Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Lieutenant F. A. Gill, Royal Air Force

British War and Victory Medals (Lieut., R.A.F.); Defence Medal, unnamed, mounted as worn; Belgium, King Albert Medal, unnamed, good very fine (4) £80-100

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of British Groups with Foreign Awards.

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Francis Andrew Gill was born on 30 November 1891, the son of Rev. A. Gill of Dawlish. He entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 30 September 1916 as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 4th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment attached to the 2nd Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps. Transferring to the Royal Flying Corps in May 1917, he subsequently qualified as an Observer and was posted to No. 52 Squadron. Remaining with the squadron in France for the remainder of the year, he fired his guns in anger on at least one occasion, namely when two Albatros scouts were confronted N.E. of Nieuport on 21 July 1917 - ‘Thirty rounds were fired from rear gun, driving the enemy aircraft away in an easterly direction ....’ Latterly employed in seaplanes with 64th Naval Wing in Alexandria, Gill was injured in a crash on 18 June 1918 and was admitted to the 14th Australian General Hospital. Lieutenant Gill was transferred to the Unemployed List on 10 October 1919. With copied m.i.c. and copied service papers. Belgian medal not confirmed.