An outstanding Second World War M.B.E., Great War pilot’s M.C., motor cyclist’s ‘Neuve Chapelle’ 1915 D.C.M. group of seven awarded to Acting Wing Commander R. Chadwick, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, late Royal Engineers, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 2nd type breast badge; Military Cross, G.V.R., the reverse privately engraved, ‘Capt. Reginald Chadwick, R.F.C., 25th Sept. 1916’; Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (29650 Cpl. R. Chadwick, M.C., R.E.); 1914 Star, with clasp (29650 Cpl. R. Chadwick, R.E.); British War and Victory Medals (Major R. Chadwick, R.A.F.); Japan, Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class breast badge, silver and enamel, with central cabochon, excepting the first, mounted as worn, very fine and better (7) £4000-5000

M.B.E. London Gazette 14 June 1945.

M.C. London Gazette 14 November 1916:

‘For conspicuous gallantry in action. He dived down to a low altitude, attacking a train, displaying great courage and determination.’

D.C.M. London Gazette 3 June 1915: ‘2965 Corporal R. Chadwick, Motor Cyclist, Royal Engineers (attached Lahore Signal Company).’

‘For gallant conduct at Neuve Chapelle from 10-14 March 1915, in conveying messages on three occasions over ground swept by very heavy shell fire: The distance he travelled on each occasion was one and a quarter miles, and the fire was continuous.’

Note: The post-nominal ‘M.C.’ shown on the D.C.M. refers to ‘Motor Cyclist’ as given in the London Gazette and not to his subsequent award of the Military Cross.

Reginald Chadwick was born in Rochdale in September 1897, the son of a carpet weaver. His family later owned a paper mill and young Reginald worked there after leaving school.

On the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he enlisted in the Royal Engineers and was quickly promoted to Corporal. Embarked for France in early November, he served as a motor cyclist on attachment to the Lahore Signal Company, Indian Corps and was awarded his D.C.M. for the above cited deeds at Neuve Chapelle in March 1915.

Towards the end of the same year, Chadwick was selected for a commission and joined the Royal Flying Corps, in which capacity he qualified for his Aviator’s Certificate (No. 2540) in early March 1916. Duly qualified, he was appointed a Flying Officer and sent out to No. 11 Squadron in France in May of the same year, where he quickly proved to be an aggressive and resolute F.E. 2b pilot. By way of example, with 2nd Lieutenant W. A. Wedgwood as his Observer, he attacked a formation of eight enemy aircraft on 17 June 1916, picking off the two trailing machines.

Advanced to the acting rank of Captain, he was appointed a Flight Commander in No. 25 Squadron in September 1916, and led many patrols, successfully laying claims to further enemy aircraft damaged or destroyed. It was, however, soon after joining the Squadron, on 25 September, that he won his M.C. for a gallant low-level attack on a train. With Sergeant C. Brown acting as his Observer, Chadwick descended to a low altitude to carry out the attack, dropping six 20lbs. bombs. The engine was hit and leapt off the rails, causing the leading coaches to crash into each other. German troops jumped from the wreckage and fled in all directions, while Chadwick and Brown strafed them. As Chadwick later commented, there were so many enemy troops it would have been difficult to miss them, and large numbers of the enemy were indeed killed or wounded. For his own part, Chadwick’s Observer, Sergeant Brown, was awarded the M.M. (London Gazette 27 October 1916, refers).

His tour with No. 25 ‘expired’, Chadwick returned to the Home Establishment, where he was subsequently seconded to Staff duties. He saw no further action but rose to the rank of Major and was placed on the Unemployed List in April 1919. The award of his 4th Class Japanese Order of the Rising Sun was announced in The London Gazette on 4 January 1921. Re-employed during the Second World War, he rose to the acting rank of Wing Commander in the R.A.F.V.R. and was awarded the M.B.E.