Orders, Decorations and Medals

Pair: 2nd Lieutenant D. C. Collier, Royal Air Force, late Royal Flying Corps, who was killed in action while serving in No. 56 Squadron in August 1918

British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut., R.A.F.), very fine or better (2) £250-300

Douglas Charles Collier was born in September 1899, the son of Sidney Collier of Bournemouth, and was educated at Cheltenham College 1914-17. Commencing pilot training in the Royal Flying Corps at Farnborough in September of the latter year, he gained his “Wings” and was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in February 1918, following which he joined No. 56 Squadron, commanded by Major E. L. S. H. Gilchrist, M.C., D.F.C., flying S.E. 5s out of Valheureux. Sadly, however, he was killed in action over Barastre on a low-level bombing mission on 24 August 1918, his S.E. 5a (D6121) being seen to fall out of control. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Flying Services Memorial.