Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Second Lieutenant L. W. G. Stagg, Royal Air Force, a ‘six week subaltern’ with No. 99 Squadron, killed in action 31 July 1918

British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut., R.A.F.) extremely fine (2) £300-350

Leslie William Gilbert Stagg was born on 4 November 1899. Living at Woodford Green, Essex and a former scholar at the Poplar School of Engineering and Navigation (1914-16), he entered the Royal Flying Corps in November 1917. He was appointed a Temporary 2nd Lieutenant in the R.A.F. on 21 July 1918 (London Gazette 23 July 1918). Posted soon after to France as an Observer Officer with No. 99 Squadron flying D.H.9’s, he was killed in action on 31 July 1918, aged 18 years.

The action of 31 July 1918 was a disastrous one for the squadron. Twelve D.H.9’s of No. 99 Squadron took off at 5.30 a.m. for a raid on Mainz. Of these, three returned before crossing the lines with engine trouble. The remaining nine machines were attacked by 40 enemy fighters near Saarburg. Seeing it was impossible to reach Mainz, the officer commanding decided to bomb an alternative target in Saarbrucken. Four D.H.9’s were shot down before this objective could be reached; the remaining five bombed their targets but a further three machines were shot down on their return journey - only two D.H.9’s regaining their aerodrome. Lieutenant Stagg’s D.H.9 was one of those shot down, Stagg being killed, the pilot, Lieutenant Ritchie, made a prisoner. Stagg was buried in the Sarralbe Military Cemetery - a ‘six week subaltern’ - so called as this was the life expectancy of young airforce officers at the front.

With copied service papers, squadron diary and other papers. Also with the book: History of 99 Squadron, by Squadron-Leader L. A. Pattison, D.S.O., M.C., D.F.C.