Three: Flight Sergeant J. A. Williams, Royal Air Force, who was killed in action in a raid on Dusseldorf in August 1942 while serving under Guy Gibson’s command in No. 106 Squadron

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal 1939-45, together with Air Ministry condolence certificate in the name of ‘Flight Sergeant J. A. Williams’, extremely fine (3) £600-800

Williams was back with P./O. Coates for his next sortie against Hamburg on the 25th, and again on the last day of the month, when, tragically, in a strike against Dusseldorf, their Lancaster R5678 ZN was brought down over the city, where it crashed. The remains of the crew were recovered and interred in a plot at Nordfriedhof, but after the war exhumed and moved to the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

Guy Gibson wrote to his widow, Ethel Williams:

‘I believe your husband had already taken part in many raids prior to coming here and during his three months with this squadron he had flown on a further ten and, without doubt, was one of the most consistently reliable wireless operators. He carried out his dangerous work always with a cheerful courage and his pilot frequently expressed his complete confidence in him.’

The lot is sold with the recipient’s original Flying Log Book, covering the period April 1942 until his death in action on 31 July 1942, which contains two signatures of Guy Gibson as C.O. of No. 106 Squadron, together with accompanying R.A.F. Records Office forwarding message - it seems very likely Williams’ first book was lost in 1942, the inside cover of the above having a pasted-in summary of his previous flying times, in addition to a more official summary under the heading “Previous Service”; together with a wartime edition of the Wrexham Advertiser & Star, with front page feature reporting his loss in action, and a 1947 edition of Guy Gibson’s Enemy Coast Ahead, with ink inscription of his brother, ‘Warrant Officer C. P. Williams, W./Op./ A.G.’