New Squadron As
The Fighter Escort of Esmonde’s Swordfish For
the Ill-Fated Attack On The Prinz Eugen,
12.2.1942, During ‘The Channel Dash’. As One of
the Youngest Group Captains in the R.A.F., Aged
25, He Commanded 244 (Spitfire) Wing,
Providing Fighter Support For the Eighth Army
From Africa to the Invasion of Italy. He ‘Has
Destroyed a Total of 11 Enemy Aircraft, Probably
Destroyed 5 And Damaged 13. His Claim’s Are
Traditionally Modest... He is Practically the Last
Operational Pilot of His ‘Vintage’ ‘ And
Undoubtedly One of The Outstanding Characters
of The Battle of Britain
a) Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt
and enamel, reverse of suspension bar officially dated
‘1942’, with integral top-riband bar, in Garrard & Co.
Ltd case of issue
b) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse
officially dated ‘1940’, with Second Award Bar,
reverse officially dated ‘1941’, in Royal Mint case of
issue
c) 1939-1945 Star, with Battle of Britain bar
d) Air Crew Europe Star, with Atlantic bar
e) Italy Star
f) Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaf,
generally very fine or better, campaign awards in
original card box of issue, addressed to ‘W/Cdr.
C.B.F. Kingcome, C/O Lloyds Bank Ltd, Cox &
Kings Branch, 6 Pall Mall, London’, with enclosure
slip and named Authority to Wear slip, and the
following contemporary related items and documents:
- The recipient’s related miniature awards, and riband
bar for first three awards
- R.A.F. Pilot’s Flying Log Book (22.4.1946-
25.6.1948)
- Bestowal Document for the Distinguished Service
Order, dated 15.12.1942, with named enclosure slip
- M.I.D. Certificate, dated 1.1.1946
- R.A.F., Biggin Hill, Operations Room Pass, as CO of
72 Squadron; Permit to Enter Fighter Operations
Room Malta, dated 1.7.1943
- R.A.F. Identity Card, with photograph of recipient,
dated 7.4.1950; Officer’s Pay and Allowance Book
and War Time Services Railway Warrant
- Letter from recipient to his mother, whilst serving
with 244 Wing, D.A.F., dated 2.1.1944; D.A.F.
Greetings Card to recipient from “Cocky” Dundas,
annotated ‘Here’s to Sir Brian. As brave as a lion -
Cocky’
- Air Ministry letter of thanks upon conclusion of
recipient’s R.A.F. service, dated 1.2.1954
Group Captain C.B.F. Kingcome
- Letter of Reference written by Air Marshal R.
Atcherley, K.B.E., C.B., A.F.C., with accompanying
personal letter to Kingcome
- Programme for the unveiling of the Rolls-Royce
Battle of Britain Memorial Window, 11.1.1949
- Savoy Hotel Notepaper with 14 signatures including
those of Dowding, Kent, Aitken, Deere and Gleed
- a number of photographs from during recipient’s
service including a glazed and frame portrait
photograph of him in uniform
- Letter from Sy Bartlett of Melville Productions, Inc.,
Hollywood, dated 7.5.1956, and other ephemera (lot)
£40,000-60,000
D.S.O. London Gazette 15.12.1942 Acting Wing
Commander Charles Brian Kingcome, D.F.C. (33319)
The Recommendation states: ‘Wing Commander Kingcome
has lead the Kenley Wing on 22 offensive sweeps; including
the Battle of Dieppe. He has made a total of 357 operational
sorties, 207 of which were offensive sweeps, and has flown
535 operational hours. He has destroyed a total of 11 enemy
aircraft, probably destroyed 5 and damaged 13. His claims are
traditionally modest. Throughout the period of his command
of this Wing, his coolness and ability in action - coupled with
his natural powers of leadership has proved a great inspiration
to the Squadrons. He is practically the last operational pilot
of his ‘vintage’ and has displayed tremendous resolution and
athleticism to remain on operations so long.’
D.F.C. London Gazette 25.10.1940 Acting Flight Lieutenant
Charles Brian Fabris Kingcome (33319)
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4
The Recommendation states: ‘This officer has led his flight
and during the last week, the squadron, with judgement and
a really good offensive spirit. He has personally destroyed 6
enemy aircraft and probably 4 more, and by his leading has
been responsible for the destruction of many others. He has
infected the pilots he has led with his own determination and
confidence and proved himself a most able Flight
Commander.’
D.F.C. Second Award Bar London Gazette 29.7.1941 Flight
Lieutenant Charles Brian Fabris Kingcome, D.F.C. (33319),
No. 92 Squadron
The Recommendation states: ‘This officer who received his
D.F.C. last October at the time had 5 enemy a/c destroyed
and probably 4 more. He has now increased his score to 10
destroyed 4 probably destroyed and 10 damaged, and during
the past 9 months has on many occasions led the squadron
with distinction. At all times he has shown real
determination, judgement and courage and has set a very
high standard to the other pilots which has reflected itself in
the achievements of his squadron.’
Group Captain Charles Brian Fabris Kingcome, D.S.O.,
D.F.C. (1917-1994), born Calcutta, India; aged 2 he was
sent to the UK with his elder sister; two years later he
embarked on his educational career, which was to encompass
nine different schools; whilst at Paxton Park his passion for
flying blossomed due to an impromptu visit from Philip
Gordon-Marshal, a friend from a previous school, ‘Philip was
four years my senior, and our paths had barely crossed, but he
had met my sister Pat when she visited me with my mother
for a school function and I think was rather taken with her...
He kept in touch... When he had left Allhallows he had tried
for the Royal Air Force, but had failed his medical. This was
a devastating blow to him. All his life he had known, without
a shadow of a doubt, that the RAF was to be his entrée to a
career in the sky... Once he had picked himself up, dusted
himself down, he decided to go for civil aviation... One sunny
afternoon early in my first term, while I was still bemused by
my new habitat, there came the drone of an aero engine
overhead - not a common sound in the mid-1930s - and a
small aircraft circled the school a couple of times at roof-top
height. The whole school rushed out to watch spellbound as
the tiny machine throttled back and, in that lovely burbling,
swooshing silence that follows the throttling back of an oldfashioned
aero engine, glided in to land in the park in front
of the house. Out of the aircraft stepped Philip Gordon-
Marshall, nonchalant in flying helmet and silk scarf, cutting
every bit as romantic a figure as Errol Flynn in Dawn Patrol.
‘Is there a Brian Kingcome here’ he asked. ‘Have I come to
the right place’
He had, and there was. My stock soared... Basking in the
gaze of many envious eyes, I climbed aboard and a moment
later found myself for the first time in a world that I never
dreamed could exist - a world free from the drag of the
earth’s umbilical cord, free to climb, swoop and dive, free of
boundaries, free of gravity, free of ties, free to do anything
except stand still... At that moment, in an instant, I
understood Philip’s passion for flying... From that day
onwards, ideas began to take shape about my own future
direction in life’ (A Willingness To Die, B. Kingcome refers)
Almost Over Before The Start
Whilst at Bedford School, aged 17, Kingcome saw an
advertisement for examinations and enrolment at R.A.F.
Cadet College Cranwell; he had left it late in the process, and
managed to cram in the work required in eight weeks; despite
the late charge he came 21st out of the top 25 applicants; he
entered Cranwell in January 1936, but almost immediately
had a serious car accident that nearly curtailed his flying
career, ‘in those pre-war days it was an accepted fact that the
services tended to provide a refuge for doctors and surgeons
who were unable to earn a living in the competitive civilian
world outside.
43

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
The ones who now set to work on me were prime examples.
They cobbled my face together within the limits of their
dubious skills, which fell far short of those of Dr.
Frankenstein. Then they consigned me to the sick-bay for six
weeks with my jaws wired together.... True to their
reputation, the superannuated surgeons of the air force had
more or less put my face back together back to front. The
sinuses were rendered useless, the nose was flattened and
inoperative. Worst of all, my left eye had floated halfway
down my face, leading to double vision.’ (ibid)
Fighter Command
Fortunately for Kingcome he was subsequently operated on
by Harold Gillies (later Sir Harold) a pioneer of plastic
surgery and by Gillies’ cousin Archie McIndoe (later Sir
Archibald), who was to become the founder of the world
famous Guinea Pig Club at East Grinstead; after six months
of recuperation Kingcome returned to Cranwell; towards the
end of his final term he had to state his preference for
posting, ‘I was already clear in my mind which command I
was going to aim for. I had not joined the R.A.F. to make
myself into a sitting target. If shooting there was to be, then
I was determined that I would be among the shooters, not
one of the shot at... I therefore put Fighter Command down
as first choice, with Coastal Command listed second. Since
there were only five vacancies in Fighter Command that year,
several days of nail biting followed as I waited for the lists to
be posted up. When the list was revealed I found to my deep
content what my new home was going to be: No. 65 Fighter
Squadron at Hornchurch, a front-line fighter station on
London’s eastern rim.’ (ibid)
Kingcome, a newly appointed Pilot Officer, initially flew
Gloster Gladiators with the Squadron, ‘I remained at
Hornchurch from the late summer of 1938 until the Dunkirk
rescue operation in early summer of 1940... The most
significant event at pre-war Hornchurch came about when we
re-equipped from Gladiators to Spitfires, somewhere between
six and nine months before the war began. As one of the first
squadrons to be re-equipped, we gained the huge advantage
that we were already experienced Spitfire pilots by the time
we came to the outbreak of war, and most importantly by the
time of the Dunkirk evacuation. Dunkirk was, indeed, the
first occasion on which the home-based fighters saw any
sustained action.’ (ibid)
Tasked with home defence Kingcome was not sent out with
the BEF, for the battle of France, ‘At Hornchurch the taste
of war at last began to tingle our palates as we anxiously
followed the desperate retreat of the Allied troops as they
were slowly driven into a coastal trap around Dunkirk... My
vantage point for the unfolding epic was in the air above the
beaches... As I sat in the relative safety of my Spitfire cockpit,
it was the clouds that were my main problem. Our orders had
sent us in at 30,000ft, too high for the best of the action,
whereas the Hurricanes were patrolling at 15,000 feet.
Needless to say we cheated and kept slipping down to see
what was happening... the task of providing air cover was
hampered not only by the extent of the cloud cover but also
by its nature. It stood in patchy layers from about 1,000ft
upwards - ideal for marauding bombers but not for our
purposes... allowing little time for interception...
Nevertheless I managed to fire my guns in anger for the first
time, and had the basic fact brought home which I tried to
forget: namely, that while the aircraft in your sites was an
inanimate object, the human beings it contained were frail
flesh and blood. In those early days the German bombers
carried little or no armour, and one of the first indications
that you were registering hits (especially on the Heinkel 111)
came with the spectacle of the guns arching suddenly
upwards as the unfortunate gunners died and slumped
forward on to their weapons.’ (ibid)
On the 2nd June Kingcome shot down two Heinkels and
damaged another over Dunkirk.
92 Squadron - My Squadron
As a result of the rescue operations at Dunkirk 92 Squadron
had lost their CO and two Flight Commanders, ‘Meanwhile
Bob Tuck from 65 Squadron, who was a Flight Commander
by this time, had been further promoted to Squadron Leader
to replace Bushell as CO of 92 Squadron. It was through his
invitation that I now went to fill the gap in leading 92’s A
Flight that had been left by Paddy Byrne. To my mind 92
Squadron always had the special ingredient which sets certain
people or groups apart from the rest - a small, indefinable
quality in the alchemy that gives an edge, a uniqueness. This
quality can never be duplicated or planned for, but somehow
it comes into being and is aptly called ‘spirit’. It always begins
at the top, and 92’s exceptional spirit undoubtedly had its
origins in the outstanding personalities of the original
squadron and flight commanders. It then continued to
flourish in the fertile soil of the rich mix of characters who
made up this exceptional fighting unit: determined,
committed young men, intent on squeezing the last drop of
living from whatever life might be left to them at the same
time as they refused to take themselves or their existence too
seriously.
They came from all walks of life... there was Neville Duke and
‘Wimpy’ Wade, both outstanding airmen who survived the
war with distinguished and much-decorated careers and
became household names as test pilots. There was also Allan
Wright, an ex-Cranwell cadet, extremely bright and
professorial even in those far-off days, but a determined and
successful pilot, and then the youngest of them all Geoff
Wellum, aged 17 and known as ‘Boy’ because of his age. And
there were Don Kingaby and ‘Titch’ Havercroft, two of the
R.A.F.’s most successful NCO pilots, both of whom finished
up as Wing Commanders, Don having a unique distinction in
earning a D.S.O... and three D.F.M.s... Above all, there was
Bob Tuck, extrovert and flamboyant... In the air he was a
total professional, none was more highly respected.’ (ibid)
In June 1940 Kingcome moved with the Squadron to
Llanelli in Wales, for a rest and to look after the West
Country ports and installations; the squadron remained in
South-Wales until the end of August, by which time
Kingcome had another shared destroyed Junkers 88 and one
unconfirmed, ‘early one morning I was out on patrol leading
a section of three of my aircraft from A Flight when we ran
into a lone Junkers 88 on the approach to Cardiff, looking
suspiciously as if it was on a photo-reconnaissance flight. It
was a clear morning without cloud cover, and three Spitfires
coming in on its rear end, the unfortunate German aircraft
never stood a chance. We watched the pilot as he took his
plane down in its terminal dive southwards, pulling up just
before he hit the water and scraping the top of the cliffs on
the north Devon coast, not far from Minehead, before
crashing on to the headland above. He finished up on a fairly
level stretch of scrub and grass, so after we had returned to
base, I climbed into a Magister... and re-crossed the Bristol
Channel to land in the field next to the devastated hulk...
One of the crew still lay where he had died, an enormous
young man... both blond and beautiful. So much of a type
did he seem that I thought at once he must have come
straight off Dr. Goebbel’s drawing board... The recent action
over Dunkirk had borne in on me uncomfortably the human
side of aerial warfare that I preferred to forget, hypocrite that
I was: the signs of German air gunners collapsing over their
weapons as my bullets hit home. Here, on the north Devon
coast, the lesson should have been rubbed in even more
vividly, yet whereas over Dunkirk I had felt genuine remorse
for the lives I was taking and families I was bereaving, here I
felt none.
We had by this stage seen many newsreels of such young men
in action, and here was this perfectly formed young demigod,
apparently personifying all we had gone to war to fight...
faced with this corpse, perhaps I should have brought myself
to feel more Christian, more tolerant, more compassionate, I
could not manage any of these qualities.’ (ibid)
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Kingcome introducing H.M. The King to the pilots of No.92 Squadron
Despite the above mentioned aerial activity the ‘rest period’
in Wales was not to Kingcome’s liking, ‘with all due respect
to the Welsh (being a quarter Welsh allows me some leeway
to criticise, I feel), the pubs in the Llanelli area in 1940 were
appalling: utterly basic spit and sawdust hostelries with,
around the walls, lines of chairs occupied by local ancients,
who ached to burst into song and seized on the slightest
pretext to do so.’ (ibid)
Fortunately for Kingcome his flight was dispatched to operate
from a temporary airfield outside of Bibury, a small village in
the Cotswolds; co-incidentally a few miles up the road was an
airfield owned by de Havilland and run by his old school
friend Philip Gordon-Marshall; the de Havilland airfield at
Witney was tasked with the repair of crashed Spitfires;
Gordon-Marshall had several de Havilland Moths at Witney,
‘and somehow cajoled the company into putting one of them
at my permanent disposal. The aeroplane was a Puss Moth,
tiny, but with an enclosed cabin seating three, and capable of
landing on the proverbial sixpence. We used it for pub
crawling. From the air we would spot what looked a likely
pub with a field adjacent, make a few passes to move any
sheep or cattle and clear a landing space, then set down as
close to the pub as possible. Once on the ground, we would
tether the Puss Moth to the heaviest fence.’ (ibid)
At the end of August the entire squadron returned to Biggin
Hill; Bob Tuck had left to take up command of a Hurricane
squadron, and his replacement Saunders suffered an accident,
leaving Kingcome (as senior Flight Commander) to become
acting CO; he commanded 92 Squadron for the next six
weeks during the height of the Battle of Britain; he led the
Squadron on over 60 operations, and the Squadron achieved
the highest success rate of any squadron in the Battle of
Britain; having been thrown into the Battle on the 9th
September, the Squadron had claimed 127 German aircraft
destroyed by the end of the year.
During the Battle Kingcome was scrambled virtually on a
daily basis, and his record is as follows:
9th September Me Bf 109E, Destroyed (Probable),
Canterbury
11th September Heinkel 111, Destroyed (Confirmed),
Dungeness
14th September, Two Me Bf 109Es, Damaged, both over
Canterbury
15th September, Dornier 17, Damaged, Hornchurch
18th September, Junkers 88, Destroyed (Shared), Isle of
Sheppey
18th September, Heinkel 111, Destroyed (Probable),
Southend
18th September, Heinkel 111, Damaged, Southend
24th September, Junkers 88, Damaged, Maidstone
24th September, Me Bf 109E, Damaged, Dover
27th September, Dornier 17, Destroyed (Probable),
Maidstone
27th September, Dornier 17, Damaged, Maidstone
27th September, Two Junkers 88, Damaged, Sevenoaks
27th September, Junkers 88, Destroyed (Shared), Redhill
11th October, Me Bf 109E, Destroyed (Confirmed),
Dungeness
12th October, Me Bf 109E, Destroyed (Confirmed), English
Channel
12th October, Me Bf 109E, Damaged, Margate
12th October, Me Bf 109E, Destroyed (Confirmed), Cap
Gris Nez
13th October, Me Bf 109E, Destroyed (Confirmed),
Ashford
The official score ‘for the ‘kills’ he made was always thought
to be an under by his fellow airmen as well as by later
historians. The final figure at the end of his active service
stood at 18 enemy aircraft and included a number of German
bombers. In part the uncertainty surrounding this figure may
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THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
The ever-increasing score
be attributed to the scorn he felt for the idea of keeping a
precise tally. ‘Of course I used up a lot of ammunition on
109s in the Battle of Britain - who didn’t - but I don’t
remember claiming many kills’, he wrote. ‘In my experience
there was usually too much going on upstairs to spend time
following victims down to the ground for confirmation of a
kill.’ (ibid)
On the 15th October Kingcome’s part in the Battle of Britain
was ended by an Me Bf 109, ‘We were scrambled from
Biggin Hill, with myself leading 92 Squadron. We
successfully intercepted the raiders over Maidstone in mid-
Kent, broke up their formation and turned them back after a
fairly brisk encounter. It was a run of the mill operation, and
since it had used up all of my ammunition I thought I would
head for home. I looked around and found myself alone in
the skies, apart from three Spitfires in the far distance... It was
around noon, and the October day, as I have said, was
glorious. I could see Biggin Hill in the distance, and began to
think of my uneaten breakfast. This I had missed as a result
of the German’s sadistic sense of humour, which led them to
time raids to coincide with meals... I put my nose down to
head straight for home... then thought I might as well kill
two birds with one brick and decided to throttle back and
practice a ‘dead stick’ forced landing; that is to say one with
a simulated engine failure.
It was breathtakingly stupid behaviour... The skies of Kent
were at all times a hostile environment, whatever the illusion
of emptiness, yet here was I, as operationally experienced as
anyone, casually putting at risk my aircraft and my life... I had
grown blasé... forgetting the fighter pilot’s golden rule to
watch his tail however safe he thought he might be... I was
sailing in a dream when my reveries were rudely haltered by
an almighty thump to the back of the right leg... Worse was
to follow: a rattling clatter as if someone were violently
shaking a giant bucket full of pebbles close to my ear. Still it
took me a further moment or two to realise that this sound
was the jarring impact of bullets striking in and around my
cockpit. Glancing down at my leg, I saw blood welling out of
the top of my flying-boot... The effect was devastating: one
minute relaxed and carefree, in total control with nothing
more dramatic in mind than a simulated forced landing and
the day’s lunch menu; the next, inhabiting a doomed aircraft
at 20,000ft losing blood at a rate that suggested
consciousness might slip away at any moment with death
following within minutes... I therefore decided to
compromise, get rid of the canopy, undo the straps and give
the stick an almighty shove forward. With luck I would then
be catapulted out by centrifugal force. The trick might well
have worked, but I never got as far as testing it. No sooner
had I undone the straps than I was plucked violently out of
the cockpit as if by a giant hand, hurled into a furious
maelstrom of wind and storm and raging elements that
whirled me head over heels, arms and legs windmilling
uncontrollably, helpless as a ragdoll in a clamouring
hurricane.
The brutal blast of air assaulted me with all the solid physical
force of a jackhammer, blacking my eyes and bruising my face
with a ferocity of which I had never dreamed air to be
capable... The ground, from which a short time before I
seemed to be irrevocably separated, now rushed up to meet
me. My wounded leg meant I landed heavily, permanently
damaging a disc in my back before sprawling over and over,
the breath knocked out of me.’ (ibid)
Kingcome was rushed to the Royal Naval Hospital at
Chatham, and after another ‘botched’ service operation he
managed to get himself transferred to Orpington Hospital; at
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‘One for the Mess’
Orpington, not far from Biggin Hill, the bullet was
successfully removed from between two shin bones, ‘six
weeks later I was back with the squadron, though still
hobbling from the massive damage inflicted by the naval
sawbones on the back of my leg.
Perhaps he would have found it easier to cope with a cannon
ball or cutlass wound. A modern high-velocity bullet had
clearly been too much for him. He had managed to do far
more damage to me than any German, but at least I had
escaped with my life. I also felt I had gained fresh insight into
how it was that Nelson finished up with only one eye and one
arm.’ (ibid)
A ‘Joy’ Ride
During his convalescent period Kingcome received news that
he had been awarded the D.F.C. for his actions during the
Battle of Britain; however, never one to be inactive, ‘while
still recuperating at nearby Orpington Hospital, I had got
into the habit of hobbling over on crutches from time to
time, to break the monotony and stay in touch. On one of
these occasions I met up with Bob Tuck. It soon came to our
attention that 92 Squadron was scheduled to patrol along the
south coast later that afternoon, and, as one man, we thought
it might be fun to joinin. To borrow a couple of aircraft was
no problem... I jettisoned my crutches, was somehow hoisted
into the cockpit by the ground crew, and away we went... By
good fortune the patrol was eventless and everyone landed
safely, but I had definitely over-d my fitness. Every time I
exerted and ‘G’ I had felt most peculiar, and I should indeed
have known better... Nature had not yet been given enough
time to repair the damaged done by the scourge of Chatham
Naval Hospital. It was while she was still finishing her work
that Johnny Kent arrived as CO.
His first action as soon as I returned to take up my old
position as Flight Commander was to summon all the
squadron’s pilots together for a pep talk. We were, he
declared, a notoriously ill-controlled rabble and 92 Squadron
had become a byword for indiscipline. The one thing we
should therefore be sure about was that he, Johnny Kent, was
about to change all of that. We were not going to know what
had hit us. Kingcome in particular, he continued, had
behaved disgracefully. It had been reported to him by the
new B Flight Commander, who was technically in charge in
my absence, that I had overridden his authority in
commandeering an aircraft. What was more, I had been in
breach of King’s Regulations by flying while still officially
medically unfit. Make no mistake about it, he was certainly
going to keep an eye on me, and one more serious breach of
discipline would see Kingcome posted.
The diatribe was greeted in stony silence. One might go even
further and describe it as a silence heavy with resentment and
antagonism. And, truth to tell, Kent’s remarks about 92’s
lack of discipline were both misinformed and unjust. The
squadron’s discipline in the air was immaculate. It had proved
itself to be the most efficient killing machine in the Battle of
Britain: as the air attack unit longest in the firing line, its
record of success was unmatched. On the ground an outsider
might have thought there was a lax air to be detected amid
the general discipline, but the laid back attitude was
superficial, a front: the usual small irregularities and assertions
of individualism - silk neck scarves and longish hair. But 92
Squadron had stronger bonds of loyalty and solidarity, a
fiercer pride in itself than existed in any other unit I came
across before or after. Outsiders, as they sensed this, may well
have felt excluded, but the only way for a new CO of Flight
Commander to penetrate the protective wall of pride was to
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THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
show he had qualities the squadron could respect. Leadership
by example was the best method of winning such regard...
After the war, Johnny went into print to claim that he had
transformed 92 Squadron into a disciplined force out of an
undisciplined rout. In fact the reverse was true. It was not
Johnny who changed the squadron but the squadron that
changed Johnny. Almost without being aware of it he
absorbed 92’s unique spirit and, in a few short weeks,
matured from being a chippy colonial into a relaxed,
respected commanding officer.’ (ibid)
Kingcome managed a further two victories with the
squadron, both 109s (one confirmed and one probable),
during sweeps over France; the end of his tour came up in
August 1941, and he was posted for a rest as an instructor
with No. 61 O.T.U.
72 Squadron and The Channel Dash
Kingcome resumed operational flying when he was appointed
CO of 72 Squadron (Spitfires), Gravesend, February 1942,
‘Bob Tuck, by then Wing Commander at Biggin Hill, had
asked that I should take command of 72 Squadron when the
post fell vacant, and this event had come to pass. By that
February of 1942, however, we were on temporary
detachment at Gravesend, one of Biggin’s satellite airfields,
and on the 12th, because of murky weather, we had been
stood down from a state of ‘readiness’ and put on ‘thirty
minutes’ availability’... We spent the dreary morning of the
12th in our luxury pad at Cobham Hall... reading newspapers
or snoozing to catch up on a bit of sleep. Shortly before
midday the phone went and summoned us to a state of
readiness... No sooner had we arrived than we were called to
cockpit standby... There was, it appeared, some as yet
undefined surface activity off Dover involving the navy, who
were very probably going to need our support... During the
next quarter of an hour I must have been summoned four
times between cockpit and control tower, each time fastening
and unfastening the straps and each time been given a set of
different instructions, each set more confusing than the one
preceding it. It became obvious there was not a soul, from
Fighter Command downwards, who had a clue as to what
was afoot in the English Channel.
Eventually I emerged from this spin of activity with a set of
instructions which at least looked positive and clear cut: 72
Squadron was to take off at once and fly flat out towards
Manston. There we would find four other Spitfire squadrons
already orbiting the airfield, and these were to form up
behind 72. Kingcome was to take command of this scratch
wing of five squadrons, at which point six naval Swordfish of
the Fleet Air Arm, based at Manston, would be scrambled.
The task of our Wing would be to escort them to the Straits
of Dover, where some kind of fracas was in progress between
a flotilla of German E-Boats and several of our own MTBs...
The Swordfish were to do what they could to break up the E-
Boat flotilla while the Spitfires provided air cover and, air
cover duties permitting, join in the attack....
At least my instructions from the control tower at Gravesend
seemed clear at last. I sprinted back to my aircraft to clamber
into the cockpit and take off before there could be any more
changes of plan. We could muster only ten serviceable
Spitfires and pilots, and my nine companions formed up
behind me as we high-tailed towards Manston. There the six
Swordfish were already airborne and orbiting the airfield, but
we could see no more Spitfires anywhere in view. How long
the Swordfish had been waiting was impossible to tell, but
they were making their impatience obvious. The instant they
saw us they straightened up and set course without hanging
about for the rest of the escort to show up... the most
immediate surprise they gave me was that, instead of flying
south towards Dover, as I expected, they turned due east and
at zero altitude, headed out across the North Sea, the surface
of which was uninviting and threatening beneath a swirling
cover of low cloud and rain. Undaunted, I took up station
above and behind, deploying the ten aircraft to which the
promised five-squadron wing had evidently been reduced...
The coast was hardly more than a few minutes behind us
before the first attack came from enemy fighters. We
managed to thwart them without sustaining casualties. Then,
without warning, I found myself gazing at an astonishing
sight as it materialised dramatically and magically out of the
low cloud and tempestuous rain. I found I was sitting at
masthead height above the most magisterial warship you
could have imagined... Mentally I began to chalk up points of
congratulation to the Royal Navy. At last, it seemed, they had
made a dramatic move up-market and got themselves a real
ship of battle for the present and future. The contrast
between our lumbering patrol of Swordfish, wallowing
sluggishly over the waves, and this magnificent vast flying
fortress cruelly showed up the contrast between struggling
museum relics and a sleek deadly product of the latest
technology... In the midst of my reveries the marvellous
fighting ship I was circling so admiringly opened up at me
with every mighty gun barrel. I moved deftly away from the
turmoil of shrapnel, aggrieved if not astounded. The Royal
Navy was known among airmen for having this habit of firing
first and asking questions afterwards. Then all at once the
gunners on the great warship switched attention to the
Swordfish, which were by now driving straight towards her in
two ‘vics’ of three in line astern... It was impossible to think
she might be German. Surely in that case we would have been
briefed; and surely a major enemy warship could never have
come so close to the English coast without triggering the
nation’s alarm bells long before this... She lowered her big
guns and fired salvos into the sea ahead of the approaching
Swordfish. As the colossal walls of water and spray rose
directly into their paths, I had the impression that one was
brought down by the deluge. Somehow the others seemed to
survive, however, and then the battleship raised her sights
and let fly directly at the Swordfish with a fiery inferno. The
brave ‘Stringbags’ never faltered, but just kept driving
steadily on at wave-top height, straight and level as though
on a practice run. They made the perfect targets as they held
back from firing their missiles before closing to torpedo
range. They were flying unswerving to certain destruction,
and all we as their escort could do was sit helplessly in the air
above them and watch them die.
Mercifully our role as inactive spectators came to a dramatic
close as, out of the murk and broken cloud, a swarm of
German fighters appeared. We had expected nothing less.
What we had not expected was that among the
Messerschmitt 109s, Germany’s front-line, single-engined,
single-seat fighter, there would be a strange new radialengined
single-seater never before seen or even mentioned in
advance intelligence warnings. As we discovered later, we had
made our first contact with the Focke-Wulf 190... Goring’s
most deadly answer to the Spitfire, and the air cover had been
led by no less a person than Adolf Galland.
Meanwhile there was not a split second free for speculation.
We turned in towards the attacking fighters and did our
utmost to intercept between them and the vulnerable
Swordfish. The battle was was short, sharp and violent, and it
probably lasted only a few minutes before the German
fighters melted away. Of the Swordfish no trace remained,
apart from floating wreckage and one or two life-rafts. There
had been six aircraft and eighteen crew. Five survivors were
later picked out of the water. I never knew how many of the
Swordfish were shot down by the ship’s guns and how many
by the attacking aircraft, but I hoped we had at least managed
to protect them from the main brunt of the attack from the
air. The rest became history....
The great ship I had so admired turned out to be the Prinz
Eugen, the battle cruiser escorting the twin battleships,
Gneisenau and Scharnhorst.... Thirteen men had died and six
aircraft been lost on a doomed mission... With guns empty,
the Spitfires of 72 Squadron made their way back to base,
many shot up but none shot down.’ (ibid)
Having returned to base Kingcome decided to investigate the
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244 Wing Mobile Operations Room
new German aircraft which he had just fought against, ‘At
about this time the new camera guns were being developed
and an experimental one had been fitted to my aircraft...
During the fracas over the Prinz Eugen I had got what I
thought must be a number of particularly good shots of the
new German fighters. Naturally I was agog to see the results
and asked Snowy, my fitter, to do all he could to get the film
developed as quickly as possible. Apart from the matter of my
own satisfaction, the film could hold valuable information
about these new combatants. Away Snowy trotted to unload
the camera, only to return crestfallen and red-faced a few
minutes later. ‘Very sorry, sir,’ he said. ‘I’m afraid I forgot to
remove the lens cover.’ (ibid)
On the 15th April 1942 Kingcome had a closer look at the
Focke-Wulf 190, damaging one whilst taking part in a sweep
over Boulogne; on the 27th May he returned to engaging his
more conventional foe, the Me Bf 109F, damaging one
(Probable) over St.-Valery-en-Caux; the following month
Kingcome was promoted, and appointed Wing Commander
Flying at Kenley Fighter Station; the Kenley Wing comprised
of four Spitfire squadrons, all of which were Canadian and as
such they became known as the ‘Canadian Wing’; at Kenley
‘I had two main tasks. The first was to lead my wing of four
squadrons in fighter sweeps over France on sabre rattling
expeditions to penetrate as far south and east as fuel allowed
in the hope of luring German fighters into combat. The
second was to provide bomber escort’ (ibid); Kingcome’s
wing mainly escorted the Flying Fortresses of the USAAF; he
spent seven months in this posting, during which time the
‘Canadian Wing’ provided air cover for the Dieppe Raid,
19.8.1942; eight days later Kingcome damaged another
Focke-Wulf 190, over Boulogne.
Two Years of Continual Operations
At the end of 1942, ‘it was decided I was overdue for an
operational rest... The scenario was that I be posted in the
New Year to the restful role of observer-cum-adviser at the
newly founded Fighter Leaders’ School at Chedworth in
Gloucestershire. It was a new unit and a new concept set up
by Trafford Leigh-Mallory, the C-in-C of Fighter Command,
to train operationally experienced pilots in the art of
leadership in the air. Initially I had to go through the course
myself in the role of ‘guinea pig’, and after that I looked
forward to a lovely non-executive job with no responsibilities.
It was not to be. The school’s CO, Wing Commander Paddy
Woodhouse, promptly went down with an attack of jaundice.
Kingcome, the wrong man in the wrong place at the wrong
time, was made acting CO on the spot and took over the
arduous task of overseeing the early formative courses that
would shape the school’s policy and format.’ (ibid)
Kingcome stayed at the Fighter Leaders’ School for five
months, and was ‘ably and entertaining assisted by two wellknown
stable-mates, Pete Simpson and P.B. ‘Laddie’ Lucas...
In this company the health hazards grew to be considerable.
Before long the Fighter Leaders’ School moved to Charmy
Down in Somerset, from where the ‘watering hole’ of Bath
lay within comfortable drinking distance.’ (ibid)
Desert Air Force - 244 Wing
In May 1943 Kingcome was posted to join the D.A.F. in the
Middle East; he travelled by sea, the journey taking three
months, ‘my initial destination was Cairo, HQ of the Middle
East Air Forces. From there I was to be dispatched to
wherever D.A.F. might be at the time. As yet I knew very
little about the Desert Air Force other than that it was a
completely mobile, utterly self-contained tactical air group
whose task was to support the Eighth Army, and that it was
having a very busy time as Rommel and Montgomery were
slogging it out in North Africa. It was a tough, independent,
battle-hardened group, experienced in mobile warfare and
capable of moving anywhere at a moment’s notice without
interruption to its activities... The official label tied to my
posting was ‘Supernumerary Wing Commander Flying’,
which, once translated, meant I would be attached to a
fighter wing in a non-executive flying role pending an
appropriate vacancy.
By the time I caught up with D.A.F. it had arrived in Malta
and was preparing for the invasion of Sicily and Italy... The
bedroom of my billet, for instance, only had two walls...
There was also half a bathroom... I did not have long to wait
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THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
Stick to planes - Kingcome after a jeep crash in Italy
to shed my ‘supernumerary’ status. D.A.F was commanded at
the time by Air Vice-Marshal ‘Broady’ Broadhurst (later Air
Chief Marshal Sir Harry Broadhurst), a legendary air ace and
an outstanding senior commander... but he was also
notorious for surrounding himself with his coterie of people
whom he already knew... Shortly before I reached Malta my
old friend Ian Gleed, CO of 244 Wing, was shot down and
killed. As a result Broady lost no time in sending for me as
soon as he knew I had arrived. ‘Brian’, he announced, ‘I’m
over a barrel. I need a replacement for Ian. Given freedom of
choice I wouldn’t choose you. Nevertheless you qualify, you
are here, and I can’t afford to wait. It’s only fair to warn you
that I shall be watching you closely. If you put a single foot
wrong you’ll be on the next aircraft back to Blighty.’
I thanked him for the warmth of his welcome, saluted and left
the office. The rank of commanding officers of mobile wings
had just been upped from Wing Commander to Group
Captain, so Broady had not only been obliged to hand me an
appointment for which anyone would have given their eyeteeth,
he had also been unable to avoid including promotion
in the package.’ (ibid)
At the age of 25, this made Kingcome one of the youngest
Group Captains in the R.A.F.; fortunately for both Kingcome
and Broadhurst they fostered a fine and very trusting
relationship over the next two years; 244 Wing consisted of
five Spitfire squadrons, four were R.A.F. and the other was
South African; when Kingcome took command, ‘the
softening-up process in preparation for the landings on Sicily
was well under way. Within a few days we were covering the
first wave of landings by the Eighth Army’s battle-hardened
troops, flying out from our old bases in Malta... after only a
couple of days the sappers of the Royal Engineers had scraped
a landing-strip at Pachino, on the southernmost tip of the
island, and 244 Wing had movedin. It was still winter, and
one of the first things I wondered about was whoever had
coined the slogan, ‘Sunny Italy’...’ (ibid)
The D.A.F.’s main role was to provide protection and fighter
support for the Eighth Army, and as a consequence ‘we
needed to be based as close behind the ground forces as
possible, which meant a move of base virtually every time the
army advanced or retreated. During my time with 244 I recall
eighteen such moves, including the two invasions involving
sea crossings, first from Africa into Sicily and then on into
Italy.’ (ibid)
Another Dice With Death on the Ground
Having conquered Sicily, ‘our first stop on the Italian
mainland was at Bari, north along the coast from Brindis. I
flew in ahead of our advance party to scout the ground and
was met at the landing strip by an old friend, Dudley Honor.
He was stationed with D.A.F.’s advance HQ and had been
asked to collect me in his jeep so I could be briefed... His
skills as a driver were of the kind that defy the laws of nature...
Dudley accelerated from a standing start and, as the road
worsened, went ever faster. The jeep began to dance on the
loose surface, and the more it danced the faster Dudley
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No.324 (Spitfire) Wing, Zeltweg, Austria, 1946
drove... Faster and faster drove Dudley, higher and higher
danced the jeep, till suddenly it had had enough. With no
warning it uttered a final screech, leapt high in the air, shot
off the road and rolled over several times, having fired me out
like a bullet to land on my face in the middle of the bordering
field. For a while I lay too dazed to move, which turned out
to be a stroke of good fortune. I had been deposited between
two rows of mines wired in such a way that if one blew they
all blew. I never could remember being extricated, but the
Sappers came to my rescue and worked their miracles. My
face was badly lacerated, but fortunately no bones were
broken, though as I had lain there, trying to recover my wits,
my mind had flicked back seven years to make me yet again
that Cranwell Cadet, lying in a shattered Clyno and listening
to the first of these now familiar deafening silences.’ (ibid)
As the Eighth Army progressed northwards through Italy
Kingcome’s wing took part in battles such as Anzio and
Monte Cassino, and the long-range cover of the penetration
into the South of France.
A ‘Staff Man’
By December 1944 Kingcome and his Wing were based near
Rimini, close to the Yugoslav border, ‘the Italian campaign
was set to rumble on for another six months until VE Day,
but it was as good as in the bag. At this point my own
participation came to an abrupt end in the wake of an official
visit from the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the
Mediterranean and Allied Air Forces (MAAF), Air Chief
Marshal Sir John Slessor. He took me aside. ‘Kingcome’, he
said, ‘I’ve been looking at your record. I see that your entire
service career has been spent with operational single-seater
fighters. Your horizon is obviously limited. I don’t even know
if you can write. I intend to find out. I’m sending you to
Palestine, to the R.A.F. Staff College at Haifa, and we’ll see
what they have to say about you.’ (ibid)
Kingcome - The Air Gunner
He stayed at Haifa until the end of January 1945, ‘When
Slessor interviewed me again and said how gratified he was to
find I could indeed write, but as I had never held a staff
appointment, he continued, he now proposed to make me a
Senior Air Staff Officer to a bomber group. How did I like
the sound of that
Frankly, in my innermost thoughts, the answer was not at all,
and my innermost instincts turned out to be correct. The
posting to 205 Bomber Group at Foggia, in southern Italy,
proved to be a shattering experience. For one thing, the
bomber crews and I did not even speak the same language in
airmen’s terms. In an attempt to find out what it was all
about I went on a couple of trips as an air gunner, and each
time wished I hadn’t. It was quite beyond me to know how
the boys in the bombers had stood it and I came to appreciate
my luck in having been in fighter aircraft. The war of the
fighter pilot was a truly lovely experience compared with
theirs, which struck me as suicidally dangerous.
I was just getting the hang of the bombing scene at last when
the war in Europe ended and our Lancasters and Liberators
were converted into troop carriers to repatriate troops from
the Allied armies to their homes all over the world. We were
transferred to Egypt to operate from three airfields close to
the Suez Canal and the Great Bitter Lake... Those of us who
had been overseas for several years were subject to powerful
pregnant urges for an occasional home comfort, and high on
my list came the humble kipper. It should have been a happy
day when a girlfriend sent me out a box of kippers... but alas,
the kippers themselves did not enjoy their long hot journey
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THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
‘An afternoon well spent’
through the Middle East. We were sure we had been able to
smell them even when the carrier aircraft was still circling the
airfield at 2,000ft. It was a tragedy. We gave the fish a decent
funeral after the briefest period of mourning.’ (ibid)
D.A.F. - 324 Wing
In the Spring of 1946 Kingcome was posted as CO 324
(Spitfire) Wing, Zeltweg, Austria; finding himself at a posting
which was situated approximately 20 minutes flying time
from both Vienna and Venice he was delighted by this turn
of events, ‘Yet again it was too good to last, of course. Just as
the snows were beginning to fall at Zeltweg and I was
looking forward to a few months of skiing, my nemesis Sir
John Slessor stepped in once more and I was posted back to
England. For the next two years I became an instructor
(‘Directing Staff’ was the official title) at the R.A.F. Staff
College at Bracknell... At no time did the transition from
active to peacetime service present an easy adjustment. There
was a stage when I tried to resign my commission, but this
was turned down on the grounds that, as an ex-Cranwell
cadet, I still owed my country a return on the investment it
had made in training me. After Bracknell there followed a
further two years at the Air Ministry itself, working in the Air
Staff Policy branch, which was concerned with a range of
tasks that included briefing the Chiefs of Staff... It came to an
end in September 1950 when I contracted tuberculosis, a
consequence of my bachelor life in London, drinking but
seldom eating, never observing a sensible bedtime, never
doing any of the things one ought to do to assure a healthy
life.’ (ibid)
A Brush With Fame, Recuperation and Reflection
Discharged from hospital in June 1953 Kingcome was
granted indefinite leave to decide whether to stay in the
service or opt out, ‘one day, as I was drinking in Les
Ambassadeurs, I was hailed by an American voice. It turned
out to belong to Sy Bartlett, whom I had met in England
during the war when he was an aide to General Spaatz. Sy had
recently written with Bernie Lay Jnr the script, based on their
novel, for an extremely successful movie, Twelve o’clock
High. Produced by Darryl F. Zanuck and directed by Henry
King, it starred Gregory Peck and told the story of a US
bomber group operating under severe psychological pressure.
Now Sy had been sent to England by 20th Century Fox to
get together the script for another. Several drinks later I had
agreed to be his assistant, and on the same afternoon I went
to the Air Ministry to hand in my resignation. The film that
emerged was a disaster, but the decision was one I never
regretted.’ (ibid)
The above was not Kingcome’s first foray into films as he had
in fact appeared in the First of the Few - ‘The Battle of Britain
had been fought and won three months earlier, and Leslie
Howard, the country’s best-loved, best-known film actor,
was directing and acting his film... based on the life of R.J.
Mitchell, the designer of the Spitfire. He himself played
Mitchell, with David Niven taking the part of a fictional
character called Wing Commander Crisp, who was a
composite portrait of the test pilots who nursed and
developed the Spitfire from its cradle, including the great
Jeffrey Quill. All important roles were taken by professional
actors, but Howard felt that a little authenticity might rub off
if a few Battle of Britain pilots were to play themselves... I was
one of the fortunate half-dozen or so pilots whose names
came out of the hat, and the whole enterprise was the greatest
fun, Our roles called for little more demanding than lolling
about in flying clothes in a fake dispersal hut, going outside
to look sombrely skywards from time to time, and delivering
such daft lines as, ‘Good luck - they’ll need it,’ to cue in stock
shots of Spitfires and German bombers flying overhead. Most
of the stock shots in Second World War flying films include
rapid frames of the interior of a Spitfire cockpit with a closeup
of the pilot’s gloved hand holding the control column,
thumb on gun button in readiness for the decisive burst
before the montage cuts away to an external shot of an enemy
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
aircraft being brought to grief. The same stock shots are
wheeled out regularly to support documentary and news
items to do with the battles in the air of the Second World
War. That thumb on the firing button, which must have been
seen by more people than any thumb in history, is my claim
to immortality. Reader, the thumb is mine.’ (ibid)
Kingcome struggled with early post war business ventures,
despite having initial success with a Rolls-Royce hire
company in partnership with old friend and colleague Wing
Commander Paddy Barthropp, D.F.C., A.F.C. Despite it
being several years after the War he found himself still
‘newsworthy’, ‘I was subject of headlines I could have done
without, though how it came to be regarded as a news item
I will never understand. It happened when I embarked on
married life, though the origins of the story were to be traced
back over the years to the days of Biggin Hill in Kent in
1940. About seven miles from the airfield was the White Hart
at Brasted, the pub known by 92 Squadron as ‘our pub’, and
not far up the road from the pub their lived a pair of identical
female twins, the daughters of Sir Hector Macneal, in the
Red House. They were tall, elegant, sophisticated and
beautiful young women, and as if that were not enough in
itself, they were also rich... the twins had style in abundance.
The elder, by ten minutes or so, was Moira. She had two
children... Her husband was an Air Commodore who was
then doing a stint in the Middle East. The younger twin was
Sheila, who had been married to Squadron Leader Freddie
Shute, a fighter pilot killed earlier that year... After Freddie’s
death Sheila moved with their small daughter, Lesley, then
not much more than a toddler, to join Moira in the Red
House. There the twins, with their good looks, lavish
generosity and captivating personalities became the centre of
an elite coterie of fighter pilots, of which 92 Squadron
inevitably formed the core. After the White Hart had
reluctantly shut its doors at closing time, as often as not we
decamped en bloc to round off the evening at the twins’.
There was another bonus from this friendship in that it
became possible for me to cover the seven miles of winding
road between Biggin and the White Hart at Brasted in seven
minutes with the help of a specially modified and tuned
Jaguar SS100. This outstandingly beautiful car had belonged
to Freddie Shute, who used to race it at Brooklands, and his
widow, Sheila, let me have the loan of it. The Squadron was
not stood down in the evenings until thirty minutes past last
light, which could be alarmingly close to ‘last orders’. Every
minute saved on the journey between airfield and pub was
therefore vital and the car a godsend... I became very close to
the twins at the Red House, till my posting to the D.A.F. in
1943, when I lost contact. I had also met their father several
times at Biggin Hill. Sir Hector Macneal... known
affectionately as the ‘Black Knight’, was a friend of
Beaverbrook, who was given the task of overseeing aircraft
production by Churchill... After the war was over Sir Hector
moved into a flat in Piccadilly close to the Air Force Club and
he and I started seeing quite a lot of each other as
neighbours.’
Through this close geographical proximity Kingcome got
reacquainted with the family, and one night Macneal threw a
party in his flat, ‘the indefatigable ‘Black Knight’, by then in
his mid-eighties, moved on to some night spot or other with
the bulk of his guests, though I stayed behind, no doubt
because I was too broke to go. Also staying behind to help
with the clearing up was Sheila’s now grown up daughter
Lesley, and as I sat there idly, glass of whisky in hand, I
watched her restoring things to some sort of order. I had to
admit I was staggered by the transformation in the interval of
what seemed only a few short years. The toddler of just the
other day had grown into a bewitching young woman
capable of stopping London’s traffic. And my heart.’ (ibid)
Kingcome proposed there and then and several weeks later
they were married in St. Peter’s, Eaton Square, ‘The occasion
was a huge success, and we stayed the night at a hotel on
Monkey Island in the Thames near Bray, before leaving early
next morning for Heathrow, en route for Germany.
As we relaxed in our seats in the aircraft, waiting for take-off,
we casually glanced at the morning papers which the
stewardess was distributing. The press had done it again:
turned the facts upside down for the sake of a good story.
The headlines screamed at us: “They Said He’d Marry
Mother But Lesley Is The Bride.’
Memories of Biggin Hill, 1940-42
‘What did you do in the War, Daddy’
‘Get drunk in the White Hart at Brasted, my son.’
Not all the time, perhaps, but it was certainly not unknown....
No doubt about it, of all the members of the fighting forces
during the last war, the fighter pilot, had the most enviable of
jobs..... The Spitfire pilot in 1940, charged with the defence
of his homeland, faced a longish day of course - from half an
hour before dawn to an hour after dusk - but he flew from a
warm comfortable base with the most versatile of all fighter
aircraft, and it being a single-seater he was more or less
master of his own fate.
I suppose at the height of the Battle of Britain we averaged
three, sometimes four, sorties a day, but a sortie seldom
lasted more than an hour, and we had the immense moral
advantage of fighting over own territory. It’s surprising how
fierce one’s protective instincts become at the sight of an
enemy violating one’s homeland, and how comforting the
knowledge that if one is shot down one at least has a chance
of living to fight another day....
Of all the places from which to operate, as I did from August
1940 to June 1942, Biggin Hill was way out in front. It was
superbly placed, both operationally and socially.
Operationally we were just far enough inland from the main
German approach lanes to give us time to climb flat out due
north to the enemy’s altitude before turning south to hit him
head on, by far the most effective and damaging form of
attack, usually somewhere over mid-Kent.
The social aspects of Biggin Hill exhausts me just thinking
about them. When we were stood down half an hour after
dusk there was the choice of either scooting up to London...
an evening at Shepherds and the Bag of Nails... or the White
Hart at Brasted, where five shillings kept us in beer until the
local bobby moved us on at closing time. Then, with a few
girlfriends, on to our billets... Where one of our pilots, a
pianist... would play into the small hours, and we would
finally snatch an hour or two’s sleep in arm chairs, fully
dressed to save time and effort getting up for dawn readiness.
Then at the dispersal hut with the unforgettable sound of
Merlin engines warming up in the grey half-light, the
squadron doctor dispensing his miracle cure (would that I
had kept the recipe) from a tin bucket, occasionally a pilot,
suffering more than usual, climbing into his cockpit for a
quick rejuvenating whiff of neat oxygen.
And then the inevitable stomach-churning ring of the
telephone and the voice from Ops: ’92 Squadron, scramble.
One hundred plus bandits approaching Dungeness at Angels
Fifteen.’
The surge of adrenalin, the half dozen or so pilots, that were
all we could normally muster, sprinting to their aircraft, the
tiredness and the hangovers disappearing as though they had
never been, the flat-out climb to 20,000ft, the mud on our
flying boots freezing fast to our rudder bars in our unheated
and unpressurised cockpits, the long shallow tension-building
dive south to meet the enemy, sometimes seeing the sun lift
over the horizon from 20,000ft and again, after landing, on
the still darkened earth. The day only just begun and already
behind us the savage, lethal action, death for some, and for
those safely back on the ground the memory of two sunrises
in one morning and thoughts quickly suppressed of friends
not yet accounted for. And life, at least until the next
telephone call. Adrenaline-filled life. One sustained
electrifying high.
I remember Biggin Hill with enormous affection.’
53

