Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An emotive Battle of Britain casualty’s group of three awarded to Sergeant L. “Joey” Jowitt, Royal Air Force, a Hurricane pilot in No. 85 Squadron who claimed a ‘kill’ in France in May 1940 prior to being shot down and killed off Felixstowe in July 1940: his C.O., Peter Townsend, later recalled that he was ‘a popular pilot and something of a joker’

India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Mohmand 1933 (562160 L.A.C. L. Jowitt, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star, copy clasp, Battle of Britain; War Medal 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf, the first polished, thus fine, the last two believed to be ‘late claims’ made by his family, extremely fine (3) £2400-2800

Ex-Sotheby’s, 10 November 1988 (Lot 187); a set of replacement awards is known to exist in a private collection.

Leonard Jowitt was born in Failsworth, Manchester in July 1911 and joined the Royal Air Force as an Aircraft Apprentice - or “Trenchard Brat” - at the age of sixteen. Embarked for India four years later, he participated in the Mohmand operations of 1933 (Medal & clasp).

Soon after his return to England, he commenced pilot training and, on qualifying for his “Wings” in 1938, he was posted as a Sergeant Pilot to No. 85 Squadron at Debden. The ensuing twelve months were spent on attaining operational efficiency in the unit’s newly arrived Hurricanes, and in September 1939 the Squadron was sent to France.

During the ‘Phoney War’ period the pilots of No. 85 operated from an aerodrome at Seclin and in early May, when the Blitzkrieg got into full swing, they became engulfed in a flurry of fierce air battles. Squadron records are sparse for this period but one of Jowitt's combat reports survives:

‘l took off to intercept bombers which attacked base. One broke away from the formation and I attacked from the rear at a range of 100 to 150 yards. It started smoking and throwing out oil. l fired again and it burst into flames. I followed it down and saw it crash and explode half a mile South of Templeuve in the fork of a railway junction’ (T.N.A. Air 50/36 refers).

A mere ten days later the depleted and battle-scarred ranks of No. 85 were withdrawn to England. Under the critical eye of their new Commanding Officer, Squadron Leader Peter Townsend, pilots - old and new - began a period of intensive training. Townsend later recalled that Jowitt was ‘a popular pilot and something of a joker’. In an act with Pat Woods-Scawen he often had the pilots in fits of laughter - the pair of them would imitate ‘the presentation of a medal by a French General which was accompanied by the usual gesticulations and ending with a kiss on each cheek’ (The Battle of Britain Then and Now refers).

By the opening phases of the Battle of Britain, the Squadron was operating from Martlesham Heath on Convoy Patrols. During the early morning of Friday 12 July, Jowitt and two other pilots of ‘A’ Flight took off to provide protection for a southbound convoy. Not long after they encountered the Heinkels of KG 53 and during the ensuing combat Jowitt's Hurricane was shot down and crashed into the sea off Felixstowe.

He was posthumously mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 1 January 1941, refers).

The son of an ex-Great War artilleryman, also Leonard, and his wife Emily, he was 28 years of age, has no known grave and is commemorated on the Runneymede Memorial; sold with copied research.