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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
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Page 130 and 131: 5.13.1.3 as soon as possible follow
Page 132: £25 © Copyright 2012 STAMPS COINS
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