British and World Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Sergeant W. Alley, Royal Air Force, who flew operationally as a Flight Engineer in Lancasters of No. 619 Squadron in 1944-45

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine and better (3) £200-250

Alley commenced training as a Flight Engineer in August 1944 and was posted to No. 619 Squadron, a Lancaster unit operating out of Strubby, Lincolnshire, in November 1944. Teaming-up as a member of Flight Lieutenant Willitts’ crew in the following month, he took part in five operational sorties, his targets including the Heinbach Dam on the 8th and St. Vith on the 26th.

New Year 1945 witnessed Alley’s participation in five more sorties, including an attack on a target on the Gravenshorst Canal, while in February he flew in strikes against Rositz and Bohlen. And in March, among five further operations, he attacked targets in Dortmund and Harburg, the latter excursion on the night of the 8th-9th resulting in a return trip on two engines, both the port and starboard outer engines having caught fire. His final sorties were flown in May, the last of them a “Boomerang” operation on the 17th. Having then flown P.O.Ws home from France and Belgium, and made several bomb disposal trips, Alley’s squadron was disbanded in July 1945.

Sold with the recipient’s original R.A.F. Navigator’s, Air Bomber’s, Air Gunner’s and Flight Engineer’s Flying Log Book, covering the period August 1944 to June 1945, together with Alley’s completed Flight Engineer’s Log for a sortie carried out against Dortmund on 12 March 1945, a piece of “nickel” and an old wartime bomb label (’This pin must not be removed until this bomb is finally in position on the carrier ... ’).