Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Pathfinder D.F.C., D.F.M. pair awarded to Flight-Lieutenant William Swain, 7 Squadron (P.F.F.) and 102 (Ceylon) Squadron, Royal Air Force

DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated '1944', in its Royal Mint case of issue together with Buckingham Palace letter; DISTINGUISHED FLYING MEDAL, G.VI.R. (9666864 Sgt., R.A.F.) edge bruise to the last, otherwise very fine or better (2)

D.F.M., London Gazette, 24 October, 1941: Sergeant William Swain, No. 102 Squadron, Royal Air Force.

D.F.C., London Gazette, 13 October, 1944: Acting Flight Lieutenant William Swain, No. 7 Squadron, R.A.F.V.R.

William Swain flew as Wireless Operator with 102 (Ceylon) Squadron, his first sortie being against Stuttgart on 25 August 1940. Through the end of 1940 and the first half of 1941, Swain completed many missions against targets in Germany. On 23 July 1941 he took part in the raid against the German battleship Scharnhorst at La Pallice and, having completed 30 operational sorties, was awarded the D.F.M. Swain took part in the first and second 1000 bomber raids against Cologne on 30 May 1942, and Essen three nights later. By December 1943 he had joined the newly formed Path Finder Force as a member of 7 Squadron. He flew 31 sorties with the Path Finders, 23 of them as a Marker. These included the attack on Nuremberg on 31 March 1944, when Bomber Command suffered its heaviest losses in a single raid. Nearly 100 planes failed to make the journey home. He was awarded the D.F.C. in 1944 having finished his second tour of operations and completed 65 operational sorties. Sold with copies of recommendations for both awards which give a full list of his operational sorties.