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
5
The Second War 1944 Immediate ‘Low-Level Raid On Kiel Canal’
D.S.O., 1941 D.F.C. Group of Nine to Wellington and Mosquito
Pilot Group Captain R.J. Gosnell, Royal Air Force
a) Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt and enamel, reverse of
suspension bar officially dated ‘1945’, with integral top riband bar
b) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1941’
c) India General Service 1908-35, G.V.R., one clasp, North West Frontier
1935 (F/O. R.J. Gosnell. R.A.F.)
d) 1939-1945 Star
e) Air Crew Europe Star, with France and Germany Bar
f) Africa Star
g) Defence and War Medals
h) Coronation 1953, good very fine, mounted court style as worn (9)
£3,800-4,200
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
D.S.O. London Gazette 17.11.1944 Wing Commander Robert Jerram Gosnell, D.F.C. (33002), R.A.F., 571
Sqn. [in a joint citation with Acting Squadron Leader William Craig Brodie, D.F.M. and Acting Squadron
Leader Edward John Greenleaf (both awarded the D.S.O.); Acting Flight Lieutenant Kenneth Robert Triggs,
D.F.C. (awarded a Bar to the D.F.C.); and Flight Lieutenant William Irving Drinkall, Acting Flight Lieutenant
Andrew Wesley Lockhart, A.F.C., Flying Officer Richard Wortley Mclernon, and Flying Officer Joseph Ralph
Wood (awarded the D.F.C.)]
‘One night in October, 1944, a force of bombers was detailed for an important low level mining mission, an
operation requiring considerable skill and accuracy in flying. The target was strongly defended by heavy and light
anti-aircraft guns, searchlights, and balloons. Undeterred by these hazards and the most adverse weather, the
operation was completed successfully. The success achieved reflects the greatest credit on them.’
The Recommendation, dated 10.10.1944, states: ‘On the night of the 5th-6th October 1944 Wing Commander
Gosnell was the pilot of a Mosquito aircraft detailed to lay mines from a low altitude in the Kiel Canal. The
waterway is heavily defended by heavy and light anti-aircraft guns, searchlights, and balloons, demanding a high
degree of skill and determination from those detailed for the task. Undeterred by these hazards, Wing
Commander Gosnell brought his aircraft down to 300 feet at the correct speed and released the mine in the
allotted area while under the close range fire of three anti-aircraft guns on the banks of the canal.
As Squadron Commander, this officer was responsible for planning the operation in 571 Squadron and the
success achieved is a reflection on his courage, skill, and sense of duty. Wing Commander Gosnell has completed
34 operational sorties of which 5 have been on Mosquitos. I strongly recommend the Immediate award of the
Distinguished Service Order.’
D.F.C. London Gazette 8.4.1941 Squadron Leader Robert Jerram Gosnell (35002), No. 38 Squadron, Royal Air
Force
The Recommendation, dated 20.3.1941, states: ‘Squadron Leader Gosnell has commanded a flight in this
Squadron since 14.8.1940 and has completed some 23 operational sorties. This officer has always shown
determination, zeal, and keenness in operating against the enemy. Squadron Leader Gosnell has proved an
excellent leader and has set a magnificent example to the younger pilots in his flight. On a recent operation on
Rhodes Island Squadron Leader Gosnell attacked 4 separate targets, namely the aerodromes of Lindos, Maritza,
Kattavia, and Rhodes Harbour. This attack, which was carried out with great determination, resulted in the
destruction of 2 aircraft at Lindos and an ammunition dump at Kattavia.’
Group Captain Robert Jerram Gosnell, D.S.O., D.F.C., born Bangkok, Thailand, 1911; Commissioned Pilot
Officer, Royal Air Force, 23.7.1932, he served initially with No.5 Squadron in Quetta, India for three years.
Promoted Flying Officer, 23.1.1934; and advanced Squadron, 1.4.1939, Gosnell served during the Second
World War with No.38 Squadron (Wellingtons), Marham- his first operational sortie was a raid over Frankfurt,
16.8.1940, followed by the end of the month with a raid over Berlin; targets in September of that year included
Brussels (14.9.1940), Calais (20.9), Le Harve (24.9), and Berlin (30.9). The last of his ten sorties with the
Squadron over northern Europe was over Kiel and Hamburg, 15.10.1940, before the Squadron moved to
Shallufa in Egypt, from where he flew a further 19 operations over targets such as Tobruk, Tripoli, and Rhodes
Island, the latter operation occuring 11.2.1941, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, being
invested with it by the King at Buckingham Palace, 10.3.1942. Promoted Wing Commander, 1.6.1941, in 1944
he was posted to No.385 Squadron (Mosquitos), a newly-formed light bomber unit of No.8 (Path Finder)
Group’s Light Night Striking Force, and took part in a further five operational sorties with them, his last being
a raid on the Kiel Canal, 5.10.1944, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. Promoted
Group Captain, 1.1.1951, he retired in 1966 and died in 1993.
PROVENANCE:
Spink, March 1994
55

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
6
6
A Second War 1942 ‘Fighter Ace’s’ D.S.O., 1941 ‘Immediate’ D.F.C.
Group of Eight to Blenheim and Beaufighter Pilot, Wing Commander
A. Watson, Royal Air Force, Who, in May 1941, Having Witnessed
His ‘Wing Man’ Shot Down Over Enemy Territory, Landed Some 20
Yards From The Burning Wreckage, Rescued His Comrade, And Took
Off, All The While Being Under Enemy Fire
a) Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt and enamel, reverse of
suspension bar officially dated ‘1942’, with integral top riband bar
b) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1942’, and
additionally engraved ‘Squadron Leader A. Watson D.S.O., D.F.C., R.A.F.’
c) 1939-1945 Star
d) Air Crew Europe Star
e) Africa Star, with North Africa 1942-43 Bar
f) Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaf, the campaign awards all
contemporarily named ‘Squadron Leader A. Watson D.S.O., D.F.C.,
R.A.F.’
g) Belgium, Kingdom, Croix de Guerre, L.III.R., bronze, with gilt palm
on riband, lacquered, extremely fine, mounted court style as worn, together
with RAF Pilots wings, various photographs, and a copy of the Operations
Log Book (8)
£2,000-2,500
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
D.S.O. London Gazette 4.12.1942 Acting Squadron Leader Anthony Watson, D.F.C.
(41339), No. 272 Squadron (since missing.)
‘One day in November 1942, this officer led a formation of aircraft on a low-level attack on
the airfield at El Agheila where at least 12 enemy aircraft were destroyed on the ground and
many others damaged. During a patrol the next day, a Heinkel 115 was destroyed. On the
third consecutive day, the squadron was detailed to attack an airfield in Tunisia. En route,
a formation of 6 S.M.82’s was intercepted. In the ensuing engagement, all the enemy
aircraft were shot down; Squadron Leader Watson destroyed 3 of them himself. This officer
has led the squadron on shipping sweeps and convoy escorts and in numerous low-level
attacks on enemy aerodromes, during which many enemy aircraft, vehicles, and E boats
have been destroyed or damaged. By his high skill, courageous and inspiring leadership,
Squadron Leader Watson has contributed materially to the splendid successes achieved. He
has destroyed 11 enemy aircraft as well as a schooner.’
D.F.C. London Gazette 11.7.1941 Flying Officer Anthony Watson (41339), No. 203
Squadron
‘In May, 1941, this officer was the pilot of one of two aircraft which carried out an attack
on the fort at Rutbah and enemy ground forces in the neighbourhood. Both aircraft made
determined attacks on the fort in the face of heavy fire from the ground which was
eventually silenced. Following an attack by his fellow pilot on some armed forces behind a
hill, Flying Officer Watson’s attention was drawn to a column of black smoke on the
ground. Although his aircraft had been hit in the petrol tank and fuselage he immediately
dived towards the position and a moment later saw his fellow pilot, who had apparently
been shot down, emerge from the smoke. Turning into wind and without waiting to apply
the flaps Flying Officer Watson landed his aircraft less than 20 yards from the burning
wreckage and, together with his air gunner and observer, rescued his comrade. In spite of
fire from enemy armoured cars and bullets exploding from the burning aircraft, they
attempted to find the remaining members of the crew. Failing to find any sign of them, they
returned and took off with the rescued pilot. Throughout, Flying Officer Watson displayed
great courage and skill as both landing and take-off were made under fire and on ground
strewn with rocks and boulders.’
Belgium, Croix de Guerre with Palm London Gazette 18.6.1946 Squadron Leader Anthony
Watson, D.S.O., D.F.C. (41339), R.A.F.
‘In recognition of valuable service rendered in connection with the War.’
Wing Commander Anthony Watson, D.S.O., D.F.C., Commissioned Pilot Officer,
Royal Air Force, 29.8.1939; promoted Flying Officer, 3.9.1940; served during the Second
World War with No.203 Squadron (Blenheims), based in the Middle East; operating over
Iraq during the siege of the Habbaniyah base, he flew from an airstrip on the pipeline to
Jordan in support of one of the relief columns. On the 9th May 1941, during an attack on
the Iraqi-held fort at Rutbah, another Blenheim was shot down by ground fire. Watson
landed alongside, and with his crew rescued the pilot from the wreckage, although the rest
of the crew were dead, and then took off under fire from the approaching armoured cars.
On the 14th May he flew a reconnaissance over Palmyra airfield in Syria, and spotted
German aircraft there. Laying on an attack, he was joined by two further Blenheims and two
Tomahawks, which resulted in several aircraft being bombed and destroyed, of which
Watson’s personal tally was a share of 1 He.111 destroyed, 3 He.111s damaged, and 1
Ju.52 damaged. He returned alone on a reconnaissance the following day, and made a
repeat strafing attack. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 3.9.1941, in August 1942 he joined
No.272 Squadron (Beaufighters), based in Egypt, and on the 8th September shot down his
first enemy aircraft, a S-81 off the Libyan coast, following that up with 2 Ju.52s destroyed
north of Tobruk, 25.10.1942, and a Ju.88 off the Libyan coast, 2.11.1942. Appointed a
Flight Commander, he moved with the unit to Malta in early November, interdicting the
supply lines between Sicily and Tunisia; by mid-November he had increased his tally to 11
enemy aircraft destroyed. Posted to the Command of No.227 Squadron, he was wounded
by severe flak during a shipping attack near Lampedusa, 22.1.1943, and was hospitalised.
Upon recovering from his wounds, he was posted to Air HQ, Malta, with the rank of
Squadron Leader, 11.5.1943; finally leaving the Royal Air Force in 1947 with the rank of
Wing Commander.
57

