Three: Sergeant K. C. Pattison, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, a Spitfire Pilot who was brought down by the return fire of his very first victim, a Dornier 17, at the height of the Battle of Britain

1939-45 Star, clasp, Battle of Britain; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal 1939-45 nearly extremely fine (3) £1700-1900

Kenneth Clifton Pattison, who joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in November 1938, was called up in September of the following year and completed his pilot training on Spitfires at No. 7 O.T.U. at Hawarden. Posted to No. 266 Squadron on 23 September 1940, he was transferred to No. 611 Squadron at Tern Hill three days later.

On the evening of 11 October, while piloting Spitfire P. 7323 in an engagement with Do. 17s, he brought down one of the enemy raiders, but his own aircraft was badly damaged by return fire, and he crashed at Cooksley Green Farm, near Kidderminster. Critically injured, he was admitted to Barnsley Hall Hospital at Bromsgrove, where he died two days later. Aged 27 years, Pattison was interred in Nottingham Southern Cemetery, West Bridgeford.

Sold with the recipient’s original Flying Log Book, covering the period November 1938 to October 1940, with handwritten endorsement, ‘Died of injuries received in action 13.10.1940’, together with related R.A.F. Records Office forwarding slip; an R.A.F. badge and two or three copy photographs, one depicting the recipient and his wife on honeymoon in 1940, and another the crash site of his Spitfire at Cooksley Green Farm - a portrait photograph is also contained in the 60th Anniversary edition of Men of the Battle of Britain.