The Collection of Medals formed by Dr A W Stott

A good Air Gunner’s D.F.M. group of four awarded to Sergeant G. Kelly, No. 44 (Rhodesia) and No. 50 Squadrons, Royal Air Force
Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (535494 Sgt., R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal, good very fine (4)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals Formed By Dr A W Stott.

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D.F.M. London Gazette 18 April 1941. The following recommendation was extracted from official records: ‘Sergeant Kelly has served in an operational unit for 14 months as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, during which period he has completed 29 operational flights against the enemy in a flying time of 189 hours. Throughout this time he has displayed keenness and initiative on all occasions. Sergeant Kelly has never allowed extreme discomfort or enemy action to interfere in the performance of his duties. He has given every assistance to his Captain and his excellent work has frequently enabled the latter to locate his target and return successfully to his base when weather conditions have rendered other means of navigation impossible. His courage and devotion to duty have set a high standard to all members of other air crews.’

Sold with photocopies from No’s 44 and 50 Squadron Operational Record Books showing many of Kelly’s operations including: 5 August 1940 ‘This aircraft was one of eight that took off to bomb the battleship Bismarck lying under construction in Hamburg docks. On arrival over the area this aircraft was unable to locate the primary target owing to haze and bombed instead the neighbouring docks in Hamburg’; October 1940 ‘This aircraft took off to bomb the Blohr