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An excessively rare Second World War high speed launch rescue operation D.S.C. group of six awarded to Flight Lieutenant B. W. Ahern, Royal Air Force
Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., hallmarks for London 1945, reverse officially dated ‘1945’; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, the campaign awards in their original addressed card forwarding box with related condolence slip in the name of ‘Flight Lieutenant B. W. Ahern, D.S.C.’, generally extremely fine (6) £3500-4000
This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the R.F.C. and R.A.F. formed by Wing Commander Bill Traynor.
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Just eight officers of the Allied Air Forces were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in the 1939-45 War.
D.S.C. London Gazette 12 June 1945:
‘One morning on 13 October 1944, one of H.M. Motor Minesweepers was reported overdue and probably lost. Air-Sea Rescue High Speed Launch No. 133, with Flying Officer Ahern in charge, was instructed to proceed to the island of Gorgona, where the ship had been operating. High seas prevented the launch from entering the harbour and he therefore proceeded slowly round the island to search for survivors. This search met with no success. Flying Officer Ahern then decided to investigate a minefield where it seemed possible that the minesweeper had been lost. While following the edge of the minefield Flying Officer Ahern sighted a Walrus aircraft which had located and rescued nine of the crew of the missing ship. The latter had been blown up by a mine. Flying Officer Ahern, without hesitation, took his launch into the minefield and rescued three more of the ship’s crew from the Carley float. The weather had become very bad during these operations and the Walrus aircraft was unable to take off owing to high seas and petrol shortage. The aircraft, having on board its crew and the rescued personnel who could not be transferred to the launch because of the rough water, was taken in tow by the launch and the Leghorn was safely reached later in the day. The devotion to duty and outstanding courage displayed by Flying Officer Ahern resulted in the saving of an aircraft, together with its crew and 12 survivors of one of H.M. Minesweepers.’
Bernard William Ahern was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in March 1942 and served on Marine Craft Special Duties for the remainder of the War, his D.S.C. stemming from the above cited rescue off the west coast of Italy in October 1944, when he was a member of No. 252 Air Sea Rescue Marine Craft Unit. Gaining advancement to Flight Lieutenant post-war, he died on 23 March 1947, aged 32 years, while serving in No. 213 Maintenance Unit at R.A.F. Greenock, his D.S.C. being forwarded to his widow, Grace Ahern, together with his 1939-45 War campaign awards. He is buried in St. Kentigern’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Glasgow; also sold with a letter addressed to him at R.A.F. Greenock, dated 4 January 1947, from his father in Australia.
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