Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Battle of France Hurricane Pilot’s D.F.C. group of three awarded to Pilot Officer R. C. Whittaker, Nos. 17 and 111 Squadrons, Royal Air Force, credited with the destruction of seven enemy aircraft before he was himself shot down in flames and killed in June 1940

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated 1940; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal, together with a large quantity of original documentation, including the ‘missing in action’ telegram, Buckingham Palace condolence letter, investiture letter, Air Ministry letters and others from friends and dignitaries, numerous newspaper cuttings, and a record compiled by the Squadron Intelligence Officer of Whittaker’s combat history, all professionally mounted in a leather bound album, together with a matching leather bound volume containing comprehensive extracts from the Operations Record Book and Combat Reports, extremely fine (4) £1800-2200

D.F.C. London Gazette 25 June, 1940, ‘This officer has shown great courage and determination, completely disregarding his own personal safety in order to engage and destroy enemy aircraft. By his fine air tactics and marksmanship he has destroyed four enemy aircraft and severely damaged at least four others.’

Richard Clare Whittaker was born at Yoxford, Suffolk, and educated at Shanghai Cathedral School and at Framlingham College. He joined the Royal Air Force from school as a pupil pilot in 1937 and attended the R.A.F. College at Cranwell. He was commissioned Pilot Officer in 1938 and joined No. 17 Fighter Squadron which at the time was equipped with Gauntlets. In June 1939 the squadron took over the Hurricanes from No. 56 Squadron.

Pilot Officer Whittaker, and the rest of 17 Squadron, became operational at Debden with a detachment at Martlesham, and although he was involved in many scrambles it was not until 11 May, 1940, that Whittaker had his first combat over Delft Aerodrome, Holland, when he claimed a BF 109 destroyed. The squadron score for that day was 3 BF 109’s and 2 Henschel Hs 126’s, but the squadron lost five pilots including the C.O. Squadron Leader G. C. Tomlinson. He claimed a JU 87 destroyed over Brussels on 17 May, whilst in combat with twenty-four JU 87’s. The following day he was on a patrol over Lille and took part in a combat with Do 215’s escorted by two ME 110’s, and is known to have destroyed one of the ME 110’s and damaged the other as it escaped, limping for home smoking.






Again on 19 May in a patrol over the front line at Cambrai-Valenciennes-Le Cateau with his squadron, he destroyed a Do 17 in a dog fight with Messerschmitt fighters and Dornier bombers. On the 21st, in a patrol near Abbeville he shared a HS 126 with another pilot but his own Hurricane was damaged by return enemy fire and he had to land at Le Treport. He later took off after finding no fuel or spares and landed at Dieppe, and later rejoined his squadron.

On the 25th May with his squadron on patrol over Calais, 40-50 JU 87 dive bombers were sighted at 15,000 feet, and with his section Whittaker went into the attack, destroying two JU 87’s. The following morning on a dawn patrol near Calais, with other pilots of his section, he attacked a Dornier 17 which was destroyed giving a half-share to Whittaker. Later in the morning whilst returning from a patrol Whittaker and his Flight Commander were bounced by BF 109’s, his Flight Commander being shot down in flames. Whittaker immediately engaged the BF 109 and destroyed it by shooting it down into the sea.

The squadron had been heavily committed over Dunkirk and aircraft shortage became acute. On June 1st the squadron saw one JU 88 near Dunkirk dive bombing on ships. While the other pilots were attacking this bomber Whittaker saw another bomber about to bomb Dunkirk and dived on it from 9,000 feet. Using a deflection attack he silenced the rear gunner immediately and the enemy aircraft dropped to sea level and went limping up the coast.

On the 7th June, 1940, Whittaker’s Hurricane was seen by another pilot, P/O Manger, being attacked by two ME 109’s near Airaines at 3,000 feet. Manger went into the attack and succeeded in driving one off and shooting down the other. Whittaker, however, was not seen again, and was subsequently listed as having been killed in action. His parents attended Buckingham Palace to receive from the King, the Distinguished Flying Cross that had been awarded to their son.

It has been shown in post war records that Pilot Officer Whittaker destroyed 7 enemy aircraft including two and a half shared and a JU 88 probably destroyed.