Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Squadron Leader G. D. Sutcliffe, Royal Air Force, a veteran of operational activity in Mustangs of No. 26 Squadron who went on to operate in jets of No. 32 Squadron in Cyprus in the 1950s

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Cyprus (Sqd. Ldr. G. D. Sutcliffe, R.A.F.), mounted as worn, together with a set of related miniature dress medals, one or two minor edge bruises, generally good very fine (10) £300-350

Gamwell David Sutcliffe was born in June 1922 and enlisted in the Royal Air Force in June 1941. Selected for pilot training, he was embarked for Canada and thence for the U.S.A., where he qualified for his “Wings” in January 1943, was commissioned Pilot Officer and became an instructor at the U.S. Army Base at Yuma, Arizona.

Returning to the U.K. in November 1943, Sutcliffe was embarked for similar duties in the Middle East in the period June-October 1944, following which he came home to an appointment in No. 26 Squadron, a Spitfire unit operating out of Tangmere. Early in the new year, the unit converted to Mustangs and, having moved to Chateaubrand in Cognac, went in to action in support of naval bombardments carried out on Point de Graves and the Isle D’Oleron in mid-to-late April.

Sutcliffe remained with No. 26 Squadron until April 1946, latterly piloting Spitfire XIVs, following which he joined another Spitfire unit, No. 73 Squadron, at Takali, Malta, prior to returning home to an appointment at the Central Gunnery School. Between November 1947 and October 1948, he served in No. 6 Squadron in the Middle East and between September 1951 and August 1954 he served at H.Q. 12 Group, Fighter Command, in which latter period he was advanced to Squadron Leader.

Sutcliffe then served in Cyprus in 1955-56, in which period he flew Meteors and Vampires and was attached to No. 32 Squadron, in addition to flying duties with Air H.Q. Levant and Nicosia (Medal & clasp). Latterly employed on staff duties back in the U.K., including an appointment at the M.O.D. (Air), he was placed on the Retired List in the summer of 1971.

Sold with the recipient’s original R.A.F. Pilot’s Flying Log Books (3), covering the periods March 1942 to June 1943, July 1943 to October 1948, and January 1949 to October 1959; together with a fine array of career photographs, approximately 60 images, including at least a dozen covering the 1939-45 War (e.g. Spitfires and Mustangs of 26 Squadron, and personnel), and his R.A.F. uniform and peak cap, with a tin containing a quantity of miscellaneous “Wings”, buttons, rank insignia and coins.