Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Second War Radar Operator/Navigator’s Immediate D.F.C. group of seven awarded to Flying Officer R. J. McIlvenny, No. 604 Squadron, Royal Air Force, officially credited with the destruction of five enemy aircraft

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated 1945; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, France & Germany; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; War Medal; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Arabian Peninsula (Flt. Lt., R.A.F.) very fine and better (7) £1000-1200

D.F.C. London Gazette 2 January 1945: ‘Flight Lieutenant John Arthur Munro Haddon (103567), R.A.F.V.R., 604 Sqn. Flying Officer Robert James McIlvenny (158981), R.A.F.V.R., 604 Sqn. As pilot and observer these officers have participated in a large number of sorties and have displayed a high standard of skill and devotion to duty throughout. They have invariably shown the greatest keenness and have been responsible for the destruction of 5 enemy aircraft. One of their victories was achieved by forcing the pilot of the enemy aircraft to take violent evading action that it struck the ground and crashed.’

Flight Lieutenant Robert James McIlvenny first served operationally with No. 157 and 153 Squadrons in the U.K. and was credited with enabling his pilot to destroy a Dornier 217 in September 1942. In December 1942 No. 153 Squadron went with its Beaufighters to North Africa and in May 1943 McIlvenny was flying as R.T. Navigator to F/O J.A.M. Haddon from Maison Blanche. Following a move to Reghaia, they destroyed an He.111 at Bizerte on 17 August, and on 26 September 1943 were posted tour-expired back to the U.K. They were reunited in May 1944 on posting to No. 604 Squadron (Mosquitoes) at Hurn, McIlvenny coming straight from commissioning at S.I.O.T.U. to the 2nd T.A.F. unit whose principal role was flying in support of the Allied invasion forces in Normandy. On 28 July when flying with F/Lt Meadows, McIlvenny killed his third enemy aircraft, a Ju.88 between Liseux and Bernay; and during a routine defensive patrol from the squadron’s first advanced base in France, A15 Maupertus, on the night 5 August 1944, when teamed as usual with Haddon, he helped destroy two Ju.88’s in the Rennes area, thereby significantly contributing to the squadron’s total for August ‘44 of sixteen victories. Completing their tour in northwest Europe, the Haddon / McIlvenny partnership was joint posted to the Night Fighter Development Wing at Ford in early March 1945. Sold with a quantity of copied research.