A good Second War North-West Europe operations campaign group of three awarded to Warrant Officer R. J. Blocksidge, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, attached Glider Pilot Regiment, who was Mentioned in Despatches for his gallantry as a Horsa pilot in Operation Varsity

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf, extremely fine (3) £400-£500

M.I.D. London Gazette 1 January 1946.

R. J. Blocksidge, a native of Illogan, Cornwall, commenced his pilot training in Canada in July 1943, where he gained his “Wings” in February 1944. Returning to the U.K., he attended a Glider Pilot’s course at R.A.F. Fairford, where he qualified in Horsas, and it was in the same capacity that he was actively employed during the crossing of the Rhine - Operation “Varsity” - on 24 March 1945.

Describing his unhappy arrival over the Rhine at the controls of a Horsa during Operation Varsity in March 1945, and the hot reception afforded his Horsa on its approach and landing on that occasion, Blocksidge writes:
‘During the glide-in we met heavy anti-aircraft fire and were hit on a few occasions, resulting in a large area of the starboard wing being blown off and damage to the fuselage. At about 500 feet we were the subject of small arms fire from the ground gunners. One 20mm. shell entered the cockpit to the left of my legs, the next between my legs - causing damage to the control column and myself - and the next one hit my co-pilot’s ankle and caused him to collapse. Our Army Major, a Scot complete with kilt (Lady from Hell), a Sergeant and four Troopers were also injured. On arrival at the Landing Zone we were confronted by further small arms fire and mortars but I managed to apply a bandage to my co-pilot’s injured ankle while taking refuge under the glider ... One of the Troopers drove the jeep forward in the glider but found that the ammo. trailer it should have been towing had been severed at the towing bar. The ammo. remained and we never saw the glider that was carrying the 6-pounder gun. Probably it was destroyed on the approach. Airborne medics attended to the co-pilot and we left him with them while we escaped with the jeep and proceeded to our objective. Later that day, we discovered a wireless set-up in a farm house cellar. We destroyed the radio and captured a senior Army Officer and his operators. This was a control point for the Panzer Division operating in the area, we later learned. A day to perhaps remember: 24 March 1945.’

Mentioned in Despatches, Blocksidge’s final appointment was in ‘K’ Squadron of the Glider Pilot Regiment.

Sold with the recipient’s original R.C.A.F. Pilot’s Flying Log Book, covering the period July 1943 to October 1945, damage to spine and front cover, together with a wartime group photograph of his glider unit’s personnel and his later hand written account of events during Operation Varsity.