Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Navigator’s D.F.C. group of seven awarded to Flight Lieutenant E. W. Todd, Royal Air Force, who completed two tours of operations with Nos. 99, 103, 10, and 51 Squadrons

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated ‘1943’; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals; Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R. (W/O E. W. Todd (741478) R.A.F.V.R.) the group mounted court style, together with his original Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book for the period February 1940 to May 1945,his Commission as a Pilot Officer dated 27 July 1943, and three group photographs, nearly extremely fine (7) £600-700

D.F.C. London Gazette 17 August 1943: ‘Warrant Officer Eric Wilfred Todd, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No 51 Squadron. Warrant Officer Todd has a long and varied experience of operations against all the most heavily defended targets in occupied Europe. An extremely skilful navigator, his calm demeanour in the face of danger has frequently played no small part in the successful completion of sorties and the safe return of the aircraft to base.’

Eric Todd commenced Bomber Command operations with No. 99 Squadron in November 1940 and completed his first tour of operations in Wellington aircraft with No. 103 Squadron, in December 1941. He attended Conversion Units for conversion to Liberator and Halifax aircraft before joining No. 10 Squadron in December 1942 to begin his second tour of operations. He flew 16 operations with No. 10 Squadron before being posted to No. 51 Squadron to complete a further 6 operations, his last against Milan on the night of 12 August 1943. Todd subsequently became an instructor and later qualified as an Air Traffic Controller.