Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Second World War Middle East operations D.F.M. group of six awarded to Flight Sergeant K. J. Cole, Royal Air Force, who was decorated on completing no less than 168 operational sorties in Sunderlands of No. 230 Squadron, said sorties including the destruction of three enemy aircraft in air-to-air combat and a dozen attacks on U-Boats - ‘two of which were definitely sunk’: so, too, the evacuation of the King of Hellenes to Crete, for which services he was awarded the Greek Air Force Cross

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (569476 Sgt. K. J. Cole, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Greece (Kingdom), Air Force Cross, bronze, generally good very fine (6) £1800-2200

D.F.M. London Gazette 18 September 1942. The original recommendations states:

‘This airman has completed over 1,000 hours operational flying involving 168 sorties as Fitter and Engineer/Air Gunner on Sunderlands. In the course of these operations the aircraft has performed valuable reconnaissance and anti-submarine patrols, the successful conclusion of which was due in no small measure to the outstanding qualities of coolness and resource shown by him. He contributed extremely valuable work whilst the aircraft was engaged on the evacuation of British forces from Crete and Greece, the unfailing serviceability of his aircraft under difficult conditions being largely a result of his untiring efforts.

The aircrew of which he is a member have been responsible for the destruction of three enemy fighters in aerial combat and carried out 12 attacks on hostile submarines, two of which were definitely sunk and at least three severely damaged.’

Kenneth John Yates was born at Wellingborough, Northamptonshire in January 1919 and enlisted in the Royal Air Force as an Aircraft Apprentice at Halton in January 1936.

By the outbreak of hostilities with Germany in September 1939, he was serving in the Far East as an L.A.C. on the strength of No. 230 Squadron, a Sunderland unit, in which capacity he flew in patrols as a Fitter and Engineer/Air Gunner over the Indian Ocean and the approaches to Singapore and Malaya.

The Squadron having then moved to Ceylon in early 1940, and thence to the Middle East, he flew anti-U-Boat and reconnaissance patrols out of Egypt, in addition to a forward base at Kalafrana, Malta. Here, then, a lengthy period of operational flying in which his crew had three successful encounters with enemy aircraft and carried out a dozen attacks against U-Boats, ‘two of which were definitely sunk’; one of these may have been the U-577 which was destroyed by a Sunderland of No. 230 Squadron off Mersa Matruh on 9 January 1942.

Regular operational duties aside, Yates and his crew were also charged with evacuating British forces and refugees from Greece and Crete, the King of Hellenes being among their passengers in April 1941, with Wing Commander P. R. Woodward at the helm of their Sunderland; in common with his crew, Yates was decorated by the King for said services, approval for his receipt of the Greek Air Force Medal being granted in February 1945. In the event, he was actually awarded the Greek Air Force Cross, the bestowal document being forwarded to him in March 1955; it appears, however, from accompanying letters from the Air Ministry, that he was also sent a Greek Air Force Medal in the summer of 1962.

By the time Cole was ‘rested’ and embarked for the U.K. in May 1943, he had flown 168 operational sorties. He remained employed as an instructor for the remainder of the War and was finally discharged in the rank of Sergeant in March 1949.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including Central Chancery letter in respect of the recipient’s D.F.M. investiture at Buckingham Palace, dated 3 May 1945, and related congratulatory letter from the A.O.C. No. 201 (Naval Co-operation) Group, R.A.F., Middle East; Greek Air Force Medal certificate, dated 29 March 1955; his R.A.F. Certificate of Service and Discharge and R.A.F. Service and Release Book; and a photograph of the recipient.