An outstanding Second War ‘1942’ Wellington and Lancaster navigator’s D.F.M. awarded to Flying Officer J. W. Oldham, Royal Air Force, who flew in at least 43 operational sorties, with 142 and 97 (Strait Settlements) Squadrons, including the first Thousand Bomber Raids to Cologne and Essen.

Oldham was involved in a remarkable act of valour, whilst on a raid to Bizerta, Tunisia, when his Wellington was forced to cruise over the target for 20 minutes whilst he and two others used an axe to release a 4,000lb. bomb which had become fixed by icing - ‘Oldham then got an axe and made a hole in the bottom of the fuselage, big enough for him to put his head and shoulders through. With Johnson holding his legs, Oldham then hung through the fuselage and chipped away at the ice until he was tired, when Johnson took his place. Flight Sergt C. E. Dlaney, of Quebec City, the rear gunner, also had a turn, and eventually the ice was cleared. Fairly heavy flak was coming up all the time the airmen were chipping away.

Once the bomb was free of the ice, Johnson went back to his bomb sight and, at the right moment, shouted to the other two to let it go. Both airmen then gave a lusty push with their feet, and another 4,000 pounder crashed into an Axis target.’

Oldham was killed in action whilst on a raid on targets in the Normandy Battle Zone on 30 July 1944

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1053632. F/Sgt. J. W. Oldham. R.A.F.) mounted on investiture pin, in Royal Mint case of issue, toned, extremely fine £2,000-£2,400

D.F.M. London Gazette 12 January 1943.
The original Recommendation states: ‘F/Sgt. Oldham has successfully completed twenty operational sorties over enemy territory. By his keenness, courage and determination this N.C.O. has set a fine example to the rest of the crew and is largely responsible for the high number of successful trips they have completed in the face of the heaviest enemy defences. On the ground his keenness and devotion to his job have been a splendid example to the other Navigators in the Squadron and has done much to raise the standard throughout the Squadron.
One night near the end of August the machine of which he was Navigator was very roughly handled by the enemy defences over the Ruhr and was forced well to the south of the intended track. By his high degree of skill this Observer was successful in navigating his damaged machine safely back to an aerodrome in this country. His coolness and cheerful confidence on this occasion were a fine example to the rest of his crew.

Remarks by Station Commander: F/Sgt. Oldham is an extremely steady and competent observer who can always be relied upon to produce the best results. Under his quiet manner he possesses great courage and determination. He is a great asset to a very good squadron.’

James Wolstenholme Oldham was born in December 1921, and was a native of Bebington, Cheshire. He served operationally as a navigator with 142 Squadron (Wellingtons), Grimsby, from May 1942, and flew a tour with them including: St. Nazaire; the Thousand Bomber Raid to Cologne, 30-31 May 1942; Essen (4), including The Thousand Bomber Raid, 1-2 June 1942; Duisberg (2); Hamburg; Dusseldorf; Flensburg; Frankfurt; Kassel; Saarbrucken; and Krefeld.

Oldham moved with a detachment of the Squadron to North Africa in December 1942, and operated with them from Blida in Algeria. He flew a number of sorties, including an extraordinary attack on Bizerta:
‘This is the story of the crew of a Wellington bomber which used an axe to release a 4,000lb. bomb which became fixed by icing when the bomber was raiding Bizerta, and the machine, flying at 11,000ft, met with severe icing conditions, causing the release mechanism to fail.
The Wellington cruised over the target for about 20 minutes whilst the front and rear gunners hacked away the ice which had formed on the couplings. All three members had to lean perilously while they hacked away, and when finally they succeeded in getting most of the ice away they pushed it into space with their feet and watched it burst with a terrific flash smack in the target area.
“I had just got the target beautifully into my bomb sight,” said Sergt. A. S. Johnson, of Seaham, Durham, the front gunner and bomb aimer, “when I found the release gear had packed up. I tried three times to get the bomb away, but it wouldn’t drop. When I went to the bomb bay I found that the couplings underneath the bomb had iced up.”
Johnson and the Navigator Flight Sergt. J. W. Oldham, of Bebington, Cheshire, tried to unscrew the couplings, but the ice was too thick.
Oldham then got an axe and made a hole in the bottom of the fuselage, big enough for him to put his head and shoulders through. With Johnson holding his legs, Oldham then hung through the fuselage and chipped away at the ice until he was tired, when Johnson took his place.
Flight Sergeant C. E. Dlaney, of Quebec City, the rear gunner, also had a turn, and eventually the ice was cleared. Fairly heavy flak was coming up all the time the airmen were chipping away.
Once the bomb was free of the ice, Johnson went back to his bomb sight and, at the right moment, shouted to the other two to let it go.
Both airmen then gave a lusty push with their feet, and another 4,000 pounder crashed into an Axis target.’ (Newspaper cutting included with the lot refers)

Remarkably Oldham’s gallantry was not recognised in this instance, and he subsequently transferred to 97 (Straits Settlements) Squadron (Lancasters) at Coningsby in June 1944. His commanding officer, Wing Commander A. W. Heward, wrote the following to Oldham’s widow, 30 July 1944:
‘I deeply regret to confirm that your husband, Flying Officer J. W. Oldham, failed to return from operations this morning, 30th July, 1944, and I wish to express the sympathy of the whole Squadron with you in your anxiety.
Flying Officer Oldham was taking part in an attack on a target near Cahagnes, France, as navigator in the aircraft, of which no news has since been received... Your husband came to this Squadron early in June with a record of thirty-five operational sorties to his credit, and was completing his eighth with us, the majority of the latter being against objectives on the Normandy front. He was most enthusiastic in his duties and proved himself to a be most efficient and reliable navigator whose loss will be deeply felt by us all...’

Oldham was later confirmed as killed in action on 30 July 1944, after his Lancaster piloted by Flight Lieutenant H. A. B. Baker ‘T/O 054 [from] Coningsby to attack enemy strong points in the Normandy battle zone. Set on fire in the port inner engine, the blaze soon spreading to engulf the entire wing. The order to bale out was given and at around 0800 the Lancaster crashed SE of St-Lô in the Department of Manche.’ (Royal Air Force Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War by W. R. Chorely refers)

Three members of the crew survived, and were taken Prisoner of War. Flying Officer Oldham is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.

Sold with the following related items and documents: Observer’s Brevet; recipient’s Briarwood Pipe; riband bar for first two awards; R.A.F. Identity Card; R.A.F. Navigator’s Certificate Second Class, dated 17 September 1942; Air Ministry correspondence with recipient’s widow with regard to his death, and a letter to her from his commanding officer Wing Commander A. W. Heward, dated 30 July 1944; a number of photographs of recipient in uniform - including one smoking his pipe; and a number of newspaper cuttings.