Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: Flying Officer Carl Shagena, Royal Air Force, an American volunteer flying with No. 405 (City of Vancouver) Squadron until he was killed in action in February 1943

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal, silver; Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, silver, together with sterling silver Operational Wings and forwarding letter to his mother, the recipient’s R.C.A.F. Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book for the period December 1941 to February 1943, and three photographs, extremely fine (5) £280-320

Carl John Shagena was born in Detroit, Michigan, on 4 February 1922, of French-Finnish descent. He volunteered to join the Royal Canadian Air Force on 23 June 1941, being accepted on 5 July. He began his training with No. 8 A.O.S. at Ancienne Lorette, Quebec, in December 1941, completing his Air Observers’ Navigation Course in the following March, when he was posted to No. 9 Bombing & Gunnery School at Mont Joli, Quebec, followed by a course at the Advanced Navigation School at Penfield Ridge, New Brunswick. In August 1942 he flew to England where he was posted to Babbington for further Air Bomber training, and finally to 23 O.T.U. at Pershore, where he flew Wellingtons. In December 1942 he went on a conversion course for Halifax bombers and in January 1943 he was posted to No. 405 (City of Vancouver) Squadron, Pathfinder Force, at Beaulieu, Hampshire. During February he completed three operational anti-submarine patrols, but on 21 February his Halifax crashed just one and a half miles from his airfield, all crew being killed. He is buried in Boldre Cemetery, Boldre, Hampshire.