Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War ‘special duties’ D.F.C. group of five awarded to Squadron Leader W. W. Gunton, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who was decorated for his gallantry in No. 161 Squadron, which unit was charged with dropping agents and supplies into Occupied Europe

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated ‘1945’; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, together with the recipient’s original Buckingham Palace D.F.C. forwarding letter in the name of ‘Squadron Leader William W. Gunton, D.F.C.’, generally extremely fine (5) £1200-1500

D.F.C. London Gazette 17 August 1945.

Air Ministry records state ‘For completing many sorties with No. 161 Squadron during which his skill, accuracy and enthusiasm have always been most praiseworthy.’

William Walter Gunton, who was from Leytonstone, was commissioned a Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in January 1942 and was a Flight Lieutenant by the time he joined No. 161 Squadron at Tempsford - a ‘special duties’ unit tasked with dropping and collecting secret agents, and their equipment, in Occupied Europe.

Gunton commenced his tour of operations on the night of 1-2 November 1944, at the helm of a Stirling in a sortie to Norway - codename “Bit 16” - but had to abort his next mission one week later owing to heavy cloud. But, as described in Flights of the Forgotten, Special Duties Squadrons in World War Two, by K. A. Merrick, his mission to Denmark on the night of 26th-27th - codename “Tablejam” - offered greater challenges:

‘With the pressure of the Allied advance, the Germans were even more alert than usual and Denmark was becoming increasingly dangerous to crews on their low-flying sorties. Flight Lieutenant Gunton of No. 161 Squadron found no reception at his first DZ and set course for the second, only to be caught by searchlights and flak. Despite continuous evasive action, the flak pursued him right to the coast.’

Notwithstanding such dangers, Gunton was to return to Denmark on at least another five occasions during his tour of duty, the whole in support of “Operation Tablejam”. And he was also ordered to Norway on at least another six occasions, the earliest of which - codename “Group 9” - was not without incident. Merrick continues:

‘The next night Norway was the centre of attention for both No. 38 Group and Tempsford’s squadrons. The crews pressed home their attempts despite dense cloud and night fighters. Flight Lieutenant Gunton’s crew was intercepted by a Bf. 110 but fought it off before going on to drop three agents safely.’

Gunton was also bound for Norway on several further occasions in the early part of 1945, thus his part in such codenamed sorties as “Tail 6” on 2 March, “Bit 17” on 23 March, “Crupper 23” on 19 April and “Vet 6” on 25 April.

And one unusual trip to Germany aside - namely “Turmoil 2” on 24 December 1944 - the remaining destinations in his tour of duty were in Holland - thus codenamed sorties “Running 31” on 17 March 1945, followed by “Draughts 10 on 18 March and “Draughts 12” on 5 April. He was awarded the D.F.C.