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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
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