bentley priory - Spink

THE BENTLEY PRIORY BATTLE OF BRITAIN TRUST APPEAL CHARITY AUCTION
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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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