Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Flight Lieutenant E. R. E. Payne, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, extremely fine (3) £150-200

Ernest Richard Edward Payne, who was born in April 1922, commenced his aircrew training out in Canada at the end of 1941, where he qualified as a Navigator before returning to the U.K. in the summer of 1942. Having then attended an O.T.U. at Cranwell, he was posted to No. 612 Squadron, a Coastal Command unit operating in Whitleys out of Wick, in November 1942, and thence, in April 1943, to 1407 Meteorological Flight at Reykjavik, flying Hampdens and later Hudsons.

In May 1944, Payne transferred to No. 519 Squadron, another meteorological unit flying Venturas out of Skitten, Scotland, while at the War’s end, having attended a Bomb Aimer’s course at R.A.F. Manby, he joined No, 202 Squadron a Catalina unit based at Castle Archdale. He served latterly back on navigational duties in Liberators of No. 220 Squadron and was demobilised as a Pilot Officer in March 1946.

Subsequently rejoining the Royal Air Force as an Armaments Officer in January 1949, Payne attended a British Nuclear Weapons Course and qualified to arm Vulcans, Nimrods and Victors. He was elected an Associate Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society in 1969, a Fellow of the Institution of Nuclear Engineers in the following year, and was finally placed on the Retired List in October 1975.

Sold with the recipient’s original R.C.A.F. Air Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book, covering the period December 1941 to August 1957, with taped spine and worn overall, together with an R.A.F. Sight Log Book with a mass of pasted-down magazine aircraft illustrations, and his commission warrant for the rank of Pilot Officer, R.A.F.V.R., dated 12 February 1945.