A rare Second World War Sunderland pilot’s D.F.C. group of six awarded to Squadron Leader C. G. Marshall, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1943’; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals; Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R., 1st issue (Fg. Off. C. G. Marshall, R.A.F.V.R.), generally good very fine (6) £1600-1800

D.F.C. London Gazette 16 March 1943. The original recommendation states:

‘Since May 1942, Flight Lieutenant Marshall has flown many operational sorties. On one occasion, whilst serving as 2nd Pilot, his aircraft was forced to alight on the sea and was towed to port. He went aboard the corvette and organised the tow, giving valuable assistance to his captain and the captain of the corvette. Later, as Captain of Aircraft, by his skilful airmanship, he has several times successfully fought off enemy aircraft. On one sortie, his aircraft was severely damaged but he flew it back safely, a distance of 150 miles, on two engines. On yet another occasion, this officer’s aircraft was attacked by a Focke-Wulf Kurrier, but by skill and courage he successfully drove off the attacker.’

Clifford George Marshall, who was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in January 1941, commenced his operational career with No. 95 Squadron, a Sunderland unit operating out of Freetown, Sierra Leone, in January 1942, and, as evidenced by accompanying photocopies taken from the unit’s Operational Records Book, he flew frequent patrols from then until March 1943, the month in which he was gazetted for his D.F.C. The Squadron also flew out of Bathhurst in the Gambia. Marshall, who was advanced to Flight Lieutenant in January 1943, was granted his Air Efficiency Award in November of the same year; well worthy of further research.