A well-documented Second War A.F.C. group of six awarded to Wing Commander H. F. Darragh, Royal Canadian Air Force, who served as an Instructor throughout the Second World War; later assuming command of 444 Fighter Squadron, he was killed when his Sabre experienced complete loss of power and engine failure, and crashed near to Baden-Baden, Germany, on 15 March 1954; rather than ejecting, Darragh ‘stayed with his crippled aircraft, sacrificing his own life to avoid crashing into the village below’

Air Force Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1945; Canadian Volunteer Service Medal; War Medal 1939-45, Canadian issue in silver; Canadian Special Service Medal, 1 clasp, NATO OTAN, Coronation 1953, unnamed as issued; Canadian Forces Decoration, E.II.R. (W/C H. F. Darragh) nearly extremely fine (6) £1,400-£1,800

A.F.C. London Gazette 1 January 1945.
The official citation states: ‘This officer, throughout his career in flying training, has proven himself to be an outstanding pilot and instructor. He is most reliable and keen and can be depended upon to carry a successful conclusion all tasks allotted to him with determination and ability. The energy, initiative, and devotion to duty of this officer are outstanding.’

Hugh Francis Darragh was born in Regina, Saskatchewan, on 17 April 1920 and enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in Vancouver on 19 December 1940. He obtained his wings in September 1941; deemed an ‘excellent communicator and pilot’, he did not go overseas but instead was selected for instructional duties with various training squadrons. At the time of his recommendation for the Air Force Cross on 9 August 1944 he was Chief Instructor with No. 2 Training Command H.Q., and he had to date completed 2,189 flying hours, of which 1,700 hours were as an Instructor.

Remaining in service post-War, Darragh was selected to be Executive Assistant to the Chief of Staff Air Marshal W. Curtis, a position that no doubt contributed to a command and the opportunity to transfer to fighters in 1952. After a spell with 1 Air Division HQ, he transferred to 416 Squadron in 1953, and then the following January assumed the command of the newly formed 444 Fighter Squadron, 4 (Fighter) Wing, in Germany. Tragically, his operational command was short lived.

Darragh was killed on 15 March 1954 when his F-86 Sabre experienced a complete loss of power between 1,500 and 2,000 feet over the village of Iffezheim, near Baden-Baden, Germany. The German magazine Revue later reported on his heroic self-sacrifice:
‘Self-Sacrificing Flight for the Germans - Canadian Pilot prevents burning jet aircraft from crashing onto community of Iffezheim by forfeiting his life.
Like a giant glowing arrow a blazing jet of the type F86 darted down upon the village of Iffezheim near Baden-Baden. Startled with fright the farmers working their fields looked up to the crashing aircraft. They saw the catastrophe coming which seemed inevitable if the burning plane would come down in the centre of the village. But in the next moment they could draw a deep breath of relief: the engine was pulled up once more and then dashed to pieces 400 meters behind the last row of houses of the community. The pilot, 34 year old Canadian Wing Commander Darragh, was fatally injured in this incident. While still in high altitude and flying directly above the village, the jet plane had started to spin and caught fire. The Canadian pilot would have had sufficient time to bail out-but then the burning jet would have dropped in the centre of the village causing the loss of many lives among the unsuspecting inhabitants. In order to prevent this, the pilot remained at the controls till the last moment. Only after everyone was no longer endangered, did he try to get out. But it was too late. His last flight was a sacrificing flight for the Germans.’

Sold with a R.C.A.F. padded pilot’s wings; two photographs of the recipient; and extensive copied research, including service papers and the full report of the Sabre crash.