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
7
7
A Second War ‘Transport Command’ M.B.E. Group of Four to Warrant
Officer E.W. Burrow, Royal Air Force
a) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, Military Division,
Member’s (M.B.E.) breast Badge, silver
b) Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaf
c) Royal Air Force Long Service & G.C., G.VI.R. (W/O. E.W. Burrow
(505255). R.A.F.), extremely fine, with Buckingham Palace enclosure for the
M.B.E.; and Record Office enclosure for the L.S. & G.C. (4)
£250-300
M.B.E. London Gazette 13.6.1946 Warrant Officer Edgar Whittaker Burrow (505255),
Royal Air Force
The Recommendation states: ‘This Non-Commissioned Officer has held the post of First
Class Fitter since March 1944 and has, from the first, contributed much to the efficiency of
the unit. He contributed largely to its ability to produce a maximum number of serviceable
aircraft for such glider-towing operations as D-Day, Arnhem, and the Rhine crossing. He
has also made numerous flights in aircraft under test. Warrant Officer Burrow has invariably
been chosen to proceed on mass glider flights and, in recent months, he was chosen a
Squadron Airborne Halifax for Transport Command duties, a task which he accomplished
successfully. He has at all times set a fine example to those working with and under him.’
Warrant Officer Edgar Whittaker Burrow, M.B.E., served during the Second World
War from March 1944 with No.298 Squadron, Royal Air Force; previously Mentioned in
Despatches (London Gazette 1.1.1941) - it is fair to speculate that, given the date, it was for
his work as ground crew during the Battle of Britain; awarded L.S. & G.C. Medal
19.9.1949.
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
8
8
The Second War ‘Military Division’ M.B.E. Group of Four to Flight Officer C. Babington-
Smith, Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, A Pioneer of Wartime Photographic Interpretation, Who
Made the First Identification of a V1 Flying Bomb
a) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, Military Division, Member’s (M.B.E.)
breast Badge, silver
b) Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaf
c) United States of America, Legion of Merit, Legionnaire’s breast Badge, gilt and enamel, the reverse
engraved ‘CBS Dec. 1945 W.A.A.F.’, nearly extremely fine (4)
£200-300
M.B.E. London Gazette 1.1.1945 Flight Officer Constance Babington-Smith (1512), Women’s Auxiliary Air Force.
United States of America, Legion of Merit London Gazette 16.4.1946 Flight Officer Constance Babington-Smith,
M.B.E. (1512), W.A.A.F.
‘In recognition of distinguished services in connection with the war.’
The original United States Citation states: ‘Recognised as the outstanding Allied authority on the interpretation of
photographs of aircraft, she provided the Eighth Air Force with extremely vital intelligence for the strategic bombing
and destruction of the German Aircraft industry and contributed materially to the success of the U.S.A.F. strategic
mission to Europe.’
Flight Officer Miss Constance Babington-Smith, M.B.E., was born Putney, London, 15.10.1912, the daughter
of Sir Henry Babington-Smith and Lady Elizabeth Babington-Smith, née Bruce, the daughter of the 9th Earl of
Elgin, and educated at home; after a spell working in London for the milliner Aage Thasrup, she ventured into
journalism, working first for Vogue magazine, and then for The Aeroplane magazine. Commissioned Assistant Section
Officer, Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, 19.12.1940; she set up an aircraft interpretation section during the Second
World War for the Royal Air Force’s photographic reconnaissance unit at Heston airfield, and was responsible for
searching for secret weapons; promoted Section Officer, 1.7.1942, she made the first identification from a
photograph of a German V1 flying bomb at Peenemünde on the Baltic coast in November 1943, an identification
which enabled and led to the subsequent air campaigns that disrupted German plans for the mass launch of V1 and
V2 rockets against the Allies. At the same time she was pursuing another vital brief- watching out for new types of
enemy aircraft, and was responsible for spotting the Me.163, the He.280, and the Me.262 for the first time, the
discovery of which greatly impressed Group Captain Frank Whittle, the inventor of the jet-engine, who was said to
be ‘rather enamoured of this unusual WAAF officer’ (recipient’s Telegraph obituary refers). Promoted Flight Officer,
1.1.1944, after the surrender of Germany in 1945 she travelled to the United States and assisted in photographic
interpretation for the war against Japan; following the end of the War she resigned from the Women’s Auxiliary Air
Force, 26.2.1946, but maintained a keen interest in aircraft, especially the de Havilland Mosquito, which had played
a large part in wartime photographic reconnaissance work, becoming a Founder Director of the de Havilland
Museum Trust which preserved the prototype Mosquito. She died at home in Cambridge, 31.7.2000.
59

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
9
9
A Fine Great War Pilot’s M.C. Group of Four to Major W.A.
Grattan-Bellew, Connaught Rangers and No. 25, Squadron Royal
Flying Corps, Who Was Awarded the Military Cross For Three
Separate Combat Actions With Enemy Aircraft, April-June 1916,
Forcing Two Down and His Observer Destroying Another; He
Later Commanded No. 29 Squadron From September 1916 Until
His Death From Injuries Sustained During A Flying Accident,
24.3.1917
a) Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued
b) 1914-15 Star (2.Lieut. W.A. Grattan-Bellew R.F.C.)
c) British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaves (Major W.A.
Grattan-Bellew), good very fine, together with a comprehensive file of
research (4)
£3,000-4,000
M.C. London Gazette 27.7.1916 2nd Lt. (temp. Capt.) William Arthur Grattan
Bellow, Conn. Rang, and R.F.C.
For conspicuous gallantry and skill on several occasions, notably the following:
With three other machines he attacked and drove off eight enemy machines,
forcing one to the ground. He attacked four Fokkers, forcing one down to
2,500 feet. Another was seen to crash to the ground during the fight. When on
a bombing raid two of the machines got behind owing to clouds, and were
attacked by Fokkers. Capt. Grattan Bellew returned and attacked three Fokkers,
one of which his Observer shot down and the others made off.
The Recommendation, dated 26.6.1916, states: ‘For skill and gallantry,
especially on the following occasions: ó
On 27th April 1916, he, with 3 other F.E.s attacked 8 Aviatiks and drove them
out of Army Area. Captain Grattan-Bellew drove down one of them, which
landed at Illies.
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Major W.A. Grattan-Bellew
On 18th June 1916, in company with Second Lieutenant
Armstrong, he attacked 4 Fokkers east of Lens and drove one
down to 2,500 feet; during the fighting another Fokker was
seen to crash completely.
On 26th June 1916, Captain Grattan-Bellew led a bombing
raid on Henin Lietard, two of the machines got rather behind
owing to clouds and were attacked by Fokkers. Captain
Grattan-Bellew went back to their assistance and diverted the
Fokkers to himself. After a few minutes he was left alone
against 3 Fokkers, one of which his observer shot down. It
crashed behind the enemy’s lines, the others made off, and
Captain Grattan-Bellew was left alone on the scene of the
fighting.’
M.I.D. London Gazette 1.6.1917 Grattan-Bellew, Maj. W.A.,
M.C., Conn. Rang. and R.F.C. (died of wounds).
Major William Arthur Grattan-Bellew, M.C., born
September 1893, the third son of Lieutenant-Colonel Sir
Henry Grattan-Bellew, Bt., and Lady Sophia Grattan-Bellew,
of Mount Bellew, Co. Galway; educated at Downside and
Trinity College, Cambridge; Commissioned temporary
Second Lieutenant, Royal Flying Corps, 17.1.1915; served
with No.16 Squadron on the Western Front from 9.4.1916;
admitted to No.1 British Red Cross Hospital, Le Treport,
8.6.1915; re-joined the Royal Flying Corps with No. 25
Squadron as a Founder Member, 20.2.1916; Commissioned
(permanent) Second Lieutenant, Connaught Rangers, ‘for
seconding to R.F.C.’, 19.3.1916; promoted temporary
Captain and Flight Commander, 29.3.1916; awarded the
Military Cross for three separate combat actions with enemy
aircraft, April to June 1916; promoted temporary Major and
appointed to the Command of No. 29 Squadron, 5.9.1916;
the following day a young Flight Sergeant from his
Squadron, Jimmy McCudden, shot down a Aviatik C at
14,000 feet over Houthem, the first of his 57 victories in a
glorious fighting career; Grattan-Bellew shared in the
shooting down of a two seater with McCudden, 2.2.1917:
‘Three DH2s tackled an enemy aircraft at 3000 feet. Second
Lieutenant Pearson attacked first, then banked away to allow
McCudden to fire in turn. The enemy aircraft fell away
spinning- only to be attacked by a fourth DH2 which
suddenly joined the fight. Its pilot was 29’s CO, Grattan-
Bellew, out on a lone patrol.’
Major Grattan-Bellew died of injuries, 24.3.1917, and is
buried in Avesnes-le-Comte Communal Cemetery, France:
‘He was one of the most gallant pilots and best beloved
Commanding Officers in the Royal Flying Corps. He was
another splendid example of the fighting Irishman and his
death in an accident was as great a calamity to the Corps as
Major McCudden’s. Major Grattan-Bellew took off at 12:45
hours to deliver the last DH2 to No. 2 Aircraft Depot,
Candas, and side slipped into the edge of the Airfield. His
injuries proved fatal and he died in hospital three days later, a
tragic loss of a highly respected and courageous pilot.’
(Editor’s note taken from Five Years in the R.F.C. by Major
J.T.B. McCudden, V.C., D.S.O., M.C., M.M. refers).
61

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
10
A Fine ‘Immediate’ Battle of Britain D.F.C. and
‘1946’ Second Award Bar Group of Seven to
Spitfire and Hurricane Fighter Ace, Squadron
Leader C.O.J. Pegge, 610 Squadron, Royal Air
Force, Accredited With At Least 5 Victories
During the ‘Battle’, He Went On To Increase His
Score To 9, Flying Over the Western Desert and
Burma; Pegge Was Killed in a Flying Accident,
5.9.1950, Whilst Piloting His Meteor Jet In
Formation Over The Wash
a) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse
officially dated ‘1940’, with Second Award Bar,
reverse officially dated ‘1946’
b) 1939-1945 Star, with Battle of Britain Bar
c) Air Crew Europe Star, with France and Germany
Bar
d) Africa Star, with North Africa 1942-43 Bar
e) Burma Star
f) Defence and War Medals, generally very fine,
mounted as originally worn, with the following related
contemporary documents and items:
- Steel Ashtray, engraved with R.A.F. Crest and
Motto, and the words ‘Never in the Field of Human
Conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.
Winston Churchill’, and ‘Made From A Rolls Royce
“Merlin” Engine Piston As Used In The Battle Of
Britain - August - October 1940’
- (3) R.A.F. Pilot’s Flying Log Books (30.8.1938-
31.5.1944; 11.6.1944-29.10.1948 and 11.6.1944-
9.5.1950), last two stamped ‘Central Depository 1 Jun
1950 Royal Air Force Death Presumed’, first with
slightly damaged spine
- (3) good war time photograph albums, well
annotated by the recipient, portraying his career from
1940 onwards
- (2) Scrap books both titled “HAVUCEENIT”,
compiled by recipient, replete with photographs,
letters and newspaper cuttings; the first commencing
from 14.10.1944 with Pegge being appointed to the
command of 131 Squadron; the second commencing
from July 1948, including Pegge’s invitation to the
unveiling of the Rolls Royce Battle of Britain
Commemorative Window, with Programme, Lunch
Menu and associated enclosure letters; and an
additional ‘rough book’ filled with notes and ‘doodles’
(lot)
£40,000-50,000
D.F.C. London Gazette 22.10.1940 Pilot Officer Constantine
Oliver Joseph Pegge (41317)
The Recommendation states: ‘This officer had his first
combat on 8th July, when he was on convoy patrol off
Dungeness, and destroyed a Me 109. On 12th August, he
destroyed two Me 109.
During a big raid on 18th August, Pegge destroyed two Me
109 and damaged a He 111; despite the fact that his aircraft
was badly damaged and his windscreen rendered opaque by
bullets and that he was suffering from an eye injury he
brought his aircraft back to his base.
On 30th August, whilst leading his section, Pegge made a
head on attack on a large formation of He 111. He shot the
leading He 111 down and caused the remaining aircraft of
that section to break up.
Since this officer joined his unit in June he has destroyed a
total of 7 enemy aircraft and has never hesitated to engage
very superior numbers of the enemy whether fighters or
bombers, and has proved himself to be a fearless fighter pilot
Squadron Leader C.O.J. Pegge
and section leader. His skill and initiative are a fine example
to all.’
D.F.C. Second Award Bar London Gazette 29.1.1946
Squadron Leader Constantine Oliver Joseph Pegge, D.F.C.
(41317), R.A.F., 607 Sqn.
The Recommendation (originally for the D.S.O.) states:
‘Squadron Leader Pegge has had a long and outstanding
operational career as a fighter pilot. His first tour of
operations, in 610 Squadron, was a distinguished one in
which he engaged in sweeps, bomber escort, patrols,
scrambles, Rhubarbs and convoy patrols, including the Battle
of Britain. It was followed by a second tour, in which he was
first given command of his old Squadron and later was given
command of 126 Squadron in the Middle East. He led his
squadrons in scrambles, escorts, patrols, sweeps, convoy
patrols and ground-attack. He returned from the Middle
East, was given command of another squadron which, after
further operational flying from England (mainly groundattack,
long-range, bomber escort to the Ruhr, and sweeps)
he took out to S.E.A.C. However, this squadron disbanded
soon afterwards and he was given command of another, in
Burma, in time to lead it in direct support of the Army, i.e.
straffing and bombing, in the Battle of the Sittang Bend and
the Breakout Battle; this squadron achieved a high reputation
for dash and accuracy.
S/Ldr. Pegge’s individual score is: 9 and 1/12th enemy
aircraft destroyed (7 Me 109s, 1 He 111, 1 Ju 87, and
1/12th Do 215) 5 probably destroyed (4 Me 109s and 1 Ju
88) and 8 damaged (4 Do 215s, 3 Me 109s and 1 He 111 at
night). He has also destroyed and damaged many trucks,
armoured vehicles and men.
As a commander S/Ldr Pegge’s cheerful personality
encourages those under him to high effort, and they have
followed him and his fine example with trust and admiration
for his experienced leadership. I recommend that S/Ldr.
Pegge be awarded the Distinguished Service Order.’
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
10
Squadron Leader Constantine Oliver Joseph Pegge,
D.F.C. (1914-1950), born Slough; joined the Royal Air
Force on a short service commission, August 1938, and
commenced his training at R.A.F. Sywell; carried out further
training at No. 8 F.T.S., Montrose and No. 1 A.A.C. Unit;
Pilot Officer, 28.8.1939; after training in Hurricanes with
No. 6 O.T.U., he converted to Spitfires and was posted for
operational flying to No. 610 Squadron, Gravesend,
16.6.1940.
Biggin Hill And The Battle
After flying a mixture of offensive and reconnaissance patrols
he moved with the Squadron to Biggin Hill, July 1940; he
was not long waiting for his first ‘victory’, 8.7.1940,
‘Interception of Convoy Bombers, Do 215s. Shot Down 1
Me 109’ (Log Book refers); the following day he had another
crack, ‘Do 215 Intercepted + Attacked’ and on a patrol later
in the same day, ‘Attacked Me 109 (One of Four)’; on the
12th August he bagged another two destroyed whilst on
patrol, the first over Hawkinge and the other over Dover,
‘Two Me 109s Attacked 23,000. 1 Smoking. 1 Spinning’
(ibid); six days later he claimed another Me 109 destroyed
and a He 111 damaged (see D.F.C Recommendation), as his
Log Book shows, ‘1 Me 109 Shot Down Near Base 1 He 111
Damaged. Own A/C Damaged By Me 109. Crashed In
Bomb Crater On Landing’; despite suffering an eye injury he
was back on patrol the following day; on 24.8.1940,
‘Attacked Me 109s Over London. One Damaged’ (Log Book
refers); four days later he claimed another victory, ‘Patrolled
Hawkinge + Dover. Shot Down One Me 109’; on the 29th
he intercepted 12 Do 215s, with fighter escort, and damaged
one of the bombers; and on the 30th August he claimed his
final victory during the Battle of Britain whilst leading his
section in an head on attack, ‘Intercepted Large Number Of
Enemy A/C 200-300 Me 109s, Me 110s + He 111s. Leader
Of He 111 Formation Shot Down.’ (ibid).
Tangmere Wing
After being very active in the early stages of the Battle, often
engaging large enemy formations two or three times a day,
No. 610 Squadron was moved from Biggin Hill to
Acklington at the end of August for a rest; tasked with the
defence of Newcastle the Squadron carried out convoy
patrols and the occasional scramble; Pegge followed the
Squadron back into the offensive when it joined the
Tangmere Wing, December 1940; flying out of
Westhampnett Pegge flew on Channel sweeps and Blenheim
escorts, 26.2.1941, ‘Patrol Dungeness 28,000. Saw About
12 Me 109s. Attacked One (1650 Rounds!) Was Attacked -
Shoved Off. Grey’s A/C Hit Force Landing. Sgt Horner One
Probable’, and 5.1.1941, ‘Dungeness Sweep Attacked By 4
109s. Missed Me.’ (ibid); now equipped with Spitfire IIb’s,
he was back in business, 10.5.1941, ‘Night Layer. Attacked +
Damaged He 111 At 18,500 N of Brighton’; posted as a
Hurricane Instructor No. 56 O.T.U., Sutton Bridge, June
1941; Flight Lieutenant, 3.9.1941; returned to No. 610
Squadron, then based at Leconfield, as Officer Commanding,
December 1941; posted to the Middle East in February
1942, and left England at the start of the following month.
CO No. 127 Squadron - Hurricanes Over The Western
Desert
Upon arrival Pegge was appointed to the command of No.
127 Squadron (Hurricanes), June 1942; and was posted for
action in the Western Desert operating out of Shandur;
Pegge’s first impressions were, ‘Shandur On Suez Canal.
Hot. Flies. Good Swimming.’ (ibid); the Squadron was
heavily engaged in the fighting over El Alamein, and on the
8th July was involved in its first successful dogfight there,
destroying 2 Me 109s, one of which was claimed by Pegge,
‘Patrol El Alamein Wing Leader. Attacked 20-30 109s +
Macchi 202s. Got One 109 Confirmed By 1 SAAF’ (ibid);
Pegge shot down a Ju 87 over the Alem el Halfa area,
2.9.1942, ‘Stuka Interception. Forced Them To Jettison +
63

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
ashtray made from a Rolls Royce ‘Merlin’ engine piston
as used in the Battle of Britain
Destroyed One’; early in September the Squadron was moved
to Cairo for a rest, but after six weeks it was hurried back to
Alamein, 2.11.1942, ‘Top Cover To 80. 1 Hr. Battle With 4
& then 10+ 109s Head On Attack On One + Damaged It’
(ibid); after the activity around Alamein the Squadron flew
convoy patrols from Mersa Matruh, before moving to
Palestine and then on to Paphos; Pegge was posted to
A.H.Q. Eastern Mediterranean, 20.4.1943, before being
posted back to the UK the following month; in August 1943
he was once again posted to No. 56 O.T.U., this time based
at Kinnell, Scotland; subsequent postings included to No. 1
C.T.W.; No. 1 T.E.U. and as Officer Commanding No. 16
A.P.C. at Hutton Cranswick; after a posting to R.A.F.
Portreath, Pegge went as a supernumerary Squadron Leader
to No. 126 Squadron, Bradwell Bay, August 1944; returning
to Spitfires he mainly flew bomber escorts.
At ease during the Battle, Pegge reclining in the foreground next to Sergeants C.A. Parsons and D.F. Corfe
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Talking it over at Hawkinge, 1940
“Spits” In Burma
Pegge was appointed to the command of No. 131 Squadron
(Spitfires), Friston, 14.10.1944; he took his Squadron to
India, arriving at Bombay, 12.1.1945, and was stationed at
Amarda Road, Bengal, from February 1945; led the squadron
until its disbandment in June, and then was posted to
command No. 607 Squadron, Rangoon, Burma; he mainly
flew on recces and straffing, 29.6.1945, ‘Recce + Straffing.
Sittang R. Several Boats & Trucks + 1 Bullock’ and
20.7.1945, ‘Bombing & Straffing. Trying To Flatten The
Japs’ (ibid); he commanded the Squadron until the Japanese
surrender, and its disbandment at Mingaladon, 19.8.1945;
returned to the UK at the start of 1946 and was posted to
No. 631 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Squadron, Llanbedr;
posted HQ No. 12 Group, March 1948; completed a Pilot
Flying Refresher Course in March 1950, before being posted
to the Day Fighter Leader School later the same month;
while based at the latter he flew Meteors and Vampires; flying
a Meteor 4, as number 2 in formation, he crashed into The
Wash, 9.5.1950; the weather conditions were bad and
visibility poor; he did not pull up in time and was tragically
killed upon impact; Pegge is buried in East Raynham
Churchyard, Norfolk.
Pegge in his Spitfire ‘Bettykins’, named after his wife
65

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
11
11
A Good Second War ‘Immediate’ Spitfire Pilot’s D.F.C. and Post War
Balliol Aerobatic Pilot’s A.F.C. Group of Five Attributed to Flight
Lieutenant B.L. Garner, Royal Air Force, Who Claimed Two Victories in
the Air Over Italy, 1944, And Many More Successes on Ground Targets
a) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1945’
b) Air Force Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1951’
c) 1939-1945 Star
d) Italy Star
e) War Medal, good very fine, mounted as originally worn, with copies of various
press cuttings regarding the recipient; sold with Auction sales invoice from
Richardsons Auctioneers, Bourne, Lincolnshire, when the group was sold ‘on
behalf of his family’, May 1996 (5)
£1,800-2,200
D.F.C. London Gazette 12.6.1945 Flight Lieutenant Ben Loraine Garner (106649),
R.A.F.V.R., 92 Sqn.
The Recommendation, dated 13.4.1945, states: ‘Flight Lieutenant Garner completed his
first tour in 92 Squadron at the end of July 1944, having then completed 275 hours
operational flying. He had commanded a flight from March to July with outstanding
success, personally accounting for 2 Me.109s destroyed. In June 1944, he played a
prominent part in the change over to fighter-bombers, rapidly showing his aptitude for
bombing. On one occasion on the 18th July he located a concentration of M.T. near Ostra
and bombed and straffed so successfully that 8 M.T. were destroyed and several others
severely damaged.
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Since rejoining 92 Squadron as a Flight Commander, on the 10th January, 1945, he has
displayed all his old dash and determination and his bombing and straffing have been of the
highest standard of accuracy. On the 30th March, when doing a recce of the important
barge routes, he located 6 barges near Loreo. He left his flight of 4 aircraft and in the face
of intense light and heavy flak, went down alone to a very low altitude to investigate them.
Having ascertained that they were undamaged and definitely in use, he rejoined his flight,
and led them in the attack so successfully that 3 direct hits were scored, completely
destroying 3 barges. Then still experiencing intense flak, he returned and severely damaged
the remainder by strafing. On the 25th February he scored a direct hit on a bridge over the
River Brenta, successfully destroying it. On the 1st April on a strafing recce he located and
destroyed an armoured car, and severely damaged 2 staff cars, one 3-ton truck, and a motor
launch. On the 2nd April, and again on the 6th April he scored a direct hit on and destroyed
an enemy strong point.
Throughout, Flight Lieutenant Garner has shown the highest qualities of leadership and
initiative. His courage and his determination to engage the enemy, coupled with a complete
disregard for his own safety, have been the outstanding features of a career marked by the
utmost devotion to duty.’
Remarks by Officer Commanding Wing: ‘I most strongly endorse this recommendation.
The operation cited above and led by Flight Lieutenant Garner on the 30th March
demonstrated the greatest courage on his part, in that he recced the target alone, with his
bomb on, at a low level altitude in the face of intense return fire, in order to ensure getting
the best results from his ultimate attack. In addition to this Flight Lieutenant Garner has
again distinguished himself in an operation led by him two days ago in support of the 8th
Army’s offensive near Lugo. Under Rover control he attacked an Artillery H.Q. with
bombs, scoring hits and severely damaging the target: he then spotted two S.P. 75mm
guns, and attacked with front guns until his ammunition was exhausted; one of them
exploded and caught fire, and the other was left smoking. Two days before this last attack
Flight Lieutenant Garner was hit over his target and forced to bale out: despite a very bad
experience in getting back to friendly troops he was operating again the following day, and
his tremendous enthusiasm and great courage remain unabated. Flight Lieutenant Garner
is strongly recommended for the Immediate Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.’
A.F.C. London Gazette 1.1.1951 Flight Lieutenant Ben Loraine Garner, D.F.C. (106649),
R.A.F.
The Recommendation states: ‘Flight Lieutenant Garner has commanded a Flight at No. 7
Flying Training School for one year and nine months. During that period, he has, at all
times, displayed an exemplary standard of efficiency and enthusiasm and, by his personal
example, has ensured that his instructors have given their best. Not only has this officer
always approached his duties with outstanding keenness, but he has taken every opportunity
to improve his professional knowledge as a pilot and as an instructor. Recently he won the
Flying Training Command aerobatic competition and was selected to give an aerobatic
display at the Royal Air Force display at Farnborough. Flight Lieutenant Garner is one of
the most outstanding Qualified Flying Instructors at No. 7 Flying Training School. By his
enthusiasm and efficiency in his duties he has set an outstanding example to all other
instructors.’
Squadron Leader Ben Loraine Garner, D.F.C., A.F.C.; born Spalding, Lincolnshire,
25.11.1918, and educated at Moulton Grammar School; after leaving school he joined the
Metropolitan Police, and in September 1940 enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve; served during the Second World War with No. 92 (East India) Squadron
(Spitfires), serving in England, Africa, Sicily, and Italy; Commissioned Pilot Officer,
11.9.1941; promoted Flying Officer, 11.9.1942; Flight Lieutenant, 11.9.1943; whilst with
244 Spitfire fighter bomber Wing of the Desert Air Force engaged on low bombing
operations in Italy under the command of Group Captain ‘Cockey’ Dundas he shot down
a Bf.109 over Ortona-Gradiagrele, 10.1.1944, and another Bf.109 south east of Avezzano,
23.4.1944, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross after having completed 240
operational sorties; after the War Garner took a permanent Commission in the Royal Air
Force, and served as a flying instructor at RAF Cottesmore; took part in the Royal Air Force
display at Farnborough, as one of two pilots performing “on request aerobatics” in a Balliol,
7-8.7.1950- the air show was the first R.A.F. Pageant since before the War, and Garner was
one of three pilots performing at the air show who was invited to take tea with H.M. The
King; in the following New Year’s Honours list he was awarded the Air Force Cross, having
completed a total of 2,110 flying hours. Promoted Squadron Leader, 1.7.1951; Garner
retired from the Royal Air Force, 22.11.1957, and emigrated to Kenya, where he became
a farmer.
PROVENANCE:
Richardsons Auctioneers, May 1996
67

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
12
12
The Second War Fighter Ace’s 1940 ‘Battle of France’ D.F.C. Group of Seven to Hurricane and
Spitfire Pilot, Group Captain P.G.H. Matthews, Royal Air Force, Who Followed Up His Four
Victories During the Battle of France With Three Damaged and One Destroyed in the Battle of
Britain; A Squadron C.O. in North Africa, He Claimed Further ‘Flamers’ Before Being Shot Down
Over the Mediterranean, 3.11.1942
a) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1941’
b) 1939-1945 Star, with Battle of Britain Bar
c) Air Crew Europe Star
d) Africa Star, with North Africa 1942-43 Bar
e) Italy Star
f) War Medal
g) Coronation 1953, good very fine, mounted as originally worn together with the recipient’s Queen’s
Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air emblem; with the following related items:
- D.F.C. Royal Mint case of issue
- The recipient’s three surviving Pilot’s Flying Log Book, covering the periods 27.6.1940-22.7.1952;
24.7.1952-12.9.1958 and 22.9.1958-2.9.1964 respectively, the first log book privately bound and
annotated ‘Original Log Book lost during evacuation of B.E.F. from France on June 18th 1940’
- Commission appointing Peter Gerald Hugh Matthews a Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force, dated
24.10.1937
- The recipient’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air Certificate, dated 2.1.1956
- The recipient’s Medical Certificates, Instructor Pilot Orders, Transition Certificates, Instrument
Certificates, and Personnel Orders
- The recipient’s Photograph Album, together with a large number of additional photographs of the
recipient
- A number of programmes for Wasps [Rugby] Football Club, featuring the recipient
- The recipient’s Flying note-board, complete with card, together with his flying waist-coat
- Various ties, badges, riband bars, rank insignia, and epaulettes
- Various newspaper and magazine articles, including one from the Sunday Express magazine, 11.9.1988,
featuring the recipient
- Various invitations and programmes commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, 1990
(lot)
£10,000-12,000
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Group Captain P.G.H. Matthews (on left)
D.F.C. London Gazette 13.5.1941 Flight Lieutenant Peter
Gerald Hugh Matthews (40247) - No. 1 Squadron
‘This officer has been engaged on active operations against
the enemy over a long period. He has displayed high qualities
of leadership and exceptional tactical ability. He has
destroyed at least 4 enemy aircraft.’
The Recommendation, dated 23.4.1941, states: ‘This Officer
has been employed on flying duties in an operational
Squadron since September 1939. He has destroyed 4 and
probably 7 enemy aircraft. This is by no means a full measure
of his outstanding qualities of leadership and organisation,
nor of the confusion he has brought to the enemy through
his tactical ability and inspired leadership of his Flight. He has
assumed command on several occasions when his seniors
became non-effective through various reasons, and held the
Flight together; particularly so during the strenuous period
when covering the evacuation from France, and later when
there was considerable action during the Autumn of 1940.’
Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air
London Gazette 2.1.1956 Wing Commander Peter Gerald
Hugh Matthews, D.F.C. (40247), Royal Air Force.
Group Captain Peter Gerald Hugh Matthews, D.F.C.,
was born at Hoylake, on the Cheshire Wirrall, 8.5.1919, the
son of Mr. H.T. Matthews, the Chief Veterinary Officer of
Liverpool, and was educated at Quarry Bank School,
Hoylake, and at Liverpool College, where he intended to
train as a vet like his father. However, in August 1937 he
joined the Royal Air Force, being commissioned Pilot
Officer, 24.10.1937, and was posted to No. 5 Flying
Training School, Sealand, before in June the following year
joining the staff at No. 1 Air Armament School at Manby.
Posted to No. 1 Squadron (Hurricanes), Tangmere,
20.8.1939, he went to France with the Squadron at the
outbreak of the Second World War, and was billeted in a
deserted nunnery at Le Harve. Promoted Flying Officer,
23.3.1940, his first notable contact with the enemy came on
the 3rd April 1940: ‘Met 5 Me.109s near Thionville at
26,000 feet. After one diving attack 4 of them continued
downwards and escaped. The remaining one was shot down.
I did not get a chance to fire before the Me.109s ran away’
(retrospective entry in the recipient’s Flying Log book refers).
Two weeks later, on the 16th May he finally got his chance:
‘6 Hurricanes sighted more than 200 German bombers
escorted entering France near Vouziers- attacked 16 Me.110
escort fighters. 8 Me.110s shot down- 1 Hurricane lost. Shot
both engines out of a Me.110 and killed a rear gunner, and
pipped one engine in another. I Destroyed, 1 Probable.’
(ibid). On the 5th June he had further success: ‘12
Hurricanes intercepted about 150 bombers and escort
fighters over Rouen. 8 enemy aircraft were destroyed...the
bombers were turned and did not meet their objectives. Shot
down 1 He.111 and badly damaged another probable’ (ibid).
The Squadron returned to RAF Tangmere, 17.6.1940, and
the following day, covering the evacuation of the British
Expeditionary Force from St. Nazaire, Matthews chased and
shared in the shooting down of a Ju.88, seeing the troopship
Lancastrian sunk during the engagement. As he recalled
many years later; ‘When the big Blitz started we got out in a
hell of a hurry. I had to leave everything for the Germans- my
saxophone, cameras, a very good record player with a
wonderful selection of records, and my golf clubs’ (Article in
the Sunday Express magazine, 11.9.1988 refers).
No. 1 Squadron in the Battle of Britain
Back on home shores at RAF Northolt Matthews was thrust
straight into the Battle and on the 31st July: ‘Intercepted
Do.17 eight miles south of Isle of Wight. Chased to within
ten miles of the French coast. Damaged enemy aircraft but
uncertain as to its destruction. Probable’ (Log Book refers).
During the Battle of Britain he was to have further success,
69

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
Group Captain P.G.H. Matthews (second from left, standing next to H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh)
conducting Canadian cadets at Balmoral
claiming a damaged on the 15th August: ‘Encountered
swarms of enemy fighters- Squadron split up, attacked 100
odd enemy aircraft...bombing Harwich and Martlesham.
Attacked a Me.110, a Ju.88, and a He.111 in quick
succession and chased a He.111 out to sea and emptied all
rounds into him- one engine damaged’ (ibid). The following
day he had his first victory of the Battle: ‘Squadron
encountered enemy bombers and fighters in three waves of
30-40 each...Me.110s engaged and Squadron split. I got one
Me.110 (Flamer). Total Squadron bag 8 enemy aircraft shot
down, many damaged’ (ibid). On the 30th August he had
further success, damaging a He.111 over Epping. Taking
Command of ‘B’ Flight, No.1 Squadron, 2.10.1940, his final
claim during the Battle was for half a Ju.88 Destroyed,
8.10.1940: ‘Intercepted Ju.88 at 27,000 feet over South
Cerney, chased to sea level in Bristol Channel, fired two short
bursts then lost in cloud...later confirmed shot down in sea’
(ibid). Away from the heat of the Battle Matthews enjoyed
some rest and relaxation in London: ‘Northolt was a good
place to be because you could be in a little club in Jermyn
Street in half an hour or so. In fact I think the record was 33
minutes in an old Bentley. I owned a more sedate Singer
Saloon. It came into its own as had a good back seat, which
made it ideal for courting. I used to swap and drive all sorts
of fast cars while the other chaps took girls out in mine’
(Article in the Sunday Express magazine, 11.9.1988 refers).
Flamers in North Africa
Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 23.3.1941, Matthews was
posted to No. 52 O.T.U., Debden, 29.4.1941 as ‘C’ Flight
Commander, and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
His next operational posting was the command of No. 74
Squadron (Spitfires), Llanbedr, 3.11.1941, taking them out
to the Middle East in April 1942, where, on the 3rd July
1942, flying a Hurricane of No. 73 Squadron he damaged a
Ju.87 ten miles south west of El Alamein. Having been
promoted Squadron Leader, 1.6.1942, he took command of
No. 145 Squadron (Spitfires) in the Western Desert,
30.8.1942, and on his second day in the job he damaged a
Bf.109 over Alam el Halfa. The following day, 2.9.1942, he
had a probable Mc.202: ‘Got one squirt from 30 yards at
Mc.202- large cloud of black smoke and prop stopped- he
went straight down. Saw an aircraft hit the ground a few
seconds later’ (Log Book refers), and then on the 11th
September he destroyed a Me.109: ‘Jumped 9 Mc.202s and
Me.109s west of El Alamein. Squirted at Mc.202- nothingfollowed
a Me.109 up- burst of flame behind cockpit. Lots of
black smoke- dived straight in’ (ibid). Matthews had further
success before the month was out, claiming a share in a Ju.52
destroyed, 29.9.1942: ‘Shot down Ju.52 at ground level. I
made the 1st attack, and then the 4th- a Flamer. Smoke
visible 30 miles away’ (ibid). The end of October proved to
be a busy and eventful time for Matthews, claiming a
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Matthews (front row, centre) with the Wasps Rugby Football team
probable Me.109 on the 21st October, following this up with
a confirmed destroyed two days later, and finishing with a
half share in another destroyed on the 27th of the month:
‘Jumped 2 Me.109s shadowing bombers. Had a crack- he
went straight down- shot at another and he went down
pouring white smoke...Had short burst on Me.109 from long
range. He rolled over and dived pouring white smoke the
whole way down- must watch them hit the deck...One
Me.109 flew round Squadron and made head on attack at
me. I fired head on and as he went over me turned towards
him and did one turn of a spin, then fired at him on the way
down. Straight in’ (ibid).
Shot Down Over the Mediterranean
On the 3rd November 1942, during an engagement with
Ju.87s and Me.109s over the North African cost, Matthews’
luck ran out and he ended up in the Mediterranean: ‘Shot
down over sea- baled out. Got into dinghy at 07:35 hoursthe
boys came over at 09:00 hours and patrolled. Picked up
by RAF rescue launch at 10:15 hours. Perfectly ok if a bit
wet’ (ibid). The following month he ended his tour and was
appointed C.G.I. at No. 71 O.T.U. at Carthago in the
Sudan, and subsequently at Ismailia. It was in Egypt that his
next saxophone, a replacement for the one surrendered to the
Germans, came in handy: ‘Three of us were in Cairo and
although we had our pay books we’d received no money. So
we sold the sax for 25 quid in the bazaar, which paid the bills
at the Shepherd’s Hotel’ (Article in the Sunday Express
magazine, 11.9.1988 refers). He commenced his third tour
at the head of No. 111 Squadron, Desert Air Wing (Spitfires)
in August 1943, and after a couple of months of near misses
and ‘nothing doings’ had his final victory of the War on the
2nd December: ‘Terrific Battle in progress in Cassino area.
Saw 3 Fi.156s in a valley north west of Pratola- the others
shared one, I got one, and the third disappeared’ (Log Book
refers). Later that month he was injured in a road accident in
Italy, and returned to the U.K. in January 1944, where he
was posted to Bentley Priory as Ops 1 at Fighter Command
Headquarters for a year. A keen rugby player, he played for
Wasps throughout the 1944-45 season on the left wing.
Remaining in the Royal Air Force after the end of the War,
he was posted as Group Intelligence Officer, Headquarters,
83 Group, in November 1945 and undertook various duties
with BAFO until May 1946, when he returned to the U.K.
for two years’ service at Headquarters, Reserve Command,
becoming Officer Commanding, 21 Reserve Centre,
Plymouth, in April 1949. Attached to No.245 Squadron
from March to May 1952, he was appointed to the
Command of No. 502 Squadron, Royal Auxiliary Air Force,
July 1952, begin promoted Wing Commander, 1.7.1953.
His final overseas posting was as Air Attaché in Prague for
three years, before serving as Permanent President, Courts
Martial, at RAF Stanmore for two years immediately prior to
retirement. He retired from the Royal Air Force, retaining
the rank of Group Captain, 8.5.1966, and subsequently
worked as a Director of Olympia and Earls Court for 16
years. He died 2.10.1991.
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THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
13
A Fine Battle of Britain Pilot’s D.F.C. Group of
Eight to ‘Hurricane Ace’ Group Captain P.D.
Thompson, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve,
Who Shot Down Three Enemy Aircraft At The
Height of the Battle and Added to His Score in
Numerous Combats During the Siege of Malta
1941-42, Twice Being Wounded and On One
Occasion Baling Out of His Blazing Aircraft From
a Few Hundred Feet; Whilst Station Commander
of RAF Biggin Hill 1956-58, He Was
Instrumental in Establishing the Battle of Britain
Memorial Flight, And Flew With Johnnie Johnson
and Jamie Rankin, in the Farewell Flight of the
Last Three Spitfires in First Line Service
a) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse
officially dated ‘1942’
b) 1939-1945 Star, with Battle of Britain Bar
c) Atlantic Star, with France and Germany Bar
d) Africa Star, with copy North Africa 1942-43 Bar
e) Italy Star
f) Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaf
g) Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R. (Flt. Lt. P.D.
Thompson. R.A.F.V.R.), good very fine or better,
mounted court style as originally worn, with the
following related uniforms, documents, photographs,
and other ephemera &c.:
- D.F.C. Royal Mint case of issue, together with
Central Chancery letter regarding the investiture,
dated 24.2.1945
- Caterpillar Club gold brooch badge, with ruby eyes,
reverse engraved ‘S/Ldr. P.D. Thompson’, in original
card box of issue, together with the recipient’s
Caterpillar Club membership card and club tie
- The recipient’s two surviving Flying Log Books,
covering the period 1.5.1941-21.5.1957 and
22.5.1957-30.4.1972, the first log book privately
bound and annotated ‘Previous Log Book destroyed
in Bombing Raid on Halfar in April 1941’, the second
slightly water damaged
- The recipient’s Pilots’ Flying Manual
- Commission Appointing Peter Douglas Thompson a
Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve,
dated 30.9.1940, together with a Commission
appointing the recipient’s father a Second Lieutenant
in the Royal Air Force, dated 1.11.1918
- Mentioned in Despatches Certificate, dated 8.6.1944
- No. 64 Squadron Crest, mounted on a wooden
shield
- No. 129 (Mysore) Squadron Crest, hand painted on
card, with 22 accompanying signatures, together with
a signed portrait photograph of the Maharaja of
Mysore, dated 1942
- The recipient’s full mess kit, comprising jacket with
silver wire pilot’s wings, various shirts, blue and white
waistcoats, trousers, and patent leather shoes
- Tropical mess jacket in white, with Group Captain’s
epaulettes and gold and silver wire pilot’s wings
- Tropical No.1 Jacket, with Group Captain’s
epaulettes, embroidered pilot’s wings, and medal
ribands
Group Captain P.D. Thompson
- Tropical working Jacket, with Group Captain’s
epaulettes, embroidered pilot’s wings, and medal
ribands
- Three No. 1 Uniforms, complete with RAF wings,
and medal ribands, all with trousers
- Various Badges, Buttons, Rank insignia, Pilot’s
Wings, Ribands, cummerbunds, and other dress
related ephemera
- The recipient’s watch, the reverse engraved
‘“Tommy” 185(F) Squadron Malta 1941-42’, lacking
strap and no longer in working order
- Silver plated tankard, engraved ‘Presented to Wg
Cdr. P.D. Thompson by the Engineering Officers
RAF Tengah November 1969’
- Silver salver, with applied bronze crest, engraved ‘Al
Group Captain RAF Peter Thompson, Agregado de
Defensa de Gran Bretana en el Peru, Lima, 18 de Abril
1975’
- Silver cigarette box, the inside engraved ‘La
Asociacion de Agregados Castrenses Acreditados ante
el Gobierno de Peru, Al Coronel Peter Thompson,
Lima, Abril 1975
- Silver gilt Peruvian winged badge, in case of issue,
together with another, mounted on a shield, with a
plaque inscribed ‘Al Coronel RAF Peter D. Thompson
Del Tnte. Gral. Fap Jorge Debernardi Leon’
- Twelve souvenir pennants
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
13
- A most comprehensive archive of books, letters, newspapers, magazines, maps,
and journals, many relating to both the Battle of Britain and the Battle of Britain
Memorial Flight
- Portrait drawing of the recipient by Cuthbert Orde, dated 21.1.1945
- The recipient’s Photo album, with photos from both during and after the
Second World War, together with a large collection of official and personal
photographs, including many from his time at RAF Biggin Hill and his
involvement on the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (lot)
£12,000-15,000
D.F.C. London Gazette 30.1.1942 Flying Officer Peter Douglas Thompson (84697), Royal
Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 185 Squadron.
The Recommendation states: ‘This officer has been continuously engaged on operational
flying for the past 12 months. He has destroyed at least 6 enemy aircraft, 3 of which he shot
down in the Battle of Britain. Flying Officer Thompson has set an excellent example of
keenness, efficiency and skill.’
M.I.D. London Gazette 8.6.1944 Flight Lieutenant P. D. Thompson, D.F.C. (84697),
R.A.F.V.R.
Group Captain Peter Douglas Thompson, D.F.C., A.E., was born in East Ham,
London, 7.9.1920, and was educated at East Ham Grammar School for Boys. His father
having served with the Royal Flying Corps during the Great War, Thompson decided at the
time of the Munich Crisis in 1938 to enlist in the reserve forces and, ‘with an aversion to
mud and not being a strong swimmer’, decided to join the Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve, to which he was called up on the outbreak of hostilities in September 1939.
73

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
the leg, 6.5.1941, when his Hurricane was shot up by a
Me.109: ‘Myself Badly Shot Up, 3 109s Shot Down’
(Recipient’s Log Book refers), he went on to claim a shared
Z.1007bis on the 25th July with Sergeant Forth, the latter
stating in his combat report that he saw pieces fall away from
the enemy aircraft after Thompson attacked it, while another
squadron pilot saw the aircraft fall burning into the sea 20
miles off Malta. Having then claimed a Macchi 200
confirmed on the 26th July, he shared in a S-79 on the 27th
July, and ended the year with a probable Me.109 on the 29th
December: ‘Mix up with 6 Me.109s. I confirmed destroyed.
Shot up by A.A. and landed on one wheel’ (ibid).
Promoted Flying Officer, 24.8.1941, Thompson had a more
serious encounter with the enemy at the start of 1942, when,
on the 25th January, after having damaged a Ju.88, he was
jumped by three Me.109s: ‘Wing was split up at 18,000 feet
by 12 Me.109s. On my own at 15,000 feet. Spotted 4 Ju.88s
over Hal Far. Attacked and probably destroyed one. Was
attacked by 3 Me.109s. Engine Packed up at 3,000 feet.
Tried to force land but caught fire at 500 feet and baled out.
Hit ground with a hell of a bump!!!’ (ibid). Admitted to
Tarfa Hospital with shrapnel wounds, where, on the 30th
January, he learnt of the award of his D.F.C., he was
discharged at the beginning of February and evacuated to
Egypt.
Group Captain P.D. Thompson, by Cuthbert Orde
The Battle of Britain
Commissioned Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve, 24.8.1940, Thompson was posted to No. 32
Squadron (Hurricanes), based at Acklington, in September
1940, where he undertook his first operational sorties, before
moving south to No. 605 Squadron (Hurricanes) at Croydon
early in the following month, where he first came into contact
with the Luftwaffe. Under the command of Squadron Leader
C. R. “Gerry” Edge, D.F.C., No. 605 Squadron patrolled on
a daily basis over Kent and Surrey at the height of the Battle.
On the 20th October Thompson damaging a Me.109 southeast
of Ashford, before returning to base with a badly shot up
propeller. He next damaged two more Me.109s in combats
over Faversham and Folkestone on the 1st and 13th
November, and gained a Do. 17 probable off Orfedness,
26.3.1941. Embarking for Malta in H.M.S. Ark Royal in the
following month, his flying log book recorded a tally of ‘three
and a half destroyed, three probables and three damaged’ at
this time.
Malta 1941-42
Piloting one of 24 Hurricanes that took off from Ark Royal,
27.4.1941, to provide desperately needed additional fighter
cover for Valletta harbour, Thompson was posted to No. 261
Squadron after his arrival at Hal Far but, a few days later, he
transferred to No. 185 Squadron (Hurricanes) under
Squadron Leader P. W. “Boy” Mould, the commencement
of a protracted period of active service in which he flew well
in excess of 150 sorties, the majority in the immediate
defence of the island, but others, too, on offensive sweeps
against Sicily and Italy. Slightly wounded by a shell splinter in
Third and Fourth Operational Tours
Having served as an instructor at an Operational Training
Unit (O.T.U.), Thompson embarked on a lengthy period as
a test pilot on Kittyhawks and Tomahawks in Ismailia,
following which, in March 1943, he returned to an
operational footing as a Flight Commander with No. 601
Squadron (Spitfires) in the Western Desert, and completed at
least another 30 operational sorties - largely as escort to
Kittyhawk and Bostons units, before sustaining burns on
crashing on take-off on the 26th April: ‘Crashed taking off at
Mellaha!! A trifle burnt.’ (ibid). Returning to the Squadron
three months later, now based at Lentini West in Italy, his
first flight back was a ‘Shopping expedition to Malta’ (ibid),
before completing another 50 operational sorties by the end
of the year, many of which were long range straffes, and on
the 3rd November he was credited with destroying a brace of
S-79s on the ground at Ancona airfield: ‘Ancona Aerodromeself
2 SM.79s Destroyed’ (ibid). Returning to the United
Kingdom, Thompson attended a course at the Fighter Leader
School at Milfield and on one occasion a week after D-Day
flew a Spitfire IX as escort in a strike by 220 Lancasters on Le
Havre: ‘Terrific Bombing’ (ibid).
In July 1944, with nearly 600 hours operational flying under
his wing, Thompson was appointed to the command of No.
129 (Mysore) Squadron (Mustangs), operating out of
Brenzett, a command that required him keeping the
Maharajah of Mysore abreast of the unit’s activities, the latter
having paid for 18 Spitfires when No. 129 Squadron was
formed. This, his fourth operational tour, commenced with a
flurry of “Diver Patrols” (anti-V-weapon sorties), in which he
claimed three as destroyed and two more as shared. He also
flew “Ranger” operations over occupied France: ‘Paris
looked just the same!!’ (ibid), and in support of the Arnhem
operations in September: ‘Escort 1st Airborne Army. Anti-
Flak for Gliders but Hun Gunners kept very quiet.
Thousands of A/C- Magnificent!!...Dropping supplies to
Paratroopers at Arnhem. Filthy weather...Bombing Arnhem.
Big dog fight with 50+ Fw.190s and Me.109s’ (ibid).
Thompson married Miss Marie-Kathleen Allman, 2.12.1944,
and after a brief honeymoon in Sussex was back to escorting
Lancasters on bombing raids over Germany, as the Allied
advance into North-West Europe continued apace, right up
until his participation in the Rhine crossing in March 1945,
by which stage he had added over 60 more sorties to his
wartime tally, had amassed over 760 hours of operational
flying, and been mentioned in despatches.
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Biggin Hill and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
Awarded the Air Efficiency Award, 24.1.1946, Thompson
was granted a regular commission in the Royal Air Force after
the War and was advanced to substantive Squadron Leader,
1.1.1949, commanding No. 81 Squadron from January 1949
to September 1951. On advancement to Wing Commander,
1.7.1956, he was appointed Station Commander of RAF
Biggin Hill, probably the most famous Battle of Britain
aerodrome of all. Here, appropriately enough for a veteran of
the Battle, he envisaged and formed the nucleus of what
became the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, part of which
was collected when, on the 11th July, 1957, he flew in the
farewell flight, along with Group Captains Johnnie Johnson
and Jamie Rankin, from Duxford to Biggin Hill, the last three
Spitfires in first line RAF service. As he wrote many years
later, ‘I did have a hand in collecting the aircraft that in due
time formed the nucleus of what is now the Battle of Britain
Memorial Flight’ (Foreword to the Battle of Britain
Memorial Flight brochure 1999 refers). Today, based at RAF
Coningsby, the flight operates six aircraft types, and is famous
the world over.
Thompson’s last appointment was as Air Attaché at the
British Embassy in Lima, Peru, and, having learned Spanish
as part of this assignment, he settled with his family in
Menorca on his retirement with the rank of Group Captain,
7.9.1975. He died on the 2nd March 2003, aged 82.
75

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
14
14
A Second War 1945 ‘Bomber Command’ Lysander and Lancaster Air Gunner’s
D.F.C. Group of Five to Warrant Officer H. Dutton, Royal Air Force, Who Flew
in At Least 44 Operational Sorties, Many of Them Over Heavily-Defended
German Targets, And Shot Down an Me.109 During a Daylight Raid Over
Essen, 18.7.1842
a) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1943’, and
contemporarily engraved in upright sans-serif capitals ‘534538 Warrant Officer Harry
Dutton Bomber Command R.A.F.’
b) 1939-1945 Star
c) Air Crew Europe Star, with France and Germany bar
d) Defence and War Medals, good very fine, with the following related items:
- D.F.C. Royal Mint case of issue, together with Central Chancery letter regarding the
investiture, dated 11.6.1945, and two Buckingham Palace investiture tickets, dated
22.6.1945
- Card box of issue for the Second War awards, addressed to H. Dutton, Esq., D.F.C.,
30, Wagg’s Road, Congleton, Cheshire
- R.A.F. Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book, covering the period 2.3.1941-
26.7.1944
- The recipient’s unofficial Flying Log, covering the period 27.7.1940-31.5.1942, the
inside cover inscribed ‘Previous Log Book commencing October 1937 and containing
over 450 flying hours was lost in fire at Bekesbourne Aerodrome, Kent on 25th May
1940’
- R.A.F. Service and Release Book, and Identity Card
- The recipient’s Permanent Passes to RAF Manby and Waddington; and Royal Air
Force Pocket Book 1932
- Framed and glazed group photograph of the Aircrews of the 44th (Rhodesia) Heavy
Bomber Squadron, Royal Air Force, in front of a Lancaster Bomber, taken August
1942
- Various photographs of the recipient, including one of him outside Buckingham
Palace having received his D.F.C. (lot)
£1,600-2,000
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Warrant Officer H. Dutton, outside Buckingham Palace
having received his D.F.C., 22.6.1945
D.F.C. London Gazette 14.9.1943 Warrant Officer Harry
Dutton (534538), Royal Air Force, No. 44 Squadron.
The Recommendation states: ‘This Warrant Officer has
completed two tours of operational duty involving more than
300 flying hours. During his second tour he has attacked
targets such as Bremen, Essen, and Cologne and has
encountered much intense opposition. Warrant Officer
Dutton has, at all times, displayed great keenness and
efficiency setting a fine example to the other air gunners of
the Squadron.’
534538 Warrant Officer Harry Dutton, D.F.C., born
Congleton, Cheshire, 7.7.1912; enlisted in the Royal Air
Force, 7.9.1936; served during the Second War with No. 2
(Army Co-operation) Squadron (Lysanders), and took part in
his first operational sortie in October 1939; soon after the
outbreak of the War No. 2 Squadron moved to France as part
of the British Expeditionary Force’s Air Component; the
Lysanders spotted for the Artillery and bombed front line
positions and troop concentrations- No.2 Squadron stayed in
France until the Dunkirk evacuation. Having completed his
first operational tour transferred to No. 44 (Rhodesia)
Squadron (Lancasters), Waddington, under the Command of
Wing Commander Roderick Learoyd, V.C., February 1942;
flew in at least 31 operational sorties with the Squadron, his
first action being taking part in the 1000 Bomber Raid over
Essen, 1.6.1942; others sorties including: Bordeaux; Bremen
(3), including 1000 Bomber Raid, 25.6.1942; his first
Daylight raid was again over Essen, 18.7.1942: ‘Attacked by
Me.109s. 1 E.A. claimed as probable, Sgt. Newton rear
gunner wounded, & rear turret u/s; 2nd E.A. damaged’
(recipient’s log book refers); Duisburg (3); Hamberg (3);
Saarbrucken; Dusseldorf (3); Osnabruck (2), including
17.8.1942: ‘Attacked by Me.110’; Mainz; Frankfurt (2);
Nuremberg; Cologne; St. Nazaire; he completed his tour
with operations over Berlin, 1.3.1943, and the Krupp’s
Works at Essen, 5.3.1943, and was awarded the D.F.C.; after
undergoing a Wellington conversion course, April to August,
1943, served as an Instructor with No. 1661 Conversion
Unit; returned to operational flying with No. 61 Squadron
(Lancasters), Skellingthorpe, 21.6.1944, and flew in 13
sorties, including Gelsencerchen; Culmont-Chalindrey,
12.7.1944 ‘Combat with Ju.88’; Caen (Daylight); Thiverney
(Daylight), 19.7.1944 ‘Damaged by flak’; and St. Cer, Paris
(Daylight); discharged, 13.11.1945.
Dutton’s home town of Congleton produced one Victoria
Cross recipient during the Second World War, Company
Sergeant Major G.H. Eardley, V.C., M.M., King’s Shropshire
Light Infantry. Meeting him after the War, Dutton asked him
to sign his Log Book, and his signature appears under that of
Dutton’s former C.O. and fellow V.C. recipient, Wing
Commander Roderick Learoyd, V.C.
77

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
15
15
A Good 1944 ‘Immediate’ Coastal Command Beaufighter Pilot’s D.F.C. Group of Five to Squadron Leader
M.H. Exton, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, His Aircraft Was Hit and Turned Upside-Down Whilst
Flying on an Anti-Shipping Strike To Egero, 9.10.1944, ‘By Sheer Strength and Throttle Manipulation He
Managed to Right The Aircraft And Carried Through the Attack, Scoring A Torpedo Hit on One of the
Merchant Vessels. He Then Flew His Badly Crippled Aircraft Back To Base, And Made a Successful Landing’
a) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1944’
b) 1939-1945 Star
c) Atlantic Star, with copy France and Germany Bar
d) Defence and War Medals, traces of lacquer, very fine, with the following related items:
- D.F.C. Royal Mint case of issue
- The recipient’s related miniature awards; badge; RAF wings; and various buttons
- (2) R.A.F. Pilot’s Flying Log Books, covering the periods 11.12.1941-12.9.1942 and 26.11.1942-28.3.1958
respectively
- The recipient’s Memoirs
- Three photograph albums, covering the period 1941-1949
- The recipient’s Ray Ban sunglasses
- Various newspaper articles (lot)
£2,400-2,800
D.F.C. London Gazette 28.11.1944 Flying Officer Maurice Herbert Exton (133665), R.A.F.V.R., 144 Sqn.
The Recommendation, dated 11.10.1944, states: ‘Flying Officer Exton was flying No.2 to the leader of the torpedo force of four
aircraft in the attack on an enemy convoy of five merchant vessels and five escort vessels off Egero on the 9th October 1944. Owing
to the small size of the anti-flak force, many guns on the escort and merchant vessels were not silenced, with the result that all the
torpedo aircraft met intense and accurate heavy and light flak on the run in.
Flying Officer Exton’s aircraft was hit by an explosive shell in the port wing, doing considerable damage and jamming the port
aileron down, causing the aircraft to roll over the vertical. By sheer strength Flying Officer Exton managed to right the aircraft,
which by this time was almost unmanageable. In spite of this and not knowing how much longer his aircraft would stay in the air,
he flew on, lined up a merchant vessel in his sight, and, when flying straight and level, released his torpedo. His aircraft was again
coming out from attack.
By brilliant airmanship and dogged determination, Flying Officer Exton brought his badly crippled aircraft back to base, a distance
of over three hundred miles. He displayed courage and devotion to duty worth of the highest praise.’
Remarks by Station Commander: ‘Flying Officer Exton has at all times displayed great gallantry and fine airmanship. On this
particular occasion his aircraft was hit and turned upside down by the jamming of the ailerons. By sheer strength and throttle
manipulation he managed to right the aircraft and carried through the attack, scoring a torpedo hit on one of the merchant vessels.
He then flew his badly crippled aircraft back to base, and made a successful landing. Strongly recommend for the Immediate award
of the Distinguished Flying Cross.’
Remarks of Air Officer Commanding: ‘A courageous and determined attack pressed home in spite of severe damage to his aircraft.
Strongly recommended.’
WWW.SPINK.COM

September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Squadron Leader M.H. Exton
Flying Officer Maurice Herbert Exton, D.F.C., born and
grew up in Sydney, New South Wales; enlisted in the Royal
Air Force, 11.8.1941; after initial training including at Camp
Borden, Ontario, was Commissioned Pilot Officer, Royal Air
Force Volunteer Reserve, 6.10.1942; promoted Flying
Officer, 6.5.1943, and posted to No. 301 Ferry Training
Unit, RAF Lyneham, September 1943, and flew in 8
operational Ferry Flights (Beauforts, Dakotas, and
Beaufighters) with various Ferry Units up until April 1944,
when he was posted to No. 132 O.T.U., East Fortune;
posted to No.144 Squadron (Beaufighters), Strubby,
4.8.1944, for operational flying with Coastal Command, and
flew his first operational sortie with his new Squadron four
days later- a reconnaissance trip over the Frisian Islands.
Flying mainly patrols and anti-shipping operations his first
strike with the enemy came over Stonge Fjord, 19.9.1944:
‘Patrolled Utvaer-Bremanger and back before sighting. 144
went in first. Targets were trawler and two supply ships
northbound and one ship just outside the fjord southbound.
Self attacked 1400 ton “Lynx”. Obtained cannon hits amid
ships: “Lynx” later went aground. Other ships left burning.
Moderate amount of accurate heavy flak from shore batteries’
(Log Book refers). His next major action occurred near
Egero, 9.10.1944: ‘Took off in darkness at 05:00hrs and
formed up at first light 10 miles off Utsire...Carried fish and
went in on attack on convoy just north of Egero. 5 Merchant
Vessels of 5,000 tons, 3 of 1,500 tons, and a Dutch coaster;
5 Enemy Vessels including 2 “M” Class types but slightly
larger. Terrific flak from every ship, own aircraft hit by heavy
flak in port wing leading edge, port wing and fuselage by
heavy machine gun fire, and elevator and tail plane by 20mm
shell. Flipped almost on back- deuce of a job getting back.
Claims: 2 Merchant Vessels sunk by torpedoes, 1 escort by
anti flak, and 1 large Merchant Vessel left well afire. Final
assessment: 4 ships sunk altogether’ (ibid). For this action
Exton was awarded an Immediate D.F.C. Promoted Flight
Lieutenant, 6.11.1944, continued to fly Rover Patrols over
Scandanavia, before taking a torpedo refresher course at
Turnberry, December 1944; returning to the Squadron for
operational flying in the New Year; his final operational sortie
of the War was over the Vadheim Fjord, 6.4.1945: ‘Went on
sighting mistook landfall at Utvaer and went north to Gulens
then south at 7,000 feet to target- 3 Merchant Vessels, 1
Enemy Vessel- very steep dive could not let RP go. Cannon
attack only. Led force northwards towards bandits. Mustang
escort claimed two destroyed probable. Results of attack:
2,500 tons of Merchant Vessels left burning, 1,500 tons
damaged. Tug (own target) slightly damaged’ (ibid). After
the War Exton remained in the Royal Air Force and by 1949
was serving with No.13 Squadron based at Fayid on the Suez
Canal. Promoted Squadron Leader, 1.1.1952, he retired
3.5.1959.
79

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
16
16
A Superb and Well Documented Second War Polish Cross of Valour and
Two Bars, 1944 ‘Fighter Reconnaissance’ Spitfire Pilot’s D.F.C. Group of
Ten to Flight Lieutenant M.S. Andruszko, Polish Air Force, A Veteran of 3
Air Forces on 3 Different Continents, He Was Shot Down Twice and Had
Many Near Misses
a) Poland, Republic, Cross of Valour, with Second and Third Award Bars
b) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1945’
c) Poland, Republic, Air Force Active Service Medal
d) 1939-1945 Star
e) Africa Star, with North Africa 1942-43 Bar
f) Italy Star
g) Defence and War Medals
h) France, Republic, Combattant’s Cross
i) France, Republic, War Medal, no clasp, generally good very fine, with the
following related original items and documents:
- Three Polish Flying Badges, R.A.F. Cloth Wings, riband bar
- Royal Air Force Pilot’s Flying Log Book (covering the period 28.9.1940-
4.2.1946)
- Certificate for the award of the Cross of Valour
- Certificate for the award of the Air Force Medal for Active Service
- R.A.F. confirmation of the award of British Campaign Medals to recipient
- R.A.F. Officer’s Medical Record Card; named Inoculation Certificate
- Discharge Certificate from the Armee de L’Air, dated 9.5.1945
- Various photographs of recipient from various stages of military career
- Recipient’s hand written manuscript notes of his service life and brief experiences
whilst serving with the Polish Air Force in Poland, the French Armee de L’Air and
the Polish Air Force, Great Britain; and an extensive and comprehensive file of
research (lot)
£4,000-4,500
WWW.SPINK.COM

September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Flight Lieutenant M.S. Andruszko
D.F.C. Approved 20.2.1945 P.1199 Flight Lieutenant Michal Stanislaw Andruszko, No. 318 (Polish)
Squadron.
The Recommendation, dated 26.11.1944, states: ‘Flight Lieutenant Andruszko commenced his operational
tour on 6.5.1944, and completed it in October, 1944, after doing 99 sorties in 151.25 operational hours.
During this period, he proved to be a most efficient Tac/R pilot who always displayed great determination
and set an excellent example to all who flew with him. On 19.7.1944, during a Tac/R mission IESI area,
he observed some horse-drawn transport moving along a road. Diving low in the face of intense and accurate
anti-aircraft fire, he attacked and, although hit, he successfully continued his reconnaissance from low
altitude. Eventually, he had to make a forced landing just inside our lines and received head and arm injuries
which necessitated his removal to hospital. On 18.8.1944, soon after discharge, Flt. Lieut. Andruszko
undertook a detailed and difficult Tac/R in the Fano area. In order to obtain accurate observation, he came
down to 4,000 feet in the face of anti-aircraft fire which holed his petrol system. Even so, he completed his
mission and returned to base with valuable information. Ten days later, on 28.8.1944, he undertook an
artillery recce in the area south of Pesaro. Encountering constant anti-aircraft fire at all heights, his task
became extremely difficult but, displaying keenness and determination he repeatedly climbed to 8,000 feet
and dived down to within a few hundred feet of the ground to observe the strikes of our artillery. In this
way, the three targets given him were soon occupied. Later, he discovered two more targets in the same area
and, directing fire with skill and precision, all five targets were destroyed in spite of difficult conditions.
During 30 sorties undertaken in the face of light and heavy anti-aircraft fire, Flt. Lieut. Andruszko displayed
great courage and devotion to duty and obtained a great deal of information of real importance. For such
consistently good work, I strongly recommend that he be granted the non-immediate award of the
Distinguished Flying Cross.’
Flight Lieutenant Michal Stanislaw Andruszko, D.F.C., born Wolkowysk, Poland, 1917; after leaving
school he undertook compulsory Military Service in the Polish Army, from June 1936; whilst at Cadet
Officers’ School he volunteered for transfer to the Polish Air Force and was posted for a three year course
as an Officer Cadet to the Aviation Training Centre at Deblin, December 1936; towards the end of his three
years he also completed a Fighter Pilot Course, June-July 1939; commissioned Second Lieutenant III/5th
Air Force Regiment, Eskadra 151, 1.8.1939; on the invasion of Poland, 1.9.1939, Eskadra 151 was sent to
81

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
the front; Andruszko’s Eskadra consisted of 10 PZL7a aircraft, commanded by Lieutenant Jozef Brzezinski;
the Eskadra moved very quickly from base to base until leaving Poland for Romania at the end of September;
Andruszko offers the following insight, ‘On my first operational flight there was a large German bomber
passing. Excitedly I followed to his tail, pressed the trigger. After two or three rounds both machine guns
jammed. Another day on reconnaissance flight watching a German troop concentration, a shell burst in front
and gashed the petrol tank. I made myself ready to parachute out but had to get away from that lot as far
as possible. The aircraft was trimmed a bit nose heavy. Holding the map in my left hand I left the stick to
turn on the emergency fuel tank. The plane went down and I was left floating in the air. Maybe just as well.
I would probably attempt to crash land and with a fixed undercarriage that could have been fatal. I landed
on the other side of the river amongst some Polish units torn to pieces. My road back to the unit was on the
other side of the river, so I grabbed a horse and let him carry me across the river. At the first village I traded
him for a bicycle. A lorry heading in my direction picked me up. Arriving at the destination in the dark I
heard my name called. It was the very last lorry leaving’; faced with overwhelming odds of 4 to 1 aircraft
against, Polish Air Force Personnel were evacuated to either Romania or Hungary having lost 90% of their
operational aircraft in action; here Andruszko was interned in camps before being able to leave Romania for
Lyon the following month; in France the Polish Government and Polish Armed Forces had reformed under
General Sikorski; Andruszko was drafted as Navigator into the French Armee de L’Air at the start of 1940
and was stationed at the Base Aerienne de Toulouse; he was not impressed, ‘in charge of a tiny detachment
I was posted for the air defence of Toulouse. There were two or three aircraft, more obsolete than the Polish,
that had never seen a pop gun near them, never mind armaments’; he did not have to wait long for a move,
however, as France fell shortly after his posting, ‘Soon it was evacuation again. A lot of us gathered at the
small port in the south (Port Vendres). Amongst all that lot was the ex Commander of the Polish Air Force.
Somehow, he secured a passage on a French merchant ship. He could take two of us as adjutants, but lots
had to be drawn. A friend of mine and myself were lucky. We landed in North Africa (Oran)’; from Oran
the Polish Airmen went to Casablanca and from there in spite of torpedo and air attacks the convoy reached
Britain; upon arrival Andruszko was posted as a Pilot Officer to the Ground Training Centre of the Polish
Air Force, Blackpool, ‘Soon we were under the wings of the Royal Air Force. A wonderful, caring service in
which I was proud to serve’; posted to No 15 FTS, Carlisle, 26.9.1940 and undertook further training at
O.T.U. Aston Down and at I.T.S. Hucknall before being posted for operational service as Pilot with
Transport Command to 271 Squadron (Harrows), Doncaster, 14.5.1941; the squadron was primarily tasked
with moving men and equipment of Fighter Squadrons from station to station; posted to No 13 F.T.U.,
Lyneham, April-May 1942, before being posted as part of a Polish Detachment to No 1 Aircraft Delivery
Unit, Middle East, July 1942; this unit was responsible for ferrying aircraft from Takoradi on the Ivory Coast
of West Africa to airfields near Cairo; this was the main route for reinforcing the Middle East - aircraft would
arrive via the sea terminal at Takoradi, be unshipped and assembled and then flown 4,000 miles across Africa;
Andruszko comments, ‘A number of us were sent to an Aircraft Delivery Unit.... Africa was nice. Flying was
exciting across jungles and deserts. We had casualties. Some went down in the jungles, some died in the
deserts’; as Andruszko’s Log Book shows, he flew in a vast assortment of aircraft during this posting,
including Hurricanes, Beaufighters, Hudsons, and Falcons; posted to No. 3 A.D.U., Casablanca, Morocco,
3.5.1943; serving with this unit until 21.1.1944, he added Spitfires to his collection; undertook an artillery
course and was posted to 74 O.T.U., Petah Tiqva, Palestine, February 1944, in preparation for a posting to
an operational Fighter/Reconnaissance Squadron in Italy; posted to 318 (Gdansk) Fighter Reconnaissance
Squadron, (Spitfires) Quassassin, Egypt, 4.4.1944, and flew with the squadron to Madna, Italy; his first
operational sortie with the squadron was 6.5.1944, in support of the British 8th Army’s drive into Central
Italy; he was shortly to be transferred in the same capacity to 225 Fighter Reconnaissance Squadron, Lago;
he flew in 25 sorties with the latter before returning to 318 Squadron, Trigno, June 1944; he recommenced
Artillery Recce and Photo/Tactical Recce sorties; by 11.10.1944 he had completed 99 such sorties;
promoted Flight Commander, August 1944, ‘our main duty was co-operation with the Army -
Reconnaissance, Artillery Direction or Photo. There were plenty of targets on the ground. The Spitfire was
well armed, so I never brought the ammunition back to base... On one of the assignment flights I saw a
German staff car coming on a rather exposed road. It got the taste of four machine guns and two cannon
(next day it was reported that the General commanding that Sector was killed). As I pulled out the artillery
shell hit me. Miraculously it hit the thick under carriage bar and exploded there. Splinters tore up the oil
tank. Being deadly scared of prison camp I headed towards our lines. The engine was getting red hot and
grinding. Had to switch it off - too late to parachute out - nowhere to land, only hills and mountains. First
slope of a hill had to do - hit the mound of earth, somersaulted and ploughed on the back the rest of the
way. Apart from the cockpit handle buried in my left arm and a few pebbles in the skull I was ok, hanging
upside down on the straps and trapped’; with the end of his operational tour Andruszko returned to the UK,
and was posted on a refresher course to 286 Squadron, Western Zoyland, Somerset; he completed the
course, 19.3.1945, and after two more training courses was posted to India, 11.9.1945, and on to No 36
Staging Post, Ferry Flight, ‘One day I delivered an aircraft to the Maharaja of Jodhpur. I boarded the
passenger collecting Dakota due for New Delhi. I don’t know how but somehow the pilot missed the
message that New Delhi Airfield was closed. We were approaching to land, I happened to look out of the
window, there were cyclists and a car heading towards us. Suddenly the engines revved up wildly, big bang,
and we were in the air again. The pilot had mistaken the broad, well lit avenue for a runway. With the wing
half sheared off we landed at the next airfield.’
Andruszko returned to the UK in February 1946, and was finally released from the Polish Air Force on
3.12.1946, after having served a total of 10 years, spanning service in the Polish Air Force, the French Armee
de l’Air and the Polish Air Force, Great Britain.
Tragically in 1987, a year after the death of his wife, Michal Stanislaw Andruszko was found drowned in a
river near his home in Bungay, Suffolk.
WWW.SPINK.COM

September 6, 2012 - LONDON
17 Captain W.A. Shirlaw
17
The Great War A.F.C. Group of Three to Elephant Fighter Bomber Pilot Captain W.A. Shirlaw, Royal Flying
Corps, Late Highland Light Infantry
a) Air Force Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued
b) British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaves (Lieut. W.A. Shirlaw. R.F.C.), the last two partially officially reimpressed,
extremely fine, with the following related items:
- A.F.C. John Pinches, London, case of issue
- The recipient’s related miniature awards, in Spink, London, case
- Commission appointing William Allan Shirlaw a Captain in the Royal Air Force, dated 1.12.1918
- The recipient’s British Empire Aviator’s Certificate
- Silver presentation cigarette case (Hallmarks for Birmingham 1917), R.F.C. crest on front, and inscribed ‘From A Flight
18th T.S. to their Flight Commander Capn. Allan Shirlaw Xmas 1917’
- Silver lighter casing, inscribed ‘WAS’
- Silver identity bracelet, the obverse engraved ‘W. Allan Shirlaw, R.F.C. Pres.’, the reverse suggestively engraved ‘Ethel’
- Section of windscreen from the recipient’s Avro
- The recipient’s Kodak camera, in leather carry case
- The recipient’s Apollo binoculars, in leather carry case
- The recipient’s King James Bible
- Rosary beads and crucifix
- Two family photograph albums, one compiled by the recipient, and one compiled by the recipient’s wife
- A collection of wartime photographs showing H.M. The King touring the country
- A large number of portrait photographs of the recipient (lot)
£1,200-1,600
A.F.C. London Gazette 3.6.1919 Capt. William Allan Shirlaw (H.L.I., T.F.)
‘In recognition of distinguished services rendered during the war’
Captain William Allan Shirlaw, A.F.C., born Glasgow, May 1895, and educated at Allan Glen’s School, Glasgow; after school he served
as an apprentice locomotive engineer with the Glasgow and South Western Railway Company, Kilmarnock; Commissioned Second
Lieutenant, 8th (Lanark) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry, 25.11.1914; promoted Lieutenant, 1.6.1916; seconded for duty with the
Royal Flying Corps and appointed Flying Officer, 29.7.1916; served with the British Expeditionary Force from July 1916, attached to No.
27 Squadron (Martinsyde Elephants), Fienvillers, France, and flew over 200 hours in the skies above the fighting area: ‘On one occasion,
at a height of 5,000 feet, he had his engine shot clean through, and fortunately was able to land in the barbed wire in front of a French
trench. On another occasion, after a running fight of forty minutes, having managed to rid himself of his opponents, he was forced to find
a suitable landing place, and on reaching the ground was promptly taken prisoner, but fortunately for him it was by a very aged French
Sergeant.’ (The recipient’s obituary, in Beardmore News, refers). Promoted Flight Commander, with the temporary rank of Captain,
13.8.1917, he returned to the U.K. and commanded ‘A’ Group Flight, No.2 Training Depot Station, Chester, training up Scout pilots;
following the end of the War he was appointed Second-in-Command, RAF Montrose, before retiring from the Royal Air Force, 7.6.1919.
Captain Shirlaw married Miss Florence Barnes, 20.8.1919, and died 15.12.1926.
83

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
18
An Early 1940 Second War ‘Bomb Disposal’ G.M.
Group of Four to Sergeant K. Lythgoe, Royal Air
Force
a) George Medal, G.VI.R. (515738. Sergt. Kenneth
Lythgoe, R.A.F.)
b) 1939-1945 Star
c) Defence and War Medals, extremely fine, with the
following related documents &c.:
- Central Chancery letter regarding the investiture of
the G.M., dated 12.5.1941
- Nine photographs of the recipient, including one
group photograph (lot)
£4,000-5,000
G.M. London Gazette 21.1.1941 515738 Sergeant Kenneth
Lythgoe [in a joint citation with 1300504 Aircraftman 2nd
Class Richard Nicholson and 998918 Aircraftman 2nd Class
Arthur Simpson]
‘These airmen, as members of a demolition party, have
handled enemy bombs with great courage and disregard for
their personal safety, on various dates during July, August,
and September, 1940.’
The joint Recommendation states: ‘These airmen, as
members of a demolition party, have handled and rendered
harmless enemy bombs, with great courage and disregard for
their personal safety, on various dates during July, August,
and September. This has frequently necessitated long and
difficult digging. Once they had to dig for eight days to a
depth of 40 feet to expose the top of a bomb which they
exploded in situ. On another occasion they dug 7 feet down
to an unexploded bomb near a cottage. When the bomb was
withdrawn by the demolition van, driven by Sergeant
Lythgoe, it was found to be fitted with a type of fuse which
they had been instructed not to remove. As the bomb could
not be transported in the van, owing to the roughness of the
ground, Aircraftmen Nicholson and Simpson carried it some
five or six hundred yards to a suitable place for demolition.
When a third bomb had been excavated with such difficulty,
and withdrawn by towing cable and van, its fuse was found to
18
WWW.SPINK.COM
be too badly damaged to be extracted, so the bomb was
removed to a safe place and destroyed. In all, nine bombs
have been handled by this party, all of whom, and especially
these three airmen, have faced constant danger with the
utmost courage.’
515738 Sergeant Kenneth Lythgoe, G.M., born
Wolverhampton, 4.12.1910; served during the Second
World War with the Royal Air Force as part of their Bomb
Disposal unit, based at Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire; died
1981.
Sergeant K. Lythgoe

September 6, 2012 - LONDON
19
19
A Rare Second War Bomber Command D.F.M., A.F.M. Group
of Seven to Manchester and Lancaster Air Gunner/ Wireless
Operator Flight Sergeant later Flight Lieutenant E. Preston,
No. 97 Squadron, Who Took Part in the 1st (Cologne), the
2nd (Essen), and the 3rd (Bremen) 1000 Bomber Raids; the
Trondheim Fjord Low Level Attack on the Tirpitz and Other
Warships 1942; and Anti-Terrorist Sorties over Malaya
a) Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1057166. F/Sgt. E.
Preston. R.A.F.)
b) Air Force Medal, G.VI.R. (1057466. F/Sgt. E. Preston. R.A.F.)
c) 1939-1945 Star
d) Air Crew Europe Star
e) Defence and War Medals
f) General Service Medal 1918-62, G.VI.R., one clasp, Malaya (Fg.
Off. E. Preston. R.A.F.), very fine and extremely rare, one of only
seventeen D.F.M., A.F.M. combinations ever awarded, with the
following documents &c.:
- R.A.F. Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book, covering
the period 25.2.1941-31.10.1952
- R.A.F. Flying Log Book for Navigators, Air Bombers, Air
Gunners, and Flight Engineers, covering the period 23.2.1953-
9.9.1957
- Letter to the recipient from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of
State, Air Ministry, on the occasion of the recipient’s retirement,
dated 22.4.1963
- Various photographs and newspaper cuttings featuring the
recipient (lot)
£6,000-8,000
85

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
Flight Lieutenant E. Preston
D.F.M. London Gazette 11.6.1943 1057466 Flight Sergeant
Ewart Preston 97 Squadron.
The Recommendation, dated 15.4.1943, states: ‘This
N.C.O. has taken part as a Wireless Operator/ Air Gunner in
many successful attacks on the most heavily defended
German towns and on Italian and other objectives. On one
occasion, he also attacked Brest in daylight. Flight Sergeant
Preston’s coolness and courage have been an inspiration to
all.’
A.F.M. London Gazette 1.1.1944 105466 Flight Sergeant
Ewart Preston, D.F.M., No. 29 O.T.U.
The Recommendation states: ‘This airman is an instructor in
the Conversion Flight and has worked hard and set an
example of outstanding devotion to duty at all times, and his
keenness and enthusiasm are most praiseworthy. He is a
Wireless Operator/ Air Gunner Instructor of first class ability
who has been engaged on this work for over a year. Much of
his flying has been spent instructing in circuits and landings
and, for certain periods, he has been intensively employed on
this important work. It is considered that this airman is most
worthy of an award of the Air Force Medal for the
contribution he has made in the training of new crews to
continue the war effort.’
Flight Lieutenant Ewart Preston, D.F.M., A.F.M., was
born in Nelson, Lancashire, 26.9.1915, and enlisted in the
Royal Air Force in 1940. Posted to No. 97 (Straits
Settlements) Squadron (Manchesters), Waddington,
15.10.1941, he converted to Lancasters with them when the
Squadron moved to RAF Coningsby, and took part in 38
operational sorties with the Squadron including the attack on
the Tirpitz and other German warships in Trondheim Fjord,
28.4.1942, when the force of 31 Halifaxes and 12 Lancasters
each had to singly enter the narrow fjord, and once they had
negotiated the gun emplacements, had to drop to 200 feet
before releasing their cargo of specially adapted mines. Five
aircraft were lost in the raid (The Bomber Command War
Diaries refer). He also participated in the first ‘Thousand
Bomber Raid’ on Cologne, 31.5.1942; in the second on
Essen, 2.6.1942; and in the third on Bremen 25.6.1942.
Having completed his tour of 38 operations, 12.10.1942,
and been promoted Flight Sergeant, Preston served for the
remainder of the War as an Instructor with No. 29 O.T.U.
Commissioned Pilot Officer, 14.8.1943, after the Second
War he served in two operational tours in Malaya (1949-51
and 1955-57), during which he flew on anti-terrorist sorties
(Lincolns) and on Army supply drops (Valettas). Promoted
Flying Officer, 10.10.1949, and Flight Lieutenant, 8.5.1953,
Preston retired, 14.5.1963, and died in September 1992.
PROVENANCE:
Tavender Collection, Spink, April 2006
WWW.SPINK.COM

September 6, 2012 - LONDON
20
20
A Good Beaufighter D.F.M. to Air Gunner Sergeant V.R. Marsh, No.105
Squadron, For His Courage in the Low Level Daylight Raid on Bremen
Port, 7.7.1941, When All The Aircraft Were Hit and the Commander of
His Squadron, Wing Commander Hughie Edwards, Was Awarded the V.C.;
The Low Level Attack Nine Days Later on Rotterdam Docks which
Damaged 22 Ships; And, When Operating from Luqa, Malta, The
Lampedusa Harbour Raid, 1.8.1941, When His Aircraft Crashed, He Was
Wounded, And Taken Prisoner by the Italians
a) Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (971254. Sgt. V.R. Marsh. R.A.F.)
b) 1939-1945 Star
c) Air Crew Europe Star
d) Africa Star
e) War Medal, extremely fine (5)
£3,000-3,500
87

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
D.F.M. London Gazette 23.12.1941 971254 Sergeant Vernon Richardson Marsh No. 105
Squadron.
The Recommendation, dated 26.7.1941 states: ‘Sergeant Marsh has flown on some highly
successful raids. Besides taking part in the daylight raid on Bremen on 4th July, 1941, when
his aeroplane was considerably damaged by flak and in the daylight raid on the docks at
Rotterdam where his crew obtained direct hits on a ship of 8,000 tons in the stocks,
Sergeant Marsh has participated in attacks on four ships totalling 14,000 tons as follows:
16.5.1941 - M.V. of 2,500 tons off Norway. Two hits forward; 2.6.1941 - Collier of 1500
tons in Kiel Canal. Results unobserved; 7.7.1941 - M.V. of 4,000 tons in convoy off
Ijmuiden. Three bombs believed hit; 19.7.1941 - M.V. of 6,000 tons in convoy off The
Hague. Two hits amidships.
During both the attacks on convoys, his aeroplane came under heavy fire. Throughout these
operations, Sergeant Marsh has displayed great courage and coolness under fire, using his
twin guns with good effect against the enemy and also obtaining some excellent
photographs. His devotion to duty and marked display of the offensive spirit have been a
most valuable asset to his squadron.’
Sergeant Vernon Richardson Marsh, D.F.M. (1920-90), born in Wigan; flew with 105
Squadron (Blenheims), Swanton Morley, Norfolk, 1941, in operations including: the
Bomber raid led by Wing Commander Hughie Edwards over Bremen Port, 4.7.1941, ‘12
aircraft carried out a determined low-level raid on Bremen despite the lack of any cloud
cover: 4 of them were shot down. For his leadership on this raid, Wing Commander Hughie
Edwards, the Australian Commander of 105 Squadron, was awarded the Victoria Cross
(The Bomber Command War Diaries, refer). This raid was undertaken at a height of little
more than 50 feet at times, against one of the most heavily defended towns in Germany.
Passing under high tension cables and carrying away telegraph wires, the Blenheims pressed
on. All of the twelve aircraft were hit, and despite losing a third of their number, the
remaining aircraft successfully carried home the attack.
On 7.7.1941 Marsh was once again in a select group, as eleven aircraft attacked a convoy
between Hague and Ijmuiden, ‘The convoy consisted of eight Merchant Vessels of 2000 to
4000 tons, escorted by four Flak ships and one “E” Boat. Two hits were registered on one
4000 tons Merchant Vessel and another 4000 tons Merchant Vessel received three direct
hits, burst into flames and sank. One 2000/3000 ton Merchant Vessel was hit, causing an
explosion and clouds of black and then white smoke amidships’ (Operations Records
refers). The vessel that sank, received three direct hits from Marsh’s Blenhiem IV 6373,
piloted by Pilot Officer Broadley.
Nine days later Marsh took part, with a force of 36 Blenheims, in a low-level attack on
shipping in the Rotterdam docks. Broadley and his crew, once again achieved direct hits,
with Dutch reports giving twenty-two ships damaged as a result of this raid. Four Blenheims
were shot down by intense flak.
On the 25th July 1941 Marsh moved with a Detachment of 105 Squadron to Luqa, Malta
(Blenheims), for targets in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Seven days after the move,
three crews were detailed to attack Merchant Vessels in Lampedusa Harbour. Flight
Lieutenant Broadley, with Marsh as his Air Gunner, led the attack, ‘although hit by A.A. in
the starboard engine, he managed to drop his bombs on either two Merchant Vessels at
which he was aiming or a Destroyer which was close to them for there was a cloud of smoke
and ship’s debris was thrown into the air following the explosion of the hit, and Sergeant
Bendall’s 500 lbs bombs. His aircraft was seen to fly away from the port under control but
losing height very rapidly. It eventually dived nose first into the sea half a mile from the
shore South East of the island. The crew got out of the aircraft and swam around with Mae
Wests inflated for an hour before being picked up by an Italian rescue boat. All the crew of
Blenheim IV Z9605, Flight Lieutenant Broadley, Pilot Officer A.S. Ramsay and Sergeant
Marsh received wounds in the crash, Ramsay’s proving to be mortal. Marsh reported
Ramsay’s last words to be, ‘I’m going, fellows. Cheerio and Good luck.’ (Letter from the
Chairman of the Red Cross Society to Ramsay’s Mother, refers). The remaining two crew
members were taken to hospital to have their wounds attended; three days later Marsh was
released from hospital to be interned in an Italian prisoner of war camp, eventually being
transferred to Germany where he spent the remainder of the war. Ramsay was awarded a
posthumous D.F.C.
PROVENANCE:
This lot has been donated in its entirety from the Collection of Lord Ashcroft, K.C.M.G.
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
21
21
A Second War 1942 ‘Wellington Rear Gunner’s’
D.F.M. Group of Seven to Flight Sergeant, Later
Flight Lieutenant, G. Williams, Royal Air Force,
Who Shot a Me.109 Down Over the German
Frisian Islands, 17.7.1941
a) Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (818176.
F/Sgt. G. Williams. R.A.F.)
b) 1939-1945 Star
c) Air Crew Europe Star
d) Africa Star
e) Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaf
f) Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R. (Plt. Off. G. Williams
R.A.F.V.R.), nearly extremely fine or better, with the
following related documents &c.:
- (2) R.A.F. Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log
Books, covering the periods 10.10.1940-3.9.1941
and 15.10.1941-26.4.1944 respectively
- Air Council enclosure for the Second War awards
- Buckingham Palace ticket for the Investiture of the
recipient’s D.F.M., dated 15.12.1942
- A small and incomplete collection of Player’s
Cigarettes Cards ‘Aircraft of the Royal Air Force’ (lot)
£2,200-2,600
D.F.M. London Gazette 15.5.1942 818176 Flight Sergeant
George Williams, Auxiliary Air Force, No. 104 Squadron.
The Recommendation states: ‘This air gunner has taken part
in 37 operational sorties. His devotion to duty is such that he
has often volunteered to undertake sorties in the place of air
gunners who have been sick. On one of these occasions, he
shot down an enemy fighter which attempted to attack his
aircraft after it had been damaged by anti-aircraft fire. In an
attack on Brest, in daylight, Sergeant Williams rendered
valuable assistance to his formation leader by giving accurate
directions to evade numerous enemy fighters. Throughout
his operational career this airman has displayed a high
standard of morale. He has rendered excellent service to his
squadron gunnery leader.’
Flight Lieutenant George Williams, D.F.M., A.E.,
enlisted in the Royal Air Force and whilst carrying out initial
training with No. 15 O.T.U., Harwell, took part as a
Wellington tail gunner in his first operational sortie,
17.1.1941, ‘Nickel Raid, Paris, Lille, Amien’; after
89
completing training posted for operational flying to No. 104
Squadron (Wellingtons), Driffield, April 1941; flew in at least
37 operational sorties including: Wilhelmshaven, 8.5.1941:
‘Only us on the target’ (Log Book refers); on a subsequent
mission, 17.7.1941: ‘engaged 2 Me.109s over Frisian
Islands. Claimed as probables’ (ibid), before the daylight
attack on Brest Harbour, 24.7.1941: ‘Nine German fighters
seen, hit by flak, returned safely’ (ibid). In August 1941
Williams took part in a raid on Dortmund, and had to
contend with more than the usual flak: ‘Bombing successful.
Struck by lightning on return. Fired on by British Navy. Hit
in rear turret and port engine. Made forced landing at
Cranwell. Port engine on fire. Missed death by two inches.’
(ibid). This was followed up by a night raid on Duisburg,
28.8.1941: ‘Encountered very heavy search light belts and
held in two cones, came down to 2,500 feet in second cone
and shot out three search lights, sprayed others, and all went
out. Used all my ammo, and attacked by fighters’ (ibid).
When returning from a raid over Brest, 3.9.1941, his
Wellington’s port engine caught fire, and he crashed into a
corn field near RAF Leeming, resulting in an extended stay in
Harrogate Hospital. After a period of recuperation he moved
with the Squadron to Malta, and operated out of Luqa, in
raids over Italy and North Africa, including Tripoli,
22.10.1941 ‘After ships in the Harbour. Came down to 2000
feet. Good shooting at searchlights- think I got one. Sprayed
ground troops. Saw them fall like flies’ (ibid); El Mallehah
Aerodrome, 5.11.1941 ‘Diversion raid went in at 1,300 feet
but came out damn smart through accurate light flak.
Starboard engine stopped but Captain got it going again.
Went down again gun straffing, made the rats sit up and
think fired 2,000 rounds’ (ibid). Further sorties included
operations over Naples, Benghazi, Castel Benito, and Tripoli,
26.12.1941: ‘ First stick of bombs seen to hit warehouse on
Spanish mole starting big fire. Second stick fell alongside
ship, must have hit it or very near miss. Best bombing trip
ever been on. Saw Axis troops so had some fun. 1,000
Rounds, left lorries on fire’ (ibid). He completed his tour,
7.3.1942: ‘Now for Blighty and a rest’ (ibid). Subsequent
Instructional postings included No. 1 A.A.S., RAF Manby,
and No. 7 A.G.S., RAF Stormy Down.
Commissioned Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve, 17.2.1944, he was promoted Flying Officer,
17.8.1944, and following the end of the War was awarded
the Air Efficiency Award, 23.5.1946. Promoted Flight
Lieutenant, 26.9.1954, Williams relinquished his
commission, 25.11.1960.

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
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22
A Good 1943 Bomber Command ‘Immediate’ D.F.M. to Lancaster Navigator Sergeant, Later Flight Lieutenant,
L.C.A. Dowdell, Royal Air Force, For His Gallantry In Pressing Home A Raid Over Leipzig, 20.10.1943, and
Subsequent Safe Return, Despite His Lancaster Having Been on Fire For Over Four Hours
Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1395833. Sgt. L.C.A. Dowdell. R.A.F.), extremely fine, in named card box of issue,
with the following related items:
- City and Guilds of London Institute Technological Examination Prize Medal, the edge inscribed ‘Leslie Charles Andrew
Dowdell, First Prize, Electrical Installation Work, Course C, 1954.’
- Postagram to the recipient from Air Chief Marshal Sir A.T. ‘Bomber’ Harris congratulating him on the award of his
D.F.M., dated 30.10.1943 and signed ‘A.T. Harris’
- Letter to the recipient from Air Vice-Marshal E.A.B. Rice congratulating him on the award of his D.F.M.
- Two newspaper cuttings regarding the incident for which Dowdell was awarded the D.F.M.
- Eight group and individual photographs of the recipient
£1,800-2,200
D.F.M. London Gazette 16.11.1943 1395833 Sergeant Leslie Charles Andrew Dowdell, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 100
Squadron [in a joint citation with Warrant Officer Claude Edward White (awarded the C.G.M.)]
‘One night in October, 1943, Warrant Officer White and Sergeant Dowdell were pilot and navigator respectively of an aircraft detailed to
attack Leipzig. Soon after leaving the airfield, the intercommunication system became unserviceable, and later after crossing the enemy
coast, one of the bomber’s engines became defective. Before the propeller could be feathered, the engine burst into flames. An extinguisher
failed to put out the fire completely and it burned sufficiently bright to illuminate the fuselage and tailplane. In spite of this, Warrant
Officer White flew on to the target and bombed it. On the homeward flight, Sergeant Dowdell displayed exceptional skill and resource
and, in spite of great difficulties, unerringly guided his pilot to base. The defective engine was still alight when the airfield was reached but
Warrant Officer White effected a masterly landing. As the bomber touched down the flames from the engine shot upwards and threatened
to envelop the bomber but Warrant Officer White coolly ensured that his crew safely disembarked whilst he attended to the switches and
petrol cocks. In serious circumstances, this gallant pilot displayed skill, coolness and tenacity which inspired all, while Sergeant Dowdell
proved a valuable member of aircraft crew and supported his captain valiantly.’
The Recommendation, dated 21.10.1943, states: ‘On the night of the 20th-21st October 1943, Sergeant Dowdell was the Navigator of
a heavy bomber which carried out a singularly resolute attack on Leipzig. When still well over 100 miles from the target, the port outer
engine caught fire. In spite of such a misfortune, his inspiring influence was instrumental in pressing home an attack. On the return journey
severe icing and electrical storms were again encountered but by careful and accurate D.R. navigation he maintained the track required.
As the port outer engine was unserviceable and continually bursting into flames and thereby rendering his navigational equipment noneffective,
he displayed unusual initiative and technical knowledge in connecting up leads to another source of supply, thus enabling him
to have the full use of the equipment on the return journey. Sergeant Dowdell has continually shown the greatest interest and initiative
in the technical aspects of his work and has proved of great value in training new crews in the use of special apparatus. He has now
completed 25 successful sorties and it is recommended that such a fine record of achievement, combined with his enthusiasm and
determination to inflict the maximum damage on the German centres of industry be recognised by the immediate award of the
Distinguished Flying Medal.’
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Remarks by Station Commander: ‘The outstanding initiative
and resourcefulness displayed by Sergeant Dowdell on the
night of the 20th-21st October, 1943, is worthy of the
highest praise, especially when the adverse weather
conditions and stiff enemy opposition which prevailed
throughout the flight are taken into account. Sergeant
Dowdell has proved himself to be a skilful and conscientious
Navigator throughout his tour and it is considered that the
many successes achieved by his crew have been made possible
largely by the accuracy of this N.C.O.’s work coupled with
his coolness and courage when harassed by enemy ground
and night fighter defences. The Squadron Commander’s
recommendation for the immediate award of the
Distinguished Flying Medal is strongly endorsed.’
Flight Lieutenant Leslie Charles Andrew Dowdell,
D.F.M., born Torvil, Maidstone, Kent, 21.7.1922; served
during the Second World War in the Royal Air Force with
No. 100 Squadron (Lancasters), based at Waltham,
Lincolnshire; took part in the raid on Leipzig, 20.10.1943,
the 25th sortie of his tour: ‘All except one of a Lancaster
squadron had returned from the raid on Leipzig on October
20th. The station ground staff were “waiting up” for the
missing bomber when a Lancaster of another squadron, out
of petrol, asked permission to land. Just then a glow appeared
in the sky. It was the missing bomber- Lancaster B2- on fire.
It had been on fire for four hours. That was the end to a
remarkable sortie in which Lancaster B2 was in trouble
almost from the take-off. While still over base the “intercom”
went dead and the crew had to fall back on an
emergency system. Over Germany the Lancaster ran into
icing cloud and severe electrical storms. One engine seized
and caught fire. The pilot feathered the propeller and used
the emergency extinguisher, but the flames, where the oil and
glycol were burning, went on. The flames lit up the fuselage
and tailplane and made the bomber an easy mark for fighters
and anti-aircraft guns, but the pilot pressed on towards the
target. The electrical storms upset the navigator’s watch, and
he went badly off course and lost time. The Lancaster lost
Flight Lieutenant L.C.A. Dowdell
height, but still she pressed on towards Leipzig. They were
twenty minutes late for the attack, but still managed to drop
their biggest bomb and a large number of incendiaries on the
target. A searchlight cone held her. She escaped and reached
the Dutch coast. The fire still burned. Finally she made it
back to her home base.’ (account in the Daily Express,
annotated by the recipient, refers).
Dowdell was Commissioned Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force
Volunteer Reserve, 10.12.1943; promoted Flying Officer,
10.6.1944; and was invested with his D.F.M., 28.11.1944;
finally being promoted Flight Lieutenant, 10.12.1945. After
the War he became a lecturer in electrical engineering at
Maidstone Boys’ Technical College, retiring in 1985. He
died in Maidstone, 12.12.2011.
Flight Lieutenant L.C.A. Dowdell (second from right) with the crew of the Lancaster B2
91

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
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23
A Scarce 1950 A.F.M. Group of Eight to Pilot 1, Later Master Pilot, S.
Goodyear, Royal Air Force
a) Air Force Medal, G.VI.R. (1145998. Plt.1. S. Goodyear. R.A.F.)
b) 1939-1945 Star
c) Africa Star
d) Italy Star
e) Defence and War Medals
f) General Service 1962-2007, two clasps, Borneo, Malay Peninsula (M.Plt. S.
Goodyear (M1145998) R.A.F.)
g) Royal Air Force Long Service & G.C., E.II.R., with Second Award Bar (M.Plt.
S. Goodyear (1145998). R.A.F.), good very fine and better (8)
£1,800-2,200
A.F.M. London Gazette 8.6.1950 1145998 Pilot 1 Sidney Goodyear, R.A.F.
The Recommendation states: ‘Pilot 1 Goodyear has been in British Air Forces of
Occupation since January, 1947, and has been in No. 14 (Mosquito) Squadron since
October, 1947. During this time he has flown 600 hours in the Squadron, including 67
hours night flying. He has, at all times, displayed an unfailing keenness to achieve his aim.
He has set an excellent example of loyalty, courage, and devotion to duty, and he has also
played a large part in training new and inexperienced arrivals in his squadron. Although
Pilot 1 Goodyear has only carried out 88 hours flying in the last six months, much of this
has been on meteorological ascents and night flying. The meteorological ascents, in
particular, are a regular daily commitment in the command, and make a notable
contribution to the meteorological service. They are carried out in all conditions of weather,
and seldom fail. This pilot has made a notable contribution to the service. The flying carried
out to complete successful meteorological flights over a continuous period must always be
of an arduous and sometimes hazardous nature. Pilot 1 Goodyear has completed 67
successful meteorological flights and, in doing so, has set a fine example of courage and
determination to the whole Squadron, which has been largely responsible for the
satisfactory results obtained by the Squadrons.’
Master Pilot Sidney Goodyear, A.F.M., served with the Royal Air Force during the
Second World War, and with the British Forces of Occupation from January 1947, flying
some 1200 hours prior to his posting to No. 14 (Mosquito) Squadron, October 1947,
based at RAF Station Wahn n Koln; while with the Squadron he was involved with low and
medium level bombing practice and exercises, as well as meteorological flying. Awarded
L.S. & G.C., 6.7.1959; he subsequently served in North Borneo and the Malay Peninsula
with No. 209 Squadron, flying casevac operations in Pioneers.
One of only 23 A.F.M.s awarded to men with the rank of Pilot 1.
WWW.SPINK.COM

September 6, 2012 - LONDON
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24
A Military Division B.E.M. Group of Four to
Chief Technician, Later Squadron Leader, R.
Murphy, Royal Air Force
a) British Empire Medal, Military Division, E.II.R.
(569693 Ch. Tech. Ronald Murphy. R.A.F.)
b) Defence and War Medals
c) Royal Air Force Long Service & G.C. (569693 Ch.
Tech. R. Murphy. R.A.F.), good very fine, mounted as
worn, with the recipient’s related miniature awards (4)
£250-300
B.E.M. London Gazette 31.5.1956 569693 Chief Technician
Ronald Murphy, Royal Air Force.
Squadron Leader Ronald Murphy, B.E.M., (1920-92);
educated at the Grammar School, March, Cambridgeshire;
enlisted in the Royal Air Force, August 1936; awarded L.S.
& G.C., 25.8.1954; Commissioned Flying Officer,
14.3.1957; promoted Flight Lieutenant, 14.3.1960;
Squadron Leader, 1.7.1965; retired, 5.5.1973.
93

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
25
Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R. (Act. Flt. Lt. L.C.
Thompson. R.A.F.V.R.), extremely fine, in named
card box of issue
£100-140
Squadron Leader Lawrence Cyril Thompson, A.E.,
Commissioned Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve, 17.9.1941; promoted Flying Officer, 1.10.1942;
awarded Air Efficiency Award, 6.3.1947; promoted Flight
Lieutenant, 24.10.1947; retired, with the rank of Squadron
Leader, 10.2.1954.
26
Canadian Forces Decoration, E.II.R. (F/L G.W.
Hynes), good very fine
£40-50
27
Three: Lieutenant O.T. Walton, Royal Flying
Corps, Late South Lancashire Regiment, Killed in
Action, 12.4.1917, When His Plane Collided With
and Destroyed A 9 Victory German Ace During
Aerial Combat
1914-15 Star (2.Lieut. O.T. Walton. S.Lan.R.);
British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. O.T. Walton.),
nearly extremely fine (3)
£240-280
Lieutenant Oswald Thomas Walton, born Crofton-on-
Tees, North Yorkshire, the son of the Rev. John Walton, of
Langton-on-Swale, Northallerton, North Yorkshire;
educated at Worksop College and Oxford University;
Commissioned Second Lieutenant, South Lancashire
Regiment, 22.4.1915; served with the 3rd Battalion during
the Great War on the Western Front from 8.10.1915;
transferred to 18th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps; killed in
action during aerial combat over Baralle, northern France,
with the German Ace Lieutenant Adolf Schulte, when his
F.E.2d collided with the German’s Albatross D.III,
12.4.1917- both men’s planes were destroyed, claiming each
other as their final ‘kill’; Walton is buried in the H.A.C.
Cemetery at Ecoust-St. Mein, France.
28
Pair: Lieutenant P.E. Mercer, Royal Air Force
British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. P.E. Mercer.
R.A.F.), nearly extremely fine (2)
£140-180
Lieutenant Percy Edward Mercer, born September 1892;
Commissioned Second Lieutenant, General List,
22.11.1917; served during the Great War with No.35
Squadron, Royal Air Force in France from 23.4.1918;
wounded whilst piloting an Armstrong Whitworth on patrol
over Ephey, northern France, when his plane was struck by an
enemy anti-aircraft shell, 9.9.1918; promoted Lieutenant,
13.7.1919; discharged from hospital, 7.11.1919;
relinquished his Commission on account of ill health,
13.1.1920.
29
Pair: Second Lieutenant H.W. Mitchell, Royal Air
Force
British War and Victory Medals (2/Lieut. H.W.
Mitchell. R.A.F.), BWM rubbed and prepared prior to
naming, very fine (2)
£80-120
Second Lieutenant Hodgson William Mitchell, born
18.1.1900; Commissioned Second Lieutenant, Royal Air
Force, 28.9.1918; served during the Great War on the
Western Front as an Observer with No.59 Squadron from
6.10.1918; wounded in the leg by a Machine Gun fired from
the ground whilst on counter attack patrol duty, 9.11.1918;
transferred to No.6 Squadron and served in Mesopotamia,
30.4.1919; discharged, 17.12.1919; during the Second
World War served as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Army
Ordnance Corps from 14.3.1942.
30
Pair: Second Lieutenant A.J.M. Ozmond, Royal
Air Force
British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut. A.J.M.
Ozmond. R.A.F.), surname officially corrected on both,
very fine
British War Medal (2. Lieut. F.E. Green. R.A.F.),
nearly extremely fine
Victory Medal (2. Lieut. A. Carter. R.A.F.), good
very fine (4)
£120-150
Second Lieutenant Francis Edward Green, born
18.1.1900; enlisted as 37706 Private in the East Surrey Rifles
and served with them during the Great War; Commissioned
Second Lieutenant, Royal Air Force, 18.8.1918, and served
with No.218 Squadron; crashed on landing after a bombing
raid, 18.10.1918; retired, 9.8.1919.
Second Lieutenant Alan Carter, born Fulham, London;
served during the Great War with 8th Squadron, Royal Air
Force; killed whilst flying, 25.6.1918, and is buried in St.
Riquier British Cemetery, France.
31
Pair: Second Lieutenant I.M.M. Perman, Royal Air
Force, Late Balloon Section, Royal Naval Air
Service
British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut. I.M.M.
Perman. R.A.F.), good very fine (2)
£80-120
Second Lieutenant Ian Mackintosh Myrie Perman, born
County Clare, Ireland, September 1895; educated at Fettes
College, Edinburgh; served with the R.N.A.S. Airships
Balloon Section during the Great War; Commissioned
Second Lieutenant, Royal Air Force, 1.4.1918; posted to
Airship Station, Uxbridge, 19.10.1918; retired, 5.9.1919;
died, 3.5.1958
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
33
32
Pair: Second Lieutenant L.F. Roswell, Royal Air
Force
British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut. L.F.
Roswell. R.A.F.), nearly extremely fine (2)
£140-180
Second Lieutenant Lionel Frederick Roswell, born July
1899; enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps, 8.8.1917;
Commissioned Second Lieutenant, Royal Air Force,
23.5.1918; served during the Great War with No.9 Squadron
as an Observer; wounded by Machine Gun fire from the
ground, 16.8.1918; discharged, 21.3.1919.
33
Pair: Airman First Class T.N.E. Sawyer, Royal
Flying Corps
British War and Victory Medals (15788. 1.A.M.
T.N.E. Sawyer. R.F.C.), extremely fine, with two fabric
Royal Flying Corps shoulder titles (2)
£60-80
95

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
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34
A Second War ‘Battle of Britain’ and ‘Western
Desert’ Hurricane Pilot’s Campaign Group of Six
to Squadron Leader R.A. Kings, Royal Air Force
Volunteer Reserve, Who Flew With No. 238
Squadron and Claimed 1 Destroyed and 1
Damaged During the Battle; He Baled Out Over
The Isle of Wight, 26.9.1940, His Aircraft Having
Been Set On Fire In His Moment of Victory
1939-1945 Star, with Battle of Britain Bar; Air Crew
Europe Star; Africa Star, with North Africa 1942-43
Bar; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaf; Air
Efficiency Award. G.VI.R. (Flt. Lt. R.A. Kings.
R.A.F.V.R.), good very fine, with the following related
items:
- The recipient’s related miniature awards, these lacking
the Defence Medal
- (2) R.A.F. Pilot’s Flying Log Books, covering the
periods 1.8.1938-30.10.1942 and 1.11.1942-
5.4.1945 respectively
- The recipient’s Mentioned in Despatches Certificate,
dated 8.6.1944
- The recipient’s well annotated photograph album,
covering the period 1940-47
- The recipient’s Flying Jacket (lot)
£4,000-5,000
M.I.D. London Gazette 8.6.1944 Acting Squadron Leader
R.A. Kings (82953), R.A.F.V.R.
Squadron Leader Robert Austin Kings, A.E., born
22.10.1914; enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve, July 1938, carried out initial training at No. 29
F.T.S., Luton, taking to the skies for the first time, 1.8.1938;
flying his first solo 25.8.1938, and awarded his Wings
9.5.1939, re-mustered to the rank of Sergeant Pilot.
Commissioned Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve, 3.8.1940, and posted to No. 6 O.T.U., based at
RAF Sutton Bridge, for conversion to Hurricanes; Kings
joined No. 238 Squadron, St. Eval, 31.8.1940, for service
during the Battle of Britain. His first contact with the enemy
during the Battle came on the 15th September: ‘Large claim
of enemy aircraft destroyed made today. Squadron dived on
He.111s all firing- then shambles- screaming R/T, balloons,
parachutists, fire on ground. I finally spotted another He.111
limping away- chased him- we both dived into cloud and lost
sight. Finished up out to sea somewhere!’ ( Log Book refers).
On the 25th September Kings claimed one He.111
Damaged: ‘I attacked one of the rear enemy aircraft and fired
from about 300 yards quarter attack developing to astern 4
seconds. Then when I was astern another very long burst of
6 seconds. Closing right in I experienced Hun fire from
enemy aircraft all the time.’ (Combat Report refers). The
following day he intercepted ‘80 bandits’ taking part in a raid
on Southampton: ‘I He.111 Destroyed. Self set on fire and
landed by parachute on Isle of Wight’ (Log Book refers).
Four days later, on the 30th September, he baled out again,
after a mid-air collision at 18,000 feet over Shaftesbury, and
was badly injured in a heavy landing owing to a damaged
parachute, and spent the next three weeks in Shaftesbury
Military Hospital.
Posted to No. 238 Squadron (Hurricanes), November 1940,
on the 18th May 1941 Kings embarked with the Squadron
onboard the carrier H.M.S. Victorious, en route for the
Middle East; whilst on board Victorious was tasked to take
part in the hunt for the Bismarck; the latter was sunk before
her arrival, allowing Kings to resume his journey- eventually
he flew off Victorious 30 miles south of Majorca, 14.6.1941,
for Malta. After re-fuelling, the he with eight other members
of his Squadron moved onto Egypt for service in the Western
Desert. Finally arriving at his posting, attached to No. 274
Squadron, he flew out of El Gerawla. Promoted Flying
Officer, 3.8.1941, on the 26th November he was involved in
a sweep on the Tobruk Area: ‘Crash landed, having been hit
by Me.109 at Bir el Sansenna: wheels up. Picked up and spent
the night with 22nd Armoured Brigade. Crept into Tobruk
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Squadron Leader R.A. Kings
by night, part of convoy of 300-400: Leader blew up on mine
and another car hit by shell. Plenty of “bods” en route!
(ibid). Having been entertained by the Army on this
occasion, on the 20th February 1942 he was involved in a
patrol over Matruh: ‘Landed in Matruh harbour owing to a
sand-storm- entertained by the Navy!’ (ibid). On the 30th
April 1942 Kings was posted to the A.D.U. in the Delta, and
remained with it until May 1945. Promoted Flight
Lieutenant, 3.8.1942, at the end of the War he was awarded
the Air Efficiency Award, 10.5.1945. In November 1945 he
was posted to India, serving at RAF Poona and Calcutta,
before returning to the U.K. shortly after India achieved
Independence; Appointed to the Aircraft Control Branch,
24.11.1950. He retired with the rank of Squadron Leader,
27.10.1964.
Squadron Leader R.A. Kings
97

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
36
35
A Second War Group of Four to Lancaster Mid-
Upper Gunner Flight Lieutenant J.A. Walker,
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Who Flew in
28 Operational Sorties, Including the Famous
Peenemunde Raid, 17.8.1943, And to Berlin and
Back 5 Times
1939-1945 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and
War Medals, extremely fine, with Air Council
enclosure, in named card box of issue addressed to
F/L. J.A. Walker, ‘The Outpost’... rest of address
illegible, with the following related items:
- R.A.F. Flying Log Book, covering the period
27.2.1942 - 7.6.1945
- The recipient’s Air Gunner’s brevet
- Active Service Edition New Testament Bible
- The recipient’s two identity dog-tags (4)
£250-350
Flight Lieutenant John Angus Walker, enlisted Royal Air
Force, December 1942, and carried out initial training at No.
4 A.G.S., Morpeth, and No. 81 O.T.U.; Commissioned Pilot
Officer, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 20.2.1943;
posted for operational flying to No. 12 Squadron
(Lancasters), Wickenby, May 1943, and during his first tour
took part in 28 Operation Sorties including: Dortmund;
Wuppertal; Essen; Oberhausen (2); Gelsenkerchen (2);
Cologne (2); Turin; Hamburg (2); Genoa; Mannheim (2);
Nurmberg; Peenemunde, 17.8.1943; Leverkusen; Berlin (5);
Hannover (2); Frankfurt; Leipzig; and Dusseldorf. Promoted
Flying Officer, 20.8.1943, having completed his first
Operational Tour with a raid over Berlin, 2.1.1944, posted
for Instructional duties, No. 83 O.T.U., Peplow, March
1944. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 20.2.1945, and posted
to No. 90 Squadron (Lancasters), Tuddenham, February
1945; transferring to No. 186 Squadron, April 1945;
resigned his Commission, 17.2.1947.
36
A Well-Documented Second War ‘Caterpillar
Club’ Group of Three to Ventura Navigator Flight
Lieutenant P.C. Middleton, Royal Air Force, Shot
Down Over Occupied France, 3.2.1943, He Spent
the Rest of The War as a Prisoner in the Infamous
Stalag Luft III
1939-1945 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal,
extremely fine, with the following related items:
- The recipient’s Caterpillar Club brooch Badge,
silver-gilt, the reverse engraved ‘F/O P.C.
Middleton’, with related Membership Card and two
letters from Leslie L. Irvin
- Air Observer Brevet
- Bomber Command Commemorative Medal 1939-
45
- The recipient’s Prisoner of War Identity tag
- Various telegrams and letters, both official and
personal, to the recipient’s family, informing them that
the recipient was Missing in Action, 3.2.1943, and had
subsequently been made Prisoner of War
- Copies of letters written by the recipient to his wife
whilst a Prisoner of War, describing life and conditions
in Stalag Luft III
- Copy of the recipient’s account of the evacuation of
Stalag Luft III, 27.1.1945
- Various photographs of the recipient, both in
uniform and as part of the Stalag Luft III theatre
company (lot)
£400-500
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Flying Officer Philip Charles Middleton, born
11.10.1912; Commissioned Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force,
13.7.1942; served with No.464 Squadron (Venturas), and
took part in Operation Oyster, 6.12.1942, the attack on the
Phillips Radio works at Eindhoven, Holland; promoted
Flying Officer, 13.1.1943; shot down during an attack on St.
Omer airfield, in the second stage of Operation Circus 258,
3.2.1943, when the crew of four all baled out, ‘my life was
saved by an Irvin ‘chute, when I had to bale out over France
at 10,000 feet on Feb 3rd. If you could recommend me for
the Caterpillar Club I should be very grateful’ (letter from the
recipient to Leslie Irvin refers). Middleton and his skipper,
Roy Roberts, were taken prisoner of war and transferred to
Stalag Luft III, where he remained for the rest of the War,
and was present in the camp during the ‘Great Escape’,
24.3.1944; Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 13.7.1944; retired,
11.10.1957.
Flight Lieutenant P.C. Middleton
Flight Lieutenant P.C. Middleton (second from left) with the Stalag Luft III Theatre Company, September 1943
99

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
38
37
Three: Pilot Officer W.A. Saunders, Royal Air Force, Killed in Action
14.6.1940
1939-1945 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal, all contemporarily impressed
‘P/O. W.A. Saunders. R.A.F.’, minor correction to surname on last, extremely fine,
with named Air Council enclosure (3)
£180-220
Pilot Officer William Anthony Saunders, of Reading, Berkshire; Commissioned Pilot
Officer, Royal Air Force and served during the Second World War with No. 21 Squadron
(Blenheims), Bodney, March 1940; his first operational sortie was an attack on German
patrol vessels off the German-Danish coast, 31.3.1940; the following month he took part
in two missions against enemy warships at sea, and a strike against Wilhelmshaven,
5.4.1940; his 22nd operational sortie was a strike against Merville aerodrome, 14.6.1940:
‘Level bombing attack delivered from 9,000 feet. Slight AA fire and fighter attack
experienced P/O Saunders, Sergeant Eden and Sergeant Webb seemed to be in trouble
with AA fire and fell out of formation, and was then followed by Enemy Aircraft. Fate
unknown’ (Operations Record Book No. 21 Squadron refers). In all probability, Saunders
gallantly stayed at his controls as his Blenheim was chased by a Me.109 to allow his two
crew members to bale out, for the latter were both taken Prisoner of War. His body was
never recovered, and his name is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
PROVENANCE:
Campion Collection, September 2003
38
Five: Flight Sergeant J.C. Savill, Royal Air Force
1939-1945 Star; Africa Star, with North Africa 1942-43 Bar; Defence and War
Medals; Royal Air Force Long Service & G.C., G.VI.R., with Second Award Bar
(565417 Act. F. Sgt. J.C. Savill. R.A.F.), good very fine (5)
£140-180
WWW.SPINK.COM

September 6, 2012 - LONDON
39
39
Six: Sergeant S.L. Varnham, Royal Air Force
1939-1945 Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals; General Service 1918-62,
E.II.R., one clasp, Malaya (1108637 Act. Sgt. S.L. Varnham. R.A.F.); Royal Air
Force Long Service & G.C., E.II.R. (1108637 Sgt. S.L. Varnham. R.A.F.), good
very fine (6)
£140-180
40
Five: Flying Officer F.G. Wigmore, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
1939-1945 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals; Air
Efficiency Award, G.VI.R. (Fg. Off. F.G. Wigmore. R.A.F.V.R.), good very fine
(5)
£120-150
Flying Officer Francis George Wigmore, A.E., Commissioned Pilot Officer, Balloon
Branch, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 5.11.1941; promoted Flying Officer,
1.10.1942; awarded the Air Efficiency Award, 13.1.1949; retired, 31.1.1959.
41
Four: Leading Aircraftsman J. Horton, Royal Air Force
Burma Star; Defence and War Medals; General Service 1918-62, G.VI.R., one
clasp, S.E. Asia 1945-46 (1250387 L.A.C. J. Horton. R.A.F.), good very fine (4)
£80-100
101

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
42
42
Three: Flight Officer V.S. Hynes, Women’s Royal
Air Force
Defence and War Medals; General Service 1918-62,
E.II.R., one clasp, Malaya (Flt. Off. V.S. Hynes.
W.R.A.F.), good very fine (3)
£240-280
Flight Officer Vera Stevens Hynes, appointed a Section
Officer, Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, September 1942;
Commissioned Flight Officer, Women’s Royal Air Force,
9.3.1949; retired 27.6.1960.
43
Three: Squadron Leader G.H. Evans, [M.B.E.],
Royal Air Force
Defence and War Medals; General Service 1918-62,
E.II.R., one clasp, Cyprus (Flt. Lt. G.H. Evans.
R.A.F.), minor edge bruise to last, very fine (3)
£120-150
M.B.E. London Gazette 11.6.1977 Squadron Leader George
Henry Evans (163346), Royal Air Force
Squadron Leader George Henry Evans, M.B.E.,
Commissioned Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force Volunteer
Reserve, 24.2.1945; promoted Flying Officer, 24.2.1946;
Flight Lieutenant, 17.7.1955; Squadron Leader, 17.7.1973;
retired, 11.5.1979.
43
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
44
44
Three: Flight Lieutenant C.H.F. Palser, Auxiliary
Air Force
Defence and War Medals; Air Efficiency Award,
G.VI.R. (Flt. Lt. C.H.F. Palser. A.A.F.), nearly
extremely fine (3)
£140-180
Flight Lieutenant Clement Henry Ford Palser, A.E.,
Commissioned Pilot Officer, Auxiliary Air Force, 4.8.1939,
serving with No.933 (Hampshire) Squadron, Balloon
Branch; on the 12th August 1940 the enemy launched a
fierce daylight raid on the barrage balloons of 933 Squadron
at Gosport, which resulted in the death of ten airmen and two
civilians; promoted Flying Officer, 3.9.1940; Flight
Lieutenant, 1.3.1942; awarded the Air Efficiency Award,
15.7.1948; retired, 10.10.1954.
45
Pair: Chief Technician D.B. Burley, Royal Air
Force
General Service 1918-62, E.II.R., one clasp, Arabian
Peninsula (4029390 Snr. Tech. D.B. Burley. R.A.F.);
Royal Air Force Long Service & G.C., E.II.R.
(J4029390 Ch. Tech. D.B. Burley. R.A.F.), nearly
very fine, mounted as worn (2)
£80-120
45
103

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
46
46
Three: Flight Lieutenant M.W. Rickard, Royal Air
Force
General Service 1962-2007, one clasp, Air Operations
Iraq (Fg Off M W Rickard RAF); NATO Service
Medal, one clasp, Former Yugoslavia; Jubilee 2002,
extremely fine, mounted court style as worn, with the
following related items:
- Operation Northern Watch Certificate of
Appreciation, named to Flying Officer Mark Rickard,
in glazed display frame
- NATO Bestowal Document for the NATO Medal
for service in Kosovo, named to Flight Lieutenant M
W Rickard
- Cloth and rank insignia
- Operation Northern Watch recognition flash
- Group photograph of the recipient (3)
£1,000-1,200
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Flight Lieutenant Mark Wolfe Rickard, Commissioned
Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force, 6.10.1994; promoted Flying
Officer, 6.4.1997; served in Operation Northern Watch as
part of the R.A.F.s Operation Warden detachment during the
summer of 1998, and posted to HQ Command Task Force
Base, Incirlik, Turkey, as part of the mission to enforce the
No Fly Zone in Northern Iraq; received a Certificate of
Appreciation ‘For outstanding contributions in support of
the Northern Iraq security and humanitarian relief effort
during Operation Northern Watch Operation Warden’;
served in Operation Joint Guardian in Former Yugoslavia in
command of the RAF Mobile Administration Support Team
in Croatia, Macedonia, and Kosovo, as part of NATO’s Allied
Rapid Reaction Corps, 16.4.1999-8.7.2000, and took part in
the famous rush to Pristina Airfield under the command of
Major General M. Jackson, June 1999; promoted Flight
Lieutenant, 6.4.2001; retired, 1.9.2003.
Flight Lieutenant M.W. Rickard (front row, third from right) outside the H.Q. Command
Task Force Base at Incirlik, Turkey, during Operation Northern Watch
105

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
Medals and Memorabilia to the Baxter and Gray Families
47
Second Lieutenant E.F. Baxter
47
The Great War Pair to Second Lieutenant E.F. Baxter [V.C.], Liverpool
Regiment
British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. E.F. Baxter.), nearly extremely fine, with
the following related items and documentation:
- The recipient’s related miniature awards, comprising the Victoria Cross, British
War Medal, and Victory Medal
- An emotive leather-bound scrapbook, containing contemporary newspaper
cuttings regarding the recipient, his death, and the award of the V.C.
- A large number of original letters from the recipient to his mother and sisters,
covering the period 9.1.1916-12.4.1916, all signed ‘Felix’
- Various portrait photographs of the recipient
- The recipient’s ‘motorbike’ notebook, and various photographs of the recipient
and his motorbike
- Invitation to Mrs. Baxter to Their Majesties’ Afternoon Party, Buckingham
Palace, 26.6.1920
- Correspondence from Mrs. Baxter to her mother following the death of her
husband, regarding receiving the Victoria Cross from the King, and visiting her
husband’s grave
- Portrait photographs of the recipient’s wife and daughter
- Correspondence and photographs from the Imperial War Museum regarding
the presentation of the recipient’s Victoria Cross to the Museum, August-
November 1988 (lot)
£5,000-7,000
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
conspicuous gallantry he was awarded the Victoria Cross. As
Baxter’s Commanding Officer wrote to his widow after the
action: ‘The raid was successful, due to a great extent to the
gallantry and resource of your husband. The men say his
gallantry and coolness were marvellous. He has not been with
us very long, but we had realised what a splendid fellow he
was. I have lost one of my best officers; no words of mine can
express my admiration of him. The whole Battalion is very
upset over his loss.’
Baxter’s Victoria Cross was presented to his widow by King
George V in a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace,
29.11.1916: ‘The Victoria Cross is really beautiful and I am
so very proud of it. I wasn’t the least bit nervous and King
George is awfully nice- he didn’t make any stiff speech, just
chatted and asked me how long I had been married. He is
charming.’ (letter from the recipient’s widow to her mother
refers). He is buried in Fillievres British Cemetery, France.
Following his death his widow re-married in October 1922
Alexander Gray, the future Air Vice Marshal.
V.C. London Gazette 26.9.1916 2nd Lt. Edward Felix
Baxter, late L’pool R
‘For most conspicuous bravery. Prior to a raid on the hostile
line he was engaged during two nights in cutting wire close
to the enemy’s trenches. The enemy could be heard on the
other side of the parapet. Second Lieutenant Baxter, while
assisting in the wire cutting, held a bomb in his hand with the
pin withdrawn ready to throw. On one occasion the bomb
slipped and fell to the ground, but he instantly picked it up,
unscrewed the base plug, and took out the detonator, which
he smothered in the ground, thereby preventing the alarm
being given, and undoubtedly saving many casualties. Later,
he led the left storming party with the greatest gallantry, and
was the first man into the trench, shooting the sentry with his
revolver. He then assisted to bomb dugouts, and finally
climbed out of the trench and assisted the last man over the
parapet. After this he was not seen again, though search
parties went out at once to look for him. There seems no
doubt that he lost his life in his great devotion to duty.’
Second Lieutenant Edward Felix Baxter, V.C., was born
in Stourbridge, Worcestershire, on the 18th September
1885, the son Charles and Beatrice Baxter, and was educated
at Hartlebury Grammar School and Christ’s Hospital, before
working as a tutor at Skerry’s College, Liverpool. A keen
motorcyclist, whose favourite machine was a Rex, he
competed in both track racing and road trials with much
success, and in 1910 competed in the Isle of Man Tourist
Trophy. In February 1906 he married Miss Leonora Mary
Cornish, with whom he had one daughter, Nora. At the
outbreak of the Great War he volunteered as a Royal
Engineer motor-cyclist despatch rider, and was attached to
the Mersey defences, before being Commissioned Second
Lieutenant, 1st/8th (Irish) Battalion, The King’s Liverpool
Regiment in September 1915. Embarking for France on the
10th January 1916, he tried to get secondment to the Royal
Flying Corps: ‘I am still waiting and hoping for my transfer
to the R.F.C., apparently I shall need a large store of
patience’ (the recipient’s last letter to his mother, dated
12.4.1916 refers), but was instead trained as the Battalion’s
Bombing Officer. On the 16th April 1916 he joined a raiding
party of some 40 men, led by Captain Mahon. For two nights
they were involved with wire-cutting close to the enemy
trenches near Blairville, south of Arras. On the morning of
the 18th April, the wires cut, he led the storming party into
the enemy’s trenches- having shot the sentry with his
revolver, assisted in bombing the dug-outs, and finally
assisted the last man over the parapet, he fell in his moment
of victory, his body never seen again. For his most
Baxter’s Victoria Cross was donated to the Imperial War
Museum by his family in August 1988, and now forms part
of their permanent collection.
Second Lieutenant E.F. Baxter leads a raiding party into a
German Trench, where he shoots the sentry, taken from
Deeds that Thrill the Empire.
107

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
48
48
Uniform and Documentation Relating to Air Vice-Marshal A. Gray, C.B., M.C., Royal
Air Force
- The recipient’s No. 1 Uniform, showing the rank of Air Vice Marshal, complete with RAF
wings, and medal ribands, with trousers
- R.A.F. Pilot’s Flying Log Book, covering the period 30.11.1923-4.11.1941
- Bestowal Document for the C.B., named to Air Commodore Alexander Gray, and dated
8.6.1944
- Two Mentioned in Despatches Certificate, dated 25.11.1943 and 14.1.1944
- Various photographs of the recipient, including ones showing the recipient separately with
Montgomery and Churchill
- Various letters to the recipient, including one from Lord Mountbatten of Burma, dated
16.10.1947, and a hand-written one from Field Marshal Sir Claude Auchinleck, dated
6.12.1947
- Invitation to the recipient for the Fiftieth Anniversary Celebrations of R.A.F. Marham,
31.8.1966, with souvenir programmes
- The recipient’s R.A.F. Wings, together with various badges and buttons
- Two books from the recipient’s library: Monoplanes and Biplanes; and The Official History of
the Indian Armed Forces in the Second World War
- Photograph of the recipient with H.M. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth
- Photograph of HM Queen Elizabeth inspecting members of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force
at RAF Mildenhall (lot)
£300-500
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Air Vice-Marshal A. Gray
C.B. London Gazette 8.6.1944 Air Commodore Alexander
Gray, M.C., Royal Air Force.
M.C. London Gazette 27.10.1917 2nd Lt. (T./Capt.)
Alexander Gray, Arg. & Suth’d Highrs., and R.F.C.
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He took
part in many successful operations over the enemy’s lines, in
over twenty of which he acted as leader. On one occasion,
when leading a bombing raid, his formation was heavily
attacked by enemy aeroplanes. He shot one of them down,
and brought back the whole of his formation safely. He also
led a successful raid on an enemy aerodrome, and on several
occasions obtained valuable photographs. He has accounted
for two enemy aeroplanes with his front gun, and always
showed great coolness, ability, and resource.’
Air Vice-Marshal Alexander Gray, C.B., M.C., born
Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, September 1896, and educated at
Glasgow Technical College; on the outbreak of the Great
War he declined a Commission and enlisted as a Private in the
Highland Light Infantry, as ‘that was my best chance of
seeing some quick fighting.’ Commissioned Second
Lieutenant, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, he
transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in early 1916, serving
with No.55 Reconnaissance Squadron. Twice wounded, by a
shell splinter to the right hand, 14.1.1917, and by a gun shot
wound to the right hand, 1.3.1917, in December 1917,
having been awarded the M.C., Gray was appointed Flight
Commander of the Squadron.
In October 1922 Gray married Mrs. Leonora Mary Baxter,
the widow of Second Lieutenant E.F. Baxter, V.C., with
whom he had two daughters. The following year he was
posted to No.12 Squadron, based at RAF Northolt, before
moving to Malta in November 1928, where much of his
flying for the next year was testing aircraft for the Fleet Air
Arm at Hal Far and the seaplane base. At the start of the
Second World War he was promoted Group Captain and
appointed to the Station Command of RAF Manston, a
front-line airfield in the Battle of Britain. Subsequently, as Air
Commodore, he was posted to India in 1942, where he also
visited the forward areas of Burma. After the War he was
appointed, in April 1947, Air-Officer Commanding Air
Headquarters at Habbaninyah, Iraq, with the rank of Air
Vice-Marshal. He retired from the Royal Air Force in 1949,
and died 16.5.1980.
109

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
50
49
Two Portrait Photographs, of H.R.H. The Prince
Henry, Duke of Gloucester, and H.R.H. Princess
Alice, Duchess of Gloucester
Two black and white photographs, each 205mm x
150mm, of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, by
Dorothy Wilding, London, the photographs signed
‘Henry’ and ‘Alice’ respectively, and both dated
‘1948’, the Duke of Gloucester in General’s uniform,
with riband bars; the Duchess of Gloucester in evening
dress wearing the sash and Star of the Order of the
British Empire, and the Badges of the Crown of India
and the Royal Family Orders of King George V and
King George VI on bow ribands, both unframed,
together with a letter addressed to Mrs. Gray from the
Duchess of Gloucester, dated 28.2.1948, thanking her
‘for your kindness and hospitality to us on our way to
and from Ceylon’, and signed ‘Alice’ (2)
£300-400
50
Two Portrait Photographs, of Lord and Lady
Mountbatten of Burma
Two black and white photographs, each 220mm x
170mm, of Lord and Lady Mountbatten of Burma,
the mounts signed ‘Mountbatten of Burma’ and
‘Edwina Mountbatten of Burma’ respectively, the
latter additionally dated ‘1948’, Lord Mountbatten in
full Viceregal insignia wearing the Collar, Badge, and
Mantle Star of the Star of India, and the Stars of the
Order of the Garter, the Order of the Star of India, the
Order of the Indian Empire, and the Royal Victorian
Order; Lady Mountbatten in evening dress wearing
the sash, Badge, and Star of the Order of the British
Empire, and the Badges of the Crown of India and the
Royal Victorian Order on bow ribands, both in frames
with gold-tooled personal cyphers at the top, together
with a letter addressed to Air Vice Marshal A. Gray
from Lord Mountbatten, dated 26.11.1947, thanking
him and Miss Gray ‘for putting us up on our way back
from India. It was great fun seeing you again and
having a chance to gossip over the old Burma days’,
and signed ‘Mountbatten of Burma’ (2)
£700-900
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September 6, 2012 - LONDON
51
51
Air Marshal W.A. ‘Billy’ Bishop’s [V.C., C.B.,
D.S.O., M.C., D.F.C.] Commission
Commission appointing William Avery Bishop a
Lieutenant in the 9th Mississauga Horse, Canadian
Militia, dated 20.4.1915, and signed ‘Arthur’ by the
H.R.H. The Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and
Strathearn, Governor General of Canada.
£200-300
111

V.C. London Gazette 11.8.1917 Captain William Avery
Bishop, D.S.O., M.C., Canadian Cavalry and Royal Flying
Corps
‘For most conspicuous bravery, determination and skill.
Captain Bishop, who had been sent out to work
independently, flew first of all to an enemy aerodrome;
finding no machine about, he flew on to another aerodrome
about three miles south-east, which was at least twelve miles
the other side of the line. Seven machines, some with their
engines running, were on the ground. He attacked these
from about fifty feet, and a mechanic, who was starting one
of the engines, was seen to fall. One of the machines got off
the ground, but at a height of sixty feet Captain Bishop fired
fifteen rounds into it at very close range, and it crashed to the
ground. A second machine got off the ground, into which he
fired thirty rounds at 150 yards range, and it fell into a tree.
Two more machines then rose from the aerodrome. One of
these he engaged at the height of 1,000 feet, emptying the
rest of his drum of ammunition. This machine crashed 300
yards from the aerodrome, after which Captain Bishop
emptied a whole drum into the fourth hostile machine, and
then flew back to his station. Four hostile scouts were about
1,000 feet above him for about a mile of his return journey,
but they would not attack. His machine was very badly shot
about by machine gun fire from the ground.’
THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
C.B. London Gazette 8.6.1944 Air Marshal William Avery
Bishop, V.C., D.S.O., M.C., D.F.C., Royal Canadian Air
Force.
D.S.O. London Gazette 18.6.1917 Capt. William Avery
Bishop, Can. Cav., and R.F.C.
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. While in a
single-seater he attacked three hostile machines, two of which
he brought down, although in the meantime he was himself
attacked by four other hostile machines. His courage and
determination have set a fine example to others.’
D.S.O. Second Award Bar London Gazette 26.9.1917 Lt.
(T./Capt.) William Avery Bishop, V.C., D.S.O., M.C., Can.
Cav., and R.F.C.
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when
engaging hostile aircraft. His consistent dash and great
fearlessness have set a magnificent example to the pilots of his
squadron. He has destroyed not fewer than forty-five hostile
machines within the past five months, frequently attacking
enemy formations single-handed, and on all occasions
displaying a fighting spirit and determination to get to close
quarters with his opponents, which have earned the
admiration of all in contact with him.’
M.C. London Gazette 26.5.1917 Lt. William Avery Bishop,
Can. Cav. and R.F.C.
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He attacked
a hostile balloon on the ground, dispersed the crew and
destroyed the balloon, and also drove down a hostile machine
which attacked him. He has on several other occasions
brought down hostile machines.’
D.F.C. London Gazette 3.8.1918 Capt. (temp. Maj.) William
Avery Bishop, V.C., D.S.O., M.C. (formerly Canadian
Cavalry).
‘A most successful and fearless fighter in the air, whose acts
of outstanding bravery have already been recognised by the
awards of the Victoria Cross, Distinguished Service Order,
Bar to the Distinguished Service Order, and Military Cross.
Air Marshal W.A. Bishop
For the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross now
conferred upon him he has rendered signally valuable services
in personally destroying twenty-five enemy machines in
twelve days- five of which he destroyed on the last day of his
service at the front. The total number of machines destroyed
by this distinguished officer is seventy-two, and his value as a
moral factor to the Royal Air Force cannot be over-d.’
France, Legion of Honour, Chevalier London Gazette
2.11.1918 Lieutenant-Colonel William Avery Bishop, V.C.,
D.S.O., M.C., D.F.C., Canadian Cavalry and Aviation
Service
‘In recognition of distinguished services rendered.’
France, Croix de Guerre avec Palme London Gazette
2.11.1918 Lieutenant-Colonel William Avery Bishop, V.C.,
D.S.O., M.C., D.F.C., Canadian Cavalry and Aviation
Service
‘In recognition of distinguished services rendered.’
The Mississauga Horse was a Canadian Army Militia Cavalry
Regiment. It was originally formed as the Toronto Mounted
Rifles at Toronto, Ontario1.4.1901, by combining J and K
Squadrons of the Canadian Mounted Rifles with three newly
raised companies. In 1903 the regiment was renamed to the
9th Toronto Light Horse and in 1907 it was renamed to the
9th Mississauga Horse, named after the native tribe that
inhabited the area before European settlement. Billy Bishop
was the Regiment’s most notable and highly decorated
member.
Bishop’s complete medal group, including his Victoria Cross
forms part of the Canadian War Museum’s permanent
collection.
WWW.SPINK.COM

September 6, 2012 - LONDON
52
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Arthur
‘Bomber’ Harris’s Final Log Book
Pilot’s Flying Log Book, inscribed on front cover in Sir
Arthur’s hand ‘A.C.M. Sir A.T. Harris’, the inner page
similarly named; the entries on the following pages
state: ‘July 1944’ [Aircraft Type] ‘Stinson Sentinal
45’, [Pilot or 1st Pilot] ‘Sir A.T. Harris, A.C.M.’;
[Duty] ‘HQBC Lacey Green - Air HQ Bentley Priory,
return daily’; [Total Hours] ‘17:10’; with similar
entries for ‘August- 17:05’; ‘September- 2:00’; and
‘October- 0:45’- on this last occasion a ‘Messenger
M38’ was used.
£600-800
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Arthur Travers
‘Bomber’ Harris, Bt., G.C.B., O.B.E., A.F.C., was born at
Cheltenham in 1892, and served in South West Africa as a
Private with the Rhodesia Regiment on the outbreak of the
Great War. Returning to England in 1915, he learned to fly
at Brooklands, earned his licence, and joined the Royal Flying
Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant. He served in France and returned
to England in 1918 to command a Home Defence Unit
where he pioneered night fighting, and received the Air Force
Cross later that year.
Granted a permanent commission after the War as a
Squadron Leader in the Royal Air Force, Harris was given the
command of No.3 Squadron in India in 1921, before being
appointed to command No.45 Squadron in Iraq. In 1925 he
was appointed to command No.58 (Bomber) Squadron, and
was created an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in
1927. Employed on staff duties in the Middle East from
1930, in 1932 he commanded the R.A.F. long distance flight
from Cairo to East Africa and back. During these early days
he always took the opportunity to advocate the use of aircraft
for aerial bombing thus displacing the historically based
warship for defensive purposes.
On the advent of the Second World War Harris commanded
No.5 Bomber Group until being appointed Deputy Chief of
Air Staff in November 1940. In May the following year, now
advanced to Air Marshal, he led the R.A.F. Delegation to the
United States of America and in February was appointed head
of Bomber Command- now was the time for Harris to test his
theories. His first initial objective was to organise the 1,000
Bomber Raids on Germany, the first being on Cologne, the
second on Essen, and the third on Bremen. Each of these
raids caused varying destruction and dislocation of the
German Military, Industrial, and Economic systems, and
assisted in the undermining of the German people.
In just under a year Bomber Command, under the leadership
of Harris, almost destroyed seventeen towns and cities, and
severely damaged an equal number. Harris was created a
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in 1945, and
was advanced to Marshal of the Royal Air Force in January
1946. It may be stated that Bomber Command’s
contribution to the War effort under Sir Arthur Harris
considerably hastened the end of the Second World War.
During April 1944, Bomber Command was diverted from its
strategic bombing offensive over Germany to support the
preparations for the D-Day landings in Normandy, a role that
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir A.T. Harris
it shared with the USAAF 8th Air Force. Overall
responsibility for the air campaign in support of the landings
in France was Air Chief Marshal Sir Trafford Leigh-Mallory,
the Air Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Expeditionary Air
Force.
Planning for the air aspects of D-Day operations was carried
out at Bentley Priory, the Headquarters of Air Defence of
Great Britain (Fighter Command). The various air
commanders of the participating commands met regularly
during the planning phase. These meetings became
increasingly frequent as D-Day approached and in the period
following the invasion. To allow easier, and more secure,
travel an airstrip was constructed in the grounds of Bentley
Priory which could accommodate light communications
aircraft such as the Auster, Stinson, and Messenger.
The nearest airfield to HQ Bomber Command was some
distance away so some agricultural land was commandeered
at Lacey Green, just a few hundred yards from Harris’s
headquarters. Over the next few weeks he made regular
flights from the strip to the various Allied Headquarters in
the south-east of England, in particular to Bentley Priory.
One report stated, ‘The usual procedure was daily flights with
a 10.30 am take off, returning about 1 pm with ACM Sir
Arthur Harris at the controls of his personal aircraft, which
was a Stinson high wing mono-plane’. In mid-September,
Bomber Command was formally released from control by the
Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force when it
reverted to Air Ministry control.
113

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
53
53
A Framed Print of Flight Lieutenant Bill Reid’s
Lancaster Bomber
A ‘Presentation Copy’ painting of a Lancaster Bomber
of No.61 Squadron, Royal Air Force, piloted by Flight
Lieutenant W. Reid, under attack from a German
Fw.190 en route to Dusseldorf, 3.11.1943, on the
occasion that he was awarded the Victoria Cross,
640mm x 400mm, signed ‘Bill Reid V.C.’, mounted
in a glazed display frame
Accompanied by an Invitation from the Trustees of
the Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Trust to the
Opening of the Bentley Priory Museum, on Saturday
14th September, 2013, to include a flying display by a
Spitfire and a Hurricane
£150-250
WWW.SPINK.COM

September 6, 2012 - LONDON
V.C. London Gazette 14.12.1943 Acting Flight Lieutenant William Reid (124438), Royal
Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No. 61 Squadron
‘On the night of November 3rd, 1943, Flight Lieutenant Reid was pilot and captain of a
Lancaster aircraft detailed to attack Dusseldorf.
Shortly after crossing the Dutch coast, the pilot’s windscreen was shattered by fire from a
Messerschmitt 110. Owing to a failure in the heating circuit, the rear gunner’s hands were
too cold for him to open fire immediately or to operate his microphone and so give warning
of danger; but after a brief delay he managed to return the Messerschmitt’s fire and it was
driven off.
During the fight with the Messerschmitt, Flight Lieutenant Reid was wounded in the head,
shoulders and hands. The elevator trimming tabs of the aircraft were damaged and it
became difficult to control. The rear turret, too, was badly damaged and the
communications system and compasses were put out of action. Flight Lieutenant Reid
ascertained that his crew were unscathed and, saying nothing about his own injuries, he
continued his mission.
Soon afterwards, the Lancaster was attacked by a Focke Wulf 190. This time, the enemy’s
fire raked the bomber from stern to stern. The rear gunner replied with his only serviceable
gun but the state of his turret made accurate aiming impossible. The navigator was killed
and the wireless operator fatally injured. The mid-upper turret was hit and the oxygen
system put out of action. Flight Lieutenant Reid was again wounded and the flight
engineer, though hit in the forearm, supplied him with oxygen from a portable supply.
Flight Lieutenant Reid refused to be turned from his objective and Dusseldorf was reached
some 50 minutes later. He had memorised his course to the target and had continued in
such a normal manner that the bomb-aimer, who was cut off by the failure of the
communications system, knew nothing of his captain’s injuries or of the casualties to his
comrades. Photographs show that, when the bombs were released, the aircraft was right
over the centre of the target.
Steering by the pole star and the moon, Flight Lieutenant Reid then set course for home.
He was growing weak from loss of blood. The emergency oxygen supply had given out.
With the windscreen shattered, the cold was intense. He lapsed into semi-consciousness.
The flight engineer, with some help from the bomb-aimer, kept the Lancaster in the air
despite heavy anti-aircraft fire over the Dutch coast.
The North Sea crossing was accomplished. An airfield was sighted. The captain revived,
resumed control and made ready to land. Ground mist partially obscured the runway lights.
The captain was also much bothered by the blood from his head wound getting into his
eyes. But he made a safe landing although one leg of the damaged undercarriage collapsed
when the load came on.
Wounded in two attacks, without oxygen, suffering severely from cold, his navigator dead,
his wireless operator fatally wounded, his aircraft crippled and defenceless, Flight Lieutenant
Reid showed superb courage and leadership in penetrating a further 200 miles into enemy
territory to attack one of the most strongly defended targets in Germany, every additional
mile increasing the hazards of the long perilous journey home. His tenacity and devotion
to duty were beyond praise.’
Flight Lieutenant Bill Reid’s Victoria Cross and other campaign medals were sold at auction
at Spink, 19.11.2009, for the World Record price to a British recipient of £348,000.
PROVENANCE:
Bill Reid, V.C. personal collection.
115

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
54
54
A Framed Portrait Print of Warrant Officer Norman Jackson, V.C.
A ‘Presentation Copy’ portrait of Warrant Officer N.C. Jackson, V.C.,
pictured in front of the No.106 Squadron crest, 550mm x 360mm,
signed ‘Norman Jackson’, mounted in a glazed display frame
Accompanied by an Invitation from the Trustees of the Bentley Priory
Battle of Britain Trust to the Opening of the Bentley Priory Museum, on
Saturday 14th September, 2013, to include a flying display by a Spitfire
and a Hurricane
£150-250
WWW.SPINK.COM

September 6, 2012 - LONDON
V.C. London Gazette 26.10.1945 905192 Sergeant (now Warrant Officer) Norman Cyril
Jackson, R.A.F.V.R. 106 Squadron
‘This airman was the flight engineer in a Lancaster detailed to attack Schweinfurt on the
night of 26th April 1944. Bombs were dropped successfully and the aircraft was climbing
out of the target area. Suddenly it was attacked by a fighter at about 20,000 feet. The
captain took evading action at once, but the enemy secured many hits. A fire started near a
petrol tank on the upper surface of the starboard wing, between the fuselage and the inner
engine. Sergeant Jackson was thrown to the floor during the engagement. Wounds which
he received from shell splinters in the right leg and shoulder were probably sustained at that
time. Recovering himself, he remarked that he could deal with the fire on the wing and
obtained his captain’s permission to try to put out the flames. Pushing a hand fireextinguisher
into the top of his life-saving jacket and clipping on his parachute pack.
Sergeant Jackson jettisoned the escape hatch above the pilot’s head. He then started to
climb out of the cockpit and back along the top of the fuselage to the starboard wing.
Before he could leave the fuselage his parachute pack opened and the whole canopy and
rigging lines spilled into the cockpit. Undeterred, Sergeant Jackson continued. The pilot,
bomb aimer and navigator gathered the parachute together and held on to the rigging lines,
paying them out as the airman crawled aft. Eventually he slipped and, falling from the
fuselage to the starboard wing, grasped an air intake on the leading edge of the wing. He
succeeded in clinging on but lost the extinguisher, which was blown away. By this time, the
fire had spread rapidly and Sergeant Jackson was involved. His face, hands and clothing
were severely burnt. Unable to retain his hold, he was swept through the flames and over
the trailing edge of the wing, dragging his parachute behind. When last seen it was only
partly inflated and was burning in a number of places. Realising the fire could not be
controlled, the captain gave the order to abandon aircraft. Four of the remaining members
of the crew landed safely. The captain and rear gunner have not been accounted for.
Sergeant Jackson was unable to control his descent and landed heavily. He sustained a
broken ankle, and his right eye was closed through burns and his hands were useless. These
injuries, together with the wounds received earlier, reduced him to a pitiable state. At
daybreak he crawled to the nearest village, where he was taken prisoner. He bore the intense
pain and discomfort of the journey to Dulag Luft with magnificent fortitude. After 10
months in hospital he made a good recovery, though his hands require further treatment
and are of only limited use. This airman’s attempt to extinguish the fire and save the aircraft
and crew from falling into enemy hands was an act of outstanding gallantry. To venture
outside, when travelling at 200 miles an hour, at an incredible height and in intense cold,
was an almost incredible feat. Had he succeeded in subduing the flames, there was little or
no prospect of his regaining the cockpit. The spilling of his parachute and the risk of grave
damage to its canopy reduced his chances of survival to a minimum. By his ready willingness
to face these dangers he set an example of self-sacrifice which will ever be remembered’.
Warrant Officer Norman Jackson’s Victoria Cross and other campaign medals were sold at
auction at Spink, 30.4.2004, for the then World Record price of £230,000.
117

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
55
55
Medals Awarded to J.P. Smith, Esq., Director and Chief Engineer, Hawker
Siddeley Aviation Ltd.
a) Royal Aeronautical Society Silver Medal, 40mm, silver, the obverse featuring a
bird of prey in flight with a balloon above, the edge engraved ‘J. P. Smith ‘For
outstanding contributions to Aircraft Design’ 1966’, in fitted John Pinches,
London, case of issue
b) Tanner Cup Shooting Medal, 32mm, silvered, the obverse featuring crossed
rifles, the reverse inscribed ‘Tanner Cup 1932 J. P. Smith’, in Phillips, Aldershot,
fitted case of issue
c) Tanner Cup Shooting Medal, 45mm, bronze, the obverse featuring a soldier
standing firing arquebus, the reverse inscribed ‘Tanner Cup 1933 J. P. Smith’, in
Phillips, Aldershot, fitted case of issue
d) Royal Marines Football Medal, 32mm, bronze, the obverse featuring men
playing football, unnamed, in Phillips, Aldershot, fitted case of issue; together with
a Royal Drawing Society Medal, the reverse inscribed ‘H. Smith, 1897’, in fitted
Elkington, London, case of issue, generally extremely fine (5)
£100-150
The Royal Aeronautical Society’s Silver Medal is usually awarded annually ‘for work of an
exceptional nature leading to major advances or contribution’. The medal was first awarded
in 1909, and 87 awards have been made to date. Mr J.P. Smith, a Fellow of the Royal
Aeronautical Society, was awarded the Society’s Silver Medal in 1966. He was latterly
Director and Chief Engineer, Civil, of Hawker Siddeley Aviation Ltd.
WWW.SPINK.COM

September 6, 2012 - LONDON
56
56
101 Troop, No. 6 Commando Arm Badge
An extremely rare example, blue cloth with
embroidered red numerals and white swordfish, very
slight mothing and glue marks to the reverse
£200-300
119

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
57
Nimrod Landing Gear Control and Column
Control Head
The landing gear control from a Hawker Siddeley
Nimrod, mounted on a wooden base for display and
presentation purposes, the accompanying brass plaque
reading ‘To Group Captain B.K. Burridge Station
Commander RAF Kinloss 1990-1992 from The
Officer Commanding and Personnel of Engineering
and Supply Wing. “Power is Always Available”’
The column control head from a Hawker Siddeley
Nimrod, mounted on a wooden base for display and
presentation purposes, the accompanying brass plaque
reading ‘To B.K.B. from all on 206 (Jock Jumping)
Sqn on his Departure from RAF Kinloss 10 Sep 92’
(2)
£200-300
PROVENANCE:
Presented to Nimrod Pilot Air Chief Marshal Sir Brian
Burridge, K.C.B., C.B.E., Commander-in-Chief R.A.F.
Strike Command 2003-06.
57
57
WWW.SPINK.COM

September 6, 2012 - LONDON
58
58
A Second World War Scramble Bell
A fine-quality Air Ministry pattern scramble bell,
engraved with a crown and ‘A.M. 1942’, 255mm in
height, 270mm in diameter, complete with clapper
£400-500
PROVENANCE:
Probably from one of the airfields in the Kentish area.
Note: Owing to the large and heavy nature of this lot it is
unsuitable for postage and we would recommend collection.
THE END OF THE SALE
121

THIS EXQUISITE LIMITED EDITION BADGE
IS EXCLUSIVELY FOR CONTRIBUTORS TO
THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN
TRUST APPEAL.
BENTLEY PRIORY was the
headquarters of Fighter Command
in the summer of 1940. From here
Air Chief Marshal, Sir Hugh Dowding,
directed operations during the four
month Battle of Britain.
This handsome house, designed by
Sir John Soane and set among beautiful
gardens, is no longer required by the Royal
Air Force. It is to become a museum and a
centre of education that will attract a wide
range of visitors when it opens in 2013. A
permanent exhibition will be created to
inform visitors about the great events that
played out at the Priory; in particular the
huge debt that all of us, who enjoy freedom
today, owe to those who took part in the
struggle of 1940.
This worthy project is in the final
straight of its fund raising run, having
already raised £12 million. The
Trust needs to raise a further £1.8
million to complete the appeal.
Each lapel pin will represent
one of ‘The Few’ Battle of Britain pilots,
to be worn with pride and as recognition
of having contributed to the appeal.
The badge, which measures 22mm in
diametre and comes in a beautiful
presentation box with certifcate, can only
be bought by making a donation to the
Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Trust Appeal.
To own one of these rare badges
please telephone 0207 580 3343 or
e-mail the appeal directly at
bentleypriory@btinernet.com
The cost of designing and manufacturing the lapel badges has been kindly donated by Melissa John in memory of her brother Christopher John.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
NAME ______________________________________________________
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The Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Thursday 6 September 2012 CAT’S EYES 12044
Trust Appeal Charity Auction
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THE BENTLEY PRIORY
BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL
CHARITY AUCTION
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DATE
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4 AT THE SALE
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foregoing provisions of this paragraph, the fact may be stated by the
Auctioneer from the rostrum prior to the sale of the Lot.
3.4.6 It should be noted that any stamp accompanied by a Certificate
of Authenticity is sold on the basis of that Certificate only and not
on the basis of any other description or warranty as to authenticity.
No request for an extension will be accepted on such a stamp and
the return of such a stamp will not be accepted.
4.1 Refusal of admission
Our sales usually take place on our own premises or premises over
which we have control for the sale, and we have the right, exercisable
at our complete discretion, to refuse admission to the premises or
attendance at an auction.
4.2 Registration before bidding
You must complete and sign a registration form and provide
identification before making a bid at auction. Please be aware that we
usually require buyers to undergo a credit check.
Some lots may be designated, prior to the auction, as “Premium Lots”,
which means a deposit may be required before placing a bid on the
item for sale. Information will be posted on our website in such an
event.
Spink Uni (07/11) (20)

4.3 Bidding as Principal
When making a bid (whether such bids are made in person or by
way of telephone bids operated by Spink, commission or online or
email bids), you will be deemed to be acting as principal and will be
accepting personal liability, unless it has been agreed in writing, at the
time of registration, that you are acting as agent on behalf of a third
party buyer acceptable to us.
4.4 Commission Bids
If you give us instructions to bid on your behalf, by using the form
provided in our catalogues or via our website, we shall use reasonable
endeavours to do so, provided these instructions are received not later
than 24 hours before the auction. If we receive commission bids on a
particular Lot for identical amounts, and at auction these bids are the
highest bids for the Lot, it will be sold to the person whose bid was
received first. Commission bids are undertaken subject to other
commitments at the time of the sale, and the conduct of the auction
may be such that we are unable to bid as requested. Since this is
undertaken as a free service to prospective buyers on the terms stated,
we cannot accept liability for failure to make a commission bid. You
should therefore always attend personally if you wish to be certain of
bidding.
4.5 On-line Bidding
We offer internet services as a convenience to our clients. We will not
be responsible for errors or failures to execute bids placed on the
internet, including, without limitation, errors or failures caused by (i) a
loss of internet connection by either party for whatever reason; (ii) a
breakdown or problems with the online bidding software and/or (iii)
a breakdown or problems with your internet connection, computer or
system. Execution of on-line internet bids is a free service undertaken
subject to other commitments at the time of the auction and we do not
accept liability for failing to execute an online internet bid or for errors
or omissions in connection with this activity.
4.6 Telephone Bids
If you make arrangements with us not less than 24 hours before the
sale, we shall use reasonable endeavours to contact you to enable you
to participate in bidding by telephone, but in no circumstances will we
be liable to either the Seller or you as a result of failure to do so.
4.7 Currency Converter
At some auctions, a currency converter will be operated, based on the
one month forward rates of exchange quoted to us by Barclays Bank
Plc or any other appropriate rate determined by us, at opening on the
date of the auction. Bidding will take place in a currency determined by
us, which is usually sterling for auctions held in London. The currency
converter is not always reliable, and errors may occur beyond our
control either in the accuracy of the Lot number displayed on the
converter, or the foreign currency equivalent of sterling bids. We shall
not be liable to you for any loss suffered as a result of you following the
currency converter.
4.8 Video images
At some auctions there will be a video screen. Mistakes may occur in its
operation, and we cannot be liable to you regarding either the
correspondence of the image to the Lot being sold or the quality of the
image as a reproduction of the original.
4.9 Bidding Increments
Bidding generally opens below the low estimate and advances in the
following order although the auctioneer may vary the bidding
increments during the course of the auction. The normal bidding
increments are:
Up to £100 by £5
£100 to £300 by £10
£300 to £600 £320-£350-£380-£400 etc.
£600 to £1,000 by £50
£1,000 to £3,000 by £100
£3,000 to £6,000 £3,200-£3,500-£3,800-£4,000 etc.
£6,000 to £20,000 by £500
£20,000 and up Auctioneer’s discretion
4.10 Bidding by Spink
4.10.1 We reserve the right to bid on Lots on the Seller’s behalf up to
the amount of the Reserve (if any), which will never be above the
low estimate printed in the auction catalogue.
4.10.2 The Spink Group reserves the right to bid on and purchase
Lots as principal.
4.11 The Auctioneer’s Discretion
The auctioneer has the right at his absolute discretion to refuse any bid
to advance the bidding in such manner as he may decide to withdraw
or divide any Lot, to combine any two or more Lots and, in the case of
error or dispute, to put an item up for bidding again.
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4.12 Successful Bid
Subject to the auctioneer’s discretion, the striking of his hammer marks
the acceptance of the highest bid, provided always that such bid is
higher than the Reserve (where applicable), and the conclusion of a
contract for sale between you and the Seller.
4.13 After Sale Arrangements
If you enter into any private sale agreements for any Lot with the Seller
within 60 days of the auction, we, as exclusive agents of the Seller
reserve the right to charge you the applicable Buyer’s Premium in
accordance with these Terms and Conditions, and the Seller a
commission in accordance with the terms of the Seller’s agreement.
4.14 Return of Lot
Once your bid has been accepted for a Lot then you are liable to pay
for that Lot in accordance with these Terms and Conditions. If there
are any problems with a Lot then you must notify us within 7 days of
receipt of the Lot, specifying the nature of the problem. We may then
request that the Lot is returned to us for inspection. Save as set out in
clause 5.13, the cancellation of the sale of any Lot and the refund of
the corresponding purchase price is entirely at our sole discretion. We
will not normally exercise that discretion if the Lot is not received by
us in the same condition that it was in at the auction date.
5 AFTER THE AUCTION
5.1 Buyer’s Premium
In addition to the Hammer Price, you must pay us the Buyer’s
Premium at a rate of 20% of the final Hammer Price of each Lot.
5.2 Value Added Tax
Other than in respect of Zero-rated Lots (o) (see VAT Symbols for
details), VAT is payable on the Buyer’s Premium and on the Hammer
Price, if the Lot has been marked with a sign to that effect in the
catalogue (see VAT Symbols for details).
5.3 VAT Refunds
General
5.3.1 As we remain liable to account for VAT on all Lots unless they
have been exported outside the EU within 3 months of the date of
sale, you will generally be asked to deposit all amounts of VAT
invoiced. However, if a Spink nominated shipper is instructed, then
any refundable VAT will not be collected. In all other cases credits
will be made when proof of export is provided. If you export the
Lot yourself you must obtain shipping documents from the
Shipping Department for which a charge of £50 will be made.
5.3.2 If you export the Lot you must return the valid proof of export
certificate to us within 3 months of the date of sale. If you fail to
return the proof of export certificate to us within such period and
you have not already accounted to us for the VAT, you will be liable
to us for the full amount of the VAT due on such Lot and we shall
be entitled to invoice you for this sum.
5.3.3 To apply for a refund of any VAT paid, the proof of export
certificate must be sent to our Shipping Department clearly marked
‘VAT Refund’ within 3 months of the date of sale. No payment will
be made where the total amount of VAT refundable is less than £50
and Spink will charge £50 for each refund processed.
VAT Refunds - Buyers from within the EU
5.3.4 VAT refunds are available on the Hammer Price and Buyer’s
Premium of Daggered (†) and Investment Gold (g) Lots. You must
certify that you are registered for VAT in another EU country and
that the Lot is to be removed from the United Kingdom within 3
months of the date of sale.
5.3.5 Where an EU buyer purchases a Lot on which import VAT has
been charged, no refund of VAT is available from us. It may be
possible to apply directly for a refund on form VAT 65 to
HM Revenue & Customs Overeseas Repayment Section,
Londonderry.
VAT Refunds – Buyers from outside the EU
5.3.6 Where a Lot is included within the Auctioneers’ Margin Scheme
and evidence of export from the EU is produced within 3 months
of the date of sale, the VAT element included within the Buyer’s
Premium may be refunded.
5.3.7 Where the Lot is marked as a Daggered (†) or Investment Gold
(g) Lot the VAT charged on the Hammer Price may be refunded
where evidence of export from the EU is produced within 3
months of the date of sale. A refund of VAT charged on the Buyer’s
Premium can also be made on receipt of proof of business as a
collectibles dealer.
5.3.8 Where the Lot is marked as an Omega (Ω) Lot or an Import
VAT (x) Lot and evidence of export from the EU is produced
within 3 months of the date of sale, the VAT charged on both the
Hammer Price and Buyer’s Premium may be refunded. Where
required, we can advise you on how to export such Lots as a specific
form of export evidence is required. Where we advise you on the
export of the Lots, please be aware that the ultimate responsibility
in respect of obtaining a valid proof of export certificate will lie with
you and we will not be responsible for your failure to obtain such
certificate.

5.4 Payment
5.4.1 You must provide us with your full name and permanent address
and, if so requested, details of the bank from which any payments
to us will be made. You must pay the full amount due (comprising
the Hammer Price, the Buyer’s Premium and any applicable VAT)
within seven days after the date of the sale. This applies even if you
wish to export the Lot and an export licence is (or may be)
required.
5.4.2 You will not acquire title to the Lot until all amounts due
have been paid in full. This includes instances where special
arrangements were made for release of Lot prior to full settlement.
5.4.3 Payment should be made in sterling by one of the following
methods:
II(i) Direct bank transfer to our account details of which are set
out on the invoice. All bank charges shall be met by you.
Please ensure that your client number is noted on the
i(ii)
transfer.
By cheque or bank draft made payable to Spink and Son Ltd
and sent to Spink at 69 Southampton Row, Bloomsbury,
London WC1B 4ET. Please note that the processing charges
for payments made by cheques or bank drafts drawn on a
non-U.K bank shall be met by you. Please ensure that the
remittance slip printed at the bottom of the invoice is
enclosed with your payment.
(iii) By Visa or Mastercard. A charge of 2% will be applied.
Payments exceeding £5,000 can normally only be made by
the card holder in person whilst on our premises.
5.4.4 Payments should be made by the registered buyer and not by
third parties, unless it has been agreed at the time of registration
that you are acting as an agent on behalf of a third party.
5.5 Invoices
Invoices may consist of one or more pages and will show: Zero rated
Lots (o); no symbol Lots sold under the Auctioneers’ Margin Scheme;
Lots marked (g) special scheme Investment Gold; Daggered Lots (†),
imported Lots marked (x) and (Ω), (e) Lots with Zero rated hammer
for EU VAT registered buyers.
5.6 Collection of Purchases
5.6.1 Unless we specifically agree to the contrary, we shall retain items
sold until all amounts due to us, or to the Spink Group, have been
paid in full.
5.6.2 Unless we notify you to the contrary, items retained by us will be
covered in accordance with our policy which is available for
inspection at our offices from the date of sale for a period of seven
days or until the time of collection, whichever is sooner. After seven
days or from the time of collection, whichever is the earlier, the Lot
will be entirely at your risk.
5.6.3 Our policy will not cover and we are unable to accept
responsibility for damage caused by woodworm, changes in
atmospheric conditions or acts of terrorism.
5.7 Notification
We are not able to notify successful bidders by telephone. While
Invoices are sent out by mail after the auction we do not accept
responsibility for notifying you of the result of your bid. You are
requested to contact us by telephone or in person as soon as possible
after the auction to obtain details of the outcome of your bids to avoid
incurring charges for late payment.
5.8 Packing and handling
5.8.1 We shall use all reasonable endeavours to take care when
handling and packing a purchased Lot but remind you that after
seven days or from the time of collection, whichever is sooner, the
Lot is entirely at your risk. Our postage charges are set out at the
back of the catalogue.
5.8.2 It is the responsibility of the Buyer to be aware of any Import
Duties that may be incurred upon importation to the final
destination. Spink will not accept return of any package in order to
avoid these duties. The onus is also on the Buyer to be aware of any
Customs import restrictions that prohibit the importation of
certain collectibles. Spink will not accept return of the Lot(s) under
these circumstances. Spink will not accept responsibility for Lot(s)
seized or destroyed by Customs.
5.9 Recommended packers and shippers
If required our shipping department may arrange shipment as your
agent. Although we may suggest carriers if specifically requested, our
suggestions are made on the basis of our general experience of such
parties in the past and we are not responsible to any person to whom
we have made a recommendation for the acts or omissions of the third
parties concerned.
5.10 Remedies for non-payment or failure to collect purchases
5.10.1 If you fail to make payment within seven days of your stipulated
payment date set out in your invoice, we shall be entitled to exercise
one or more of the following rights or remedies:
5.10.1.1 to charge interest at the rate of 2% per month compound
interest, calculated on a daily basis, from the date the full
amount is due;
5.10.1.2 to set off against any amounts which the Spink Group may
owe you in any other transaction the outstanding amount
remaining unpaid by you;
5.10.1.3 we may keep hold of all or some of your Lots or other
property in the possession of the Spink Group until you have
paid all the amounts you owe us or the Spink Group, even if the
unpaid amounts do not relate to those Lots or other property.
Following fourteen days’ notice to you of the amount
outstanding and remaining unpaid, the Spink Group shall have
the right to arrange the sale of such Lots or other property. We
shall apply the proceeds in discharge of the amount outstanding
to us or the Spink Group, and pay any balance to you;
5.10.1.4 where several amounts are owed by you to the Spink
Group in respect of different transactions, to apply any amount
paid to discharge any amount owed in respect of any particular
transaction, whether or not you so direct;
5.10.1.5 to reject at any future auction any bids made by you or on
your behalf or obtain a deposit from you before accepting any
bids.
5.10.2 If you fail to make payment within thirty-five days, we shall in
addition be entitled:
5.10.2.1 to cancel the sale of the Lot or any other item sold to you
at the same or any other auction;
5.10.2.2 to arrange a resale of the Lot, publicly or privately, and, if
this results in a lower price being obtained, claim the balance
from you together with all reasonable costs including a 20%
seller’s commission, expenses, damages, legal fees, commissions
and premiums of whatever kind associated with both sales or
otherwise, incurred in connection with your failure to make
payment; or
5.10.2.3 take any other appropriate action as we deem fit.
5.11 Failure to collect
Where purchases are not collected within seven days after the sale,
whether or not payment has been made, you will be required to pay a
storage charge of £2 per item per day plus any additional handling cost
that may apply. You will not be entitled to collect the Lot until all
outstanding charges are met, together with payment of all other
amounts due to us.
5.12 Export Licence
5.12.1 If required we can, at our discretion, advise you on the detailed
provisions of the export licensing regulations. Where we advise you
in relation to export licensing regulations the ultimate
responsibility in respect of any export will lie with you and we will
not be responsible for your failure to apply for any necessary
licences.
5.12.2 If the Lot is going to be hand carried by you, you may be
required to produce a valid export licence to us or sign a waiver
document stating that a licence will be applied for.
5.12.3 You should always check whether an export licence is required
before exporting. Export licences are usually obtained within two
or three weeks but delays can occur.
5.12.4 Unless otherwise agreed by us in writing, the fact that you wish
to apply for an export licence does not affect your obligation to
make payment within seven days nor our right to charge interest on
late payment.
5.12.5 If you request that we apply for an export licence on your
behalf, we shall be entitled to recover from you our disbursements
and out of pocket expenses in relation to such application, together
with any relevant VAT.
5.12.6 We will not be obliged to rescind a sale nor to refund any
interest or other expenses incurred by you where payment is made
by you despite the fact that an export licence is required.
5.13 Refund in the case of Forgery
5.13.1 A sale will be cancelled, and the amount paid refunded to you
if a Lot (other than a miscellaneous item not described in the
catalogue) sold by us proves to have been a Forgery. We shall not
however be obliged to refund any amounts if either (a) the
catalogue description or saleroom notice at the auction date
corresponded to the generally accepted opinion of scholars or
experts at that time, or fairly indicated that there was a conflict of
opinions, or (b) it can be demonstrated that the Lot is a Forgery
only by means of either a scientific process not generally accepted
for use until after publication of the catalogue or a process which at
the date of the auction was unreasonably expensive or impracticable
or likely to have caused damage to the Lot. Furthermore, you
should note that this refund can be obtained only if the following
conditions are met:
5.13.1.1 you must notify us in writing, within seven days of the
receipt of the Lot(s), that in your view the Lot concerned is a
Forgery;
5.13.1.2 you must then return the item to us within fourteen days
from receipt of the Lot(s), in the same condition as at the
auction date; and
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5.13.1.3 as soon as possible following return of the Lot, you must
produce evidence satisfactory to us that the Lot is a Forgery and
that you are able to transfer good title to us, free from any third
party claims.
5.13.2 In no circumstances shall we be required to pay you any more
than the amount paid by you for the Lot concerned and you shall
have no claim for interest.
5.13.3 The benefit of this guarantee is not capable of being
transferred, and is solely for the benefit of the person to whom the
original invoice was made out by us in respect of the Lot when sold
and who, since the sale, has remained the owner of the Lot without
disposing of any interest in it to any third party.
5.13.4 We shall be entitled to rely on any scientific or other process to
establish that the Lot is not a Forgery, whether or not such process
was used or in use at the date of the auction.
6 LIABILITY
Nothing in these Terms and Conditions limits or excludes our liability for:
6.1 death or personal injury resulting from negligence; or
6.2 any damage or liability incurred by you as a result of our fraud or
fraudulent misrepresentation.
7 COPYRIGHT
7.1 We shall have the right (on a non-exclusive basis) to photograph, video
or otherwise produce an image of the Lot. All rights in such an image
will belong to us, and we shall have the right to use it in whatever way
we see fit.
7.2 The copyright in all images, illustrations and written material relating
to a Lot is and shall remain at all times our property and we shall have
the right to use it in whatever way we see fit. You shall not use or allow
anyone else to use such images, illustrations or written material without
our prior written consent.
8 VAT
You shall give us all relevant information about your VAT status and that of
the Lot to ensure that the correct information is printed in the catalogues.
Once printed, the information cannot be changed. If we incur any unforeseen
cost or expense as a result of the information being incorrect, you will
reimburse to us on demand the full amount incurred.
9 NOTICES
All notices given under these Terms and Conditions may be served personally,
sent by 1st class post, or faxed to the address given to the sender by the other
party. Any notice sent by post will be deemed to have been received on the
second working day after posting or, if the addressee is overseas, on the fifth
working day after posting. Any notice sent by fax or served personally will be
deemed to be delivered on the first working day following despatch.
10 ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS
The following provisions of this clause 10 shall apply only if you are acting for
the purposes of your business.
10.1 Limitation of Liability
Subject to clause 6, we shall not be liable, whether in tort (including
for negligence) or breach of statutory duty, contract, misrepresentation
or otherwise for any:
10.1.1 loss of profits, loss of business, depletion of goodwill and/or
similar losses, loss of anticipated savings, loss of goods, loss of
contract, loss of use, loss of corruption of data or information; or
10.1.2 any special, indirect, consequential or pure economic loss,
costs, damages, charges or expenses.
10.2 Severability
If any part of these Terms and Condition is found by any court to be
invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that part may be discounted and the
rest of the conditions shall continue to be valid and enforceable to the
fullest extent permitted by law.
10.3 Force majeure
We shall have no liability to you if we are prevented from, or delayed in
performing, our obligations under these Terms and Conditions or from
carrying on our business by acts, events, omissions or accidents beyond
our reasonable control, including (without limitation) strikes, lock-outs
or other industrial disputes (whether involving our workforce or the
workforce of any other party), failure of a utility service or transport
network, act of God, war, riot, civil commotion, malicious damage,
compliance with any law or governmental order, rule, regulation or
direction, accident, breakdown of plant or machinery, fire, flood, storm
or default of suppliers or subcontractors.
10.4 Waiver
10.4.1 A waiver of any right under these Terms and Conditions is only
effective if it is in writing and it applies only to the circumstances
for which it is given. No failure or delay by a party in exercising any
right or remedy under these Terms and Conditions or by law shall
constitute a waiver of that (or any other) right or remedy, nor
preclude or restrict its further exercise. No single or partial exercise
of such right or remedy shall preclude or restrict the further
exercise of that (or any other) right or remedy.
10.4.2 Unless specifically provided otherwise, rights arising under
these Terms and Conditions are cumulative and do not exclude
rights provided by law.
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10.5 Law and Jurisdiction
10.5.1 These Terms and Conditions and any dispute or claim arising
out of or in connection with them or their subject matter, shall be
governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of England
and Wales.
10.5.2 The parties irrevocably agree that the courts of England and
Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any dispute or
claim that arises out of, or in connection with, Terms and
Conditions or their subject matter.
Postal Charges
Prices for books
(items sent by this method are not covered by insurance)
Weight UK EU Rest of the World
Up to 1kg £8 for any weight £12 £15
Up to 2kg £8 for any weight £18 £25
Prices for all other items including postage and packaging
Invoice Value UK EU Rest of the World
Up to £1,500 £10 £15 £20
Above £1,501 £20 £30 £40
Shipments of more than 2kg or volumetric measurement of more than 2kg have
to be sent by courier. Certain countries may incur extra charge when courier
services are required by our insurance policy. For lots sent by courier please contact
Auctionteam@spink.com for calculation of any further relevant cost in addition to
the above charges.
Value Added Tax (VAT)
Charging of (VAT) at Auction
The information shown on this page sets out the way in which Spink intends to
account for VAT.
i. Auctioneers’ Margin Scheme
1. Where possible, we will offer Lots for sale under the Auctioneers’
Margin Scheme. Such Lots can be identified by the absence of any
symbol next to the Lot number in the catalogue and will not be
subject to VAT on the Hammer Price.
ii.
iii.
iv.
2. Where Lots are sold using the Auctioneers’ Margin Scheme to
VAT–registered businesses, the VAT included within the Buyers’
Premium is not recoverable as input tax. Upon request on sale day,
we will issue invoices that show VAT separately on both the Hammer
Price and the Buyer’s Premium. This will enable VAT-registered
businesses to recover the VAT charged as input tax, subject to the
normal rules for recovering input tax.
Zero-Rated Lots
Limited Categories of goods, such as books, are Zero-rated (o) for VAT in
the United Kingdom. Such Lots are offered under the Auctioneers’ Margin
Scheme. In these circumstances no VAT element will be included within
the Buyer’s Premium.
Daggered Lots
Lots which are Daggered (†) in the catalogue are subject to VAT at 20%
on both the Hammer Price and the Buyer’s Premium.
Starred and Omega Lots
Lots which are marked (x) in the catalogue are subject to VAT at 5% on the
Hammer Price and 20% on the Buyer’s Premium which is shown as
inclusive of VAT. Lots which bear the Omega symbol (Ω) are subject to
VAT at 20% on the Hammer Price and on the Buyer’s Premium. Such Lots
bear VAT because the Lot is liable for VAT at this rate on importation into
the EU.
v. Investment Gold Lots
Lots marked (g) in the catalogue are exempt from VAT on the Hammer
Price and are subject to VAT at 20% on the Buyer’s Premium. A refund of
VAT charged on the Buyer’s Premium can also be made on receipt of proof
of business as a collectibles dealer.
vi.
Imported Lots
Lots which are marked (x) and Lots which bear the Omega symbol (Ω)
have VAT charged on the Hammer Price and Buyers’ Premium because
they have been imported into the United Kingdom from outside the EU.
In these cases we have used a temporary importation procedure, which in
effect means that the point of importation is deferred until the Lot has
been sold. At this point the Buyer is treated as the importer and is liable to
pay the import VAT due. We will collect the VAT from you and pay it to
HM Customs and Excise on your behalf.

SALE CALENDAR 2012/2013
STAMPS
24 August The Collector’s Series Sale Hong Kong 12033
12 September The Chartwell Collection - GB King Edward VIII, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II London 12017
13 September The Gavin Littaur Collection of British Postal History. Selected rare covers from the period 1840-53 London 12045
13 September Great Britain Stamps Specialised Sale London 12018
22 September Fine Stamps and Covers of South East Asia Singapore 12019
Early October The Collector’s Series Sale Hong Kong
23 October Victoria Half Lengths - The John Barwis Collection London 12042
23 October The “Fordwater” Collections of Falkland Islands, Gibraltar and Malta London 12039
23 October Latin America, including the Tito Collection - Part II Lugano SW1003
24 October Queensland - The Alan Griffiths Collection London 12043
24 October The Collector’s Series Sale Lugano SW1004
7 November The Collector’s Series Sale London 12020
8/9 November The Collector’s Series Sale New York
13/14 November The Morgan Collection of Australian Commonwealth London 12046
12 December The Chartwell Collection - GB Line-Engraved Essays, Proofs, Stamps and Covers - Part IV London 12021
13 January The Mizuhara Collection of Korean Stamps Hong Kong 13008
13 January Fine Stamps and Covers of Hong Kong and China Hong Kong 13009
COINS
22/23 August The Collector’s Series Sale New York 314
24 August The Collector’s Series Sale Hong Kong 12033
26/27 September Ancient, English & Foreign Coins and Commemorative Medals London 12026
13/14 November The Collector’s Series Sale New York 315
4 December Ancient, English & Foreign Coins and Commemorative Medals London 12027
12 January Fine Coins of Hong Kong and China Hong Kong 13007
15/16 January The Collector’s Series Sale New York 316
BANKNOTES
22/23 August The Collector’s Series Sale New York 314
24 August The Collector’s Series Sale Hong Kong 12033
26 September Charity Auction of Bank of England Notes London 12037
2/3 October World Banknotes London 12023
4 October The George Kanaan Collection of Banknotes of the Middle East London 12047
9 October The David Kirch Collection of English Provincial Banknotes - Part I London 12035
10 October The David Kirch Collection of Bank of England Notes - Part I London 12034
13/14 November The Collector’s Series Sale New York 315
6 December World Banknotes London 12024
12 January Banknotes of Hong Kong and China Hong Kong 13005
15/16 January The Collector’s Series Sale New York 316
MEDALS
6 September The Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Trust Appeal Charity Auction London 12044
22 November Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria London 12004
25 April Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria London 13001
25 July Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria London 13002
21 November Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria London 13003
BONDS AND SHARES
22/23 August The Collector’s Series Sale New York 314
24 August The Collector’s Series Sale Hong Kong 12033
13/14 November The Collector’s Series Sale New York 315
28 November Bonds and Share Certificates of the World London 12011
12 January Bonds and Share Certificates of Hong Kong and China Hong Kong 13006
15/16 January The Collector’s Series Sale New York 316
AUTOGRAPHS
22/23 August The Collector’s Series Sale New York 314
13/14 November The Collector’s Series Sale New York 315
15/16 January The Collector’s Series Sale New York 316
WINES
September An Evening of Exceptional Wines Hong Kong
November An Evening of Exceptional Wines Hong Kong
The above sale dates are subject to change
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STAMPS COINS BANKNOTES MEDALS BONDS & SHARES AUTOGRAPHS BOOKS WINES
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