Orders, Decorations and Medals

A very rare ‘Crowned Head’ A.F.M. group of four awarded to Squadron Leader H. Dingwall, No. 58 Squadron, Royal Air Force

Air Force Medal, G.V.R., 2nd issue, crowned head (326355 Sgt. (Pilot), R.A.F.); Defence and War Medals; Royal Air Force L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (326355 Sgt., R.A.F.), together with four R.A.F. Pilot’s Flying Log Books for the period April 1921 to November 1943, the first three bound as one, with various enclosures including congratulatory letters and telegram, and an original copy of the A.F.M. recommendation, good very fine (4) £3000-4000

See Colour Plate VIII

A.F.M. London Gazette 3 June, 1935: Sergeant (Local Warrant Officer) (Pilot) Herbert George Dingwall, Royal Air Force (att. Egyptian Army Air Force). Approximately 20 George V ‘crowned head‘ A.F.M.’s were awarded.

The recommendation states: ‘Conspicuous devotion to duty. This N.C.O. has completed 5 years flying, and has flown a total of 1037 hours, of which 154 have been at night. Sergeant Dingwall sets an extraordinary good flying example to all, and has put up some very fine shows for the Squadron [No. 58 (Bomber) Squadron], both by day and night. He is a most capable flying instructor, and takes young and inexperienced navigators on cross-country flights at night, often in bad weather, and does not get upset when they make bad mistakes and get lost. He keeps his head, and very often shows great skill in flying and navigating his aircraft home under these conditions. He is capable and hard working and has the interest of the Squadron at heart.’

The following information was extracted from his log books: Attended R.A.F. Cadet College, Cranwell, from April 1921, flying Avros, DH9A and Vickers Vimy. On 2 January, 1926, he completed the Long Course at No. 4 FTS at Abu Sueir, and on 22 February he was graded ‘above average’. In March 1926 he was posted to No. 45 (Bomber) Squadron at Hinaidi, Iraq, flying Vickers Vernon and Victoria aircraft; No. 70 (Bomber) Squadron, Hinaidi, January 1927; No. 58 (Bomber) Squadron, Worthy Down, October 1927. As pilot he won the Laurence Minot Trophy for 1929. In November 1931, he was posted to Hatfield Civil Aerodrome on secondment to the Egyptian Army Air Force, and in May 1932, he commenced the E.A.A.F. flight to Egypt. This flight, in a De Haviland Moth, with a Sergeant Martin as passenger, was from Hatfield to Lympne, Paris, Lyon, Marseilles, Pisa, Rome, Naples, Catania, Malta, Tripoli, Sirte, Bengasi, Tobruk, Mersa Matruh, and finally to Cairo. The total length on the trip was 3285 miles and it ended with a reception, held by H.M. King Fuad of Egypt, for the Flight of Avro X and Moth EIII to be based at Almaza. Dingwall served with the E.A.A.F. for four years, returning to the U.K. in January 1936, when he joined No. 3 School of Technical Training at Manston, flying a great variety of aircraft. In August 1942 he was posted to No. 8 Maintenance Unit at Little Rissington, and at the end of 1943 his log book shows that he was in West Africa. His log books record more than 1800 hours flying time.