Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War D.F.C. group of five awarded to Flight Lieutenant A. G. Edgar, Royal Air Force, whose tour of duty in Lancasters of No. 49 Squadron and No. 83 (Path Finder Force) Squadron included several encounters of the close kind with enemy night fighters and flak

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1944’, in its Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, France and Germany; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, good very fine or better (5) £1600-1800

D.F.C. London Gazette 9 June 1944. The original recommendation states:

‘One night in May 1944, this officer piloted an aircraft to attack a target in Belgium. On the homeward flight the aircraft was intercepted by a fighter and sustained much damage in the ensuing fight. The aileron controls and trimming tabs were severed, whilst fire broke out in the fuselage. The flames were extinguished but the aircraft was difficult to control. To keep the aircraft level it was necessary for Pilot Officer Edgar and another member of the crew to apply their full weight against the control column. In this manner the aircraft was flown for two hours until an airfield was reached where Pilot Officer Edgar executed a masterly landing. This officer displayed great skill and resolution in the face of heavy odds.’

Edgar, who enlisted in the Royal Air Force in June 1940, commenced his pilot training in Canada in August 1942 and, having qualified for his “Wings” and served at several establishments back in the U.K., was posted to No. 49 Squadron, a Lancaster unit operating out of Fiskerton, in April 1944.

First going operational on the night of 9th-10th, he completed 21 sorties in the period leading up to July, prior to his transferral to the Path Finder Force with an appointment in No. 83 Squadron. And most of his sorties were very much of the French kind, in support of the Normandy landings - nor were they without incident, his flying log book recording several encounters with enemy fighters. Thus three combats during a trip to Mailly on the night of 3-4 May, followed by three more on the night of 9-10 May during a strike against Genmervilliers. The following night, over Bourg-Leopold, and as cited above, his Lancaster was badly shot up by another enemy fighter, a forced landing being effected at Woodbridge. Meanwhile, his aircraft had also been hit by flak over Salbris. He was awarded the D.F.C.

Continuing his tour with No. 49, Edgar completed several more French trips in June, including a strike against La Pernerle on the night of the invasion, but was then ordered to Warboys to attend a brief Path Finder Force course. A week or so later he joined No. 83 Squadron, and was quickly assigned to further French targets, taking part in daylight strikes, too, among them the attack on Trossy St. Maximin on 3 August. His tour expired, after visiting a number of German targets in August, he was rested with an appointment as an instructor.

But in April 1945, he gained another operational posting, this time in No. 156 (Path Finder Force) Squadron at R.A.F. Upwood, and he completed four more sorties, including a strike on the “Big City”, prior to the end of hostilities.

Edgar was given a permanent commission after the War, and remained active as a pilot up until 1960, latterly flying Vulcans, but with many hours on Meteors in the interim.

Sold with the recipient’s original Flying Log Books (5), comprising R.C.A.F. type, covering the period August 1942 to February 1949, and R.A.F. types covering the periods February 1949 to February 1953, February 1953 to May 1955, June 1955 to September 1958, and October 1958 to October 1960; together with Path Finder Badge letter, dated 22 April 1945, Buckingham Palace forwarding letter for his D.F.C., and his R.A.F. letter of retirement, dated 4 October 1961.