Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare and impressive South Russia M.S.M. group of twelve awarded to Wing Commander L. Mitchell, Royal Air Force, late Royal Flying Corps

1914-15 Star (2690 2 A.M. L. Mitchell, R.F.C.); British War and Victory Medals (2690 A.S.M. 2 L. Mitchell, R.A.F.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Kurdistan (2690 F./Sgt. L. Mitchell, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf, these three privately inscribed, ‘Sq. Ldr. L. Mitchell, R.A.F.’; Jubilee 1935; Royal Air Force L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., coinage bust (2690 S.M. 1 L. Mitchell, R.A.F.); Royal Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., coinage bust (2690 F./Sjt. L. Mitchell, R.A.F.); Russia, Medal of Zeal, Nicholas II, silver on ‘St. Stanislaus’ ribbon; Iraq, King Feisal’s War Medal, with clasp, the reverse inscribed, ‘L. Mitchell’, contact marks, generally very fine or better (12) £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals to the Coldstream Guards, R.F.C., R.N.A.S. and R.A.F. formed by the late Tom Baugh.

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Leonard Mitchell was born in January 1896 and enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps as an Air Mechanic 2nd Class in December 1914. Posted to France in January 1915, he remained actively employed in that theatre of war until returning to the U.K. in the summer of 1917, when he was embarked for Egypt. He was advanced to Sergeant.

Next ordered to South Russia, in which theatre of war he served from May 1919 until August 1920, Mitchell was awarded the Medal of St. Stanislaus and the R.A.F. Meritorious Service Medal, the latter in respect of ‘consistent hard work and devotion to duty during the period from April 1919 to December 1919 under the most trying circumstances’ (London Gazette 1 April 1920 refers). An appointment at R.A.F. Manston having followed, he witnessed active service out in Iraq from September 1922 until October 1924, gaining King Feisal’s War Medal, and in the Kurdistan operations, the nature of his exact employment perhaps being betrayed by his very next posting - Wing H.Q., Armoured Cars, Uxbridge.

Advanced to Sergeant-Major 1st Class and remaining employed in the U.K., Mitchell was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in April 1933 and next served at the R.A.F. Colleges at Andover and Cranwell, prior to being granted a permanent commission as a Flying Officer in August 1936.

Appointed to H.Q. Fighter Command at Bentley Priory, Stanmore, in November of the following year, he remained similarly employed until removing to R.A.F. Abingdon in June 1941, a period encompassing the historic events that unfolded at the Priory under the leadership of Air Chief-Marshal Hugh Dowding in the Battle of Britain, in addition to the King’s visit in early September. Mitchell was advanced to the acting rank of Squadron Leader and mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 24 September 1941 refers).

His remaining wartime appointments included time in Canada and at Technical Training Command back in the U.K., and he was finally placed on the Retired List in the rank of Wing Commander in January 1948. He died in October 1954.