Orders, Decorations and Medals

Five: Leading Airman R. Williams, R.N. Fleet Air Arm, an Air Gunner with No. 854 Squadron aboard the Aircraft Carrier ‘Illustrious’ in the Pacific
1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Burma Star, clasp, Pacific; Defence and War Medals, all unnamed as issued but sold with the recipient’s original Flying Log Book for the period September 1943 to September 1945, very fine (6)

Williams completed his training with No. 2 T.A.G. School in January 1944. He was posted to H.M.S. Jackdaw, and then to H.M.S. Nightjar with No. 763 Squadron. He joined No. 854 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, in October 1944 and subsequently served with the squadron aboard H.M.S. Illustrious in the Pacific. He took part in the strike on Medan on 20 December 1944, claiming a hit on an oil tank. He next took part in the two major strikes against the Palembang oil refinery on the 24th and 29th January 1945: ‘Strike on Palembang. A.A. opposition & fighters and balloons. Lost 41 aircraft - destroyed 99 Jap aircraft. Oil refineries destroyed.’ On 26 March he took part in a strike on islands south of Japan ‘fired 170 rounds at enemy aircraft (3) results unobserved’. The next day, in a strike against an aerodrome on Isnigaki ‘A/C damaged by flak, saw best friend go down in flames.’ His last operations were carried out in the first half of April 1945, when he took part in raids on Isnigaki aerodrome, against a bridge on Formosa (destroyed), and against shipping and trains. His remarks for the month read: ‘Two of Squadron shot down. Own aircraft hit on three of the raids. Accurate AA fire from Japs, scarcity of enemy fighters ...yellow?’