A scarce South Russia 1919 operations group of three awarded to 2nd Lieutenant F. G. Reid, Royal Air Force, who was awarded the Order of St. Stanislaus for services in R.E. 8s of ‘Z’ Squadron

British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut. F. G. Reid, R.A.F.); Russia, Order of St. Stanislaus, 3rd Class breast badge with swords, French stamp mark on suspension, silver-gilt and enamelled on both sides, 37mm. by 37mm., one or two minor cracks to enamel on the last, otherwise good very fine (3) £800-1200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the Royal Flying Corps, Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Air Force.

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Francis Gordon Reid was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force in August 1918 and, as a qualified pilot, was actively employed out in South Russia in the following year, official records listing him as being on the strength of H.Q. Kuban Group and ‘Z’ Squadron and a member of the special mission to Tagenrog, in which capacity he would have flown R.E. 8s in support of General Denikin’s White Russians. Further records list Reid as being in readiness for evacuation in the S.S. Hanover in March 1920, this following a dramatic dash by rail over the Rostov, the train driver being coaxed into action by a revolver - see Dobson’s and Miller’s The Day We Almost Bombed Moscow, for further details. Reid’s subsequent award of the 3rd Class of the Order of St. Stanislaus ‘for gallantry in the Field and for devotion to duty’ is confirmed (T.N.A. AIR 2/204 refers), and he was placed on the Unemployed List as a Pilot Officer that May; sold with brief research.