Orders, Decorations and Medals

Pair: Lieutenant R. B. Donald, Royal Air Force, late Royal Flying Corps, a pilot in No. 1 Squadron who was twice compelled to return to base in his damaged S.E. 5a during the German Spring Offensive

British War and Victory Medals (Lieut., R.A.F.), edge nicks, very fine or better (2) £200-250

Ronald Bellamy Donald, who was born in July 1898, was appointed a Cadet in the Royal Flying Corps in May 1917, and attended aviation schools at Farnborough and Reading prior to joining the strength of No. 85 Squadron on the home establishment that September.

Advanced to Flying Officer in February 1918, while attending a gunnery school, he was posted to No. 1 Squadron, an S.E. 5a unit, in France, in early April, this time in the rank of Lieutenant in the newly established Royal Air Force, and quickly saw action in the desperate fighting of the German Spring Offensive. In fact his aircraft was shot up over Bailleul on the 12th, less than a week after his arrival, thereby compelling his early return to base - this was the day Haig issued his famous order for every position to be held to the last man, the R.A.F. responding in kind with a record number of operational hours flown and some 50 enemy aircraft claimed as destroyed.

Back in action on the 18th, Donald was again compelled to return to base after damage sustained in a low-level bombing operation, while on the 22nd, the day following von Richthofen’s demise, he was severely injured in a crash-landing, most probably as a result of further damage sustained by his aircraft in another combat. He was admitted to No. 24 General Hospital in Etaples, saw no further action and was invalided from the Royal Air Force in February 1919.

N.B. The only other R.A.F. officer with these initials does not appear to have witnessed active service and was discharged in the rank of 2/Lieutenant.