An Air Efficiency Award to Flight Lieutenant G. A. Waller, D.F.C., who served as a Navigator on Blenheim nightfighter patrols with 29 Squadron during the Battle of Britain and was decorated in 1944 in respect of his services as a Radar Operator, in particular his part in the destruction of three enemy aircraft, in Mosquito nightfighters of 604 Squadron

Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R., 1st issue (Flt Lt G A Waller RAFVR) officially impressed naming, with named lid of original card box of issue, nearly extremely fine £600-£800

D.F.C. London Gazette 20 October 1944:
‘This officer is a first class navigator and has shown great keenness during his tour of operations against the enemy. He has assisted in the destruction of three enemy aircraft.’

George Alfred Waller, born in 1918, joined 601 Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force before the war as an Aircrafthand. Called up on 24 August 1939, he remustered as an Airman Air Gunner and with training completed, served with 23 Squadron, first being mentioned in the Operations Record Book dated 25 May 1940. He flew a number of sorties in Blenheims of 23 Squadron from Martlesham and Debden, before joining the Blenheim nightfighter unit, No. 29 Squadron, at Digby in June as a Sergeant Navigator, thus becoming a contemporary of the abundantly decorated J. R. D. ‘Bob’ Braham and his radar operator Bill ‘Sticks’ Gregory both of whom were flying with the squadron at the time.

Waller was in Blenheim L 1371 on 28 September when it was hit in the starboard wing by British anti-aircraft fire during an evening patrol. He and Pilot Officer J. Buchanan were unhurt and returned safely to Digby. After the advent of the Beaufighter and greatly-improved AI equipment, Waller retrained as a radar operator and was flying as such by November 1940. He was commissioned Pilot Officer in June 1943 and awarded the D.F.C. in 1944 as a Flying Officer with 604 Squadron (flying Mosquitos from February 1944) having by then assisted in the destruction of three enemy aircraft.
He was released from the Royal Air Force in 1950, as a Flight Lieutenant, and he died in 1983.

Sold with a file of research.

Note: a D.F.C., reverse engraved 1944; 1939-45 Star with Battle of Britain Bar; Air Crew Europe Star with France and Germany Bar; Defence Medal and War Medal group of five attributed to Flight Lieutenant G. A. Waller (with no Air Efficiency Award) was sold by Glendining on 26 March 1998. The medals sold on that occasion were accompanied by a slip from Buckingham Palace, copy birth certificate, various newspaper cuttings and an Officer’s Medical Record Card.