Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Acting Squadron Leader E. S. Farrand, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, late Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, a pilot in No. 19 Squadron who was shot down and taken P.O.W. in October 1918

British War and Victory Medals (2nd Lieut. E. S. Farrand, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R., 1st issue (Act. Sqn. Ldr. E. S. Farrand, R.A.F.V.R.), good very fine and better (6) £400-500

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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Elmar Stuart Farrand, who was born in Newcastle in February 1899, enlisted in a Training Reserve Battalion in October 1916, aged 17 years, was called up in April 1917, and transferred to the Royal Flying Corps on obtaining a commission that November.

Having then gained further experience as a pilot in No. 90 Squadron in the U.K., he was posted to No. 19 Squadron out in France in August 1918, a Sopwith Dolphin unit. No doubt having completed some operational sorties in the interim, he was reported missing in action over Aubigny on 3 October, a fellow pilot, 2nd Lieutenant T. H. Mercer, stating that had seen - and engaged an Pfalz scout - that had locked onto the tail of Farrand’s aircraft. Later confirmed as a P.O.W., Farrand was repatriated in December 1918 and placed on the Unemployed List in October 1919.

Recalled on the renewal of hostilities in September 1939, he was posted to No. 61 Group in Belfast, where he was quickly advanced to Squadron Leader (Operations) on the A.O.C’s staff, and, in December 1941, after a brief spell at H.Q. No. 31 Wing, he removed to H.Q. No. 4 Group. Having then attended a course at the R.A.F. Staff College, Farrand was posted to R.A.F. Lasham on intelligence duties in January 1943 and to H.Q. No. 17 Group in September 1944 as Group Intelligence Officer. He received his Air Efficiency Award in July 1948.