bentley priory - Spink

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
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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.’
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