Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Lieutenant K. Wallace, Royal Air Force, late Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and Royal Flying Corps, who, having served in the Dardanelles with the Royal Naval Division, flew operationally as an Observer until wounded in action in early 1918

1914-15 Star (S. Lt. K. Wallace, R.N.V.R.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Lieut. K. Wallace, R.F.C.), very fine or better (2) £100-120

Kenneth Wallace, who was born in August 1894 and a native of Newcastle-on-Tyne, was appointed a Sub. Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in April 1915 and was posted to the Hood Battalion, Royal Naval Division, in the Dardanelles. Admitted to hospital in Egypt suffering from enteritis that October, he remained on the sick list for many months and was discharged to shore duties in November 1916.

In April 1917, however, he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps and, having qualified as an Observer, was posted to 70 Squadron out in France, with whom he had a couple of close shaves that summer - namely anti-aircraft damage inflicted on his Sopwith Strutter while engaged on photographic reconnaissance sorties on 11 June and 13 July.

Transferring to No. 100 Squadron in August, he commenced a busy tour of operations in the unit’s F.E. 2bs, records revealing his part in at least 23 bombing sorties against enemy aerodromes and communications in the period leading up to early January when, according to official records, he was admitted to Plymouth Hospital with wounds received in action.

Remaining in the U.K. after being discharged from hospital in the following month, he trained as a pilot at Reading and qualified for his aviator’s certificate that July, but he saw no further action and was transferred to the Unemployed List in February 1919; sold with full research.