A Second World War A.F.C. group of six awarded to Flight Lieutenant A. E. Binham, Royal Air Force, a Battle of Britain veteran

AIR FORCE CROSS, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated '1945'; 1939-45 STAR, clasp, Battle of Britain; AIR CREW EUROPE STAR; DEFENCE AND WAR MEDALS, M.I.D.; AIR EFFICIENCY AWARD, G.VI.R. (Sgt., R.A.F.V.R.), the first in case of issue and the remainder mounted for display, generally extremely fine (6)

A.F.C., London Gazette, 14 June, 1945 (General Citation); an award for services as a Flying Instructor to the S.A.A.F. at No. 24 Air School, Nigel, South Africa.

M.I.D., London Gazette,1 January, 1945 (General Citation).

Arthur Edward Binham commenced Pilot Training with the R.A.F.V.R. in January 1938 and following a finishing course at Brize Norton he was posted to No. 64 Squadron at Church Fenton. His Flying Log Books, which are in the collection of the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon, bear testament to a number of operations in Spitfires during July and August 1940. On 13 July he was hit by our own anti-aircraft fire and compelled to make a ‘belly-landing’ at Hawkinge and on the 29th his Spitfire was hit by the return fire of a Ju.87 which he was chasing out over the Channel. Escorted by a Pilot from No. 501 Squadron, he managed to make a forced landing at Martin Mill, near St. Margaret's Bay. He flew his last sortie on 14 August, when the Squadron was scrambled from Kenley. In September Binham was posted to No. 15 F.T. S. and for the remainder of the War he served as a Flying Instructor. The lot is sold with a full research file which includes a number of original documents, among them Air Ministry letters and instructions, his M.I.D. certificate, Buckingham Palace forwarding letter for the A.F.C., campaign medal forwarding slip, R.A.F. Service and Release Book, assorted photographs and 2 identity discs. Photocopies from his 1940 Log Book and No. 64 Squadron Operations Book are also included. A well-documented Battle of Britain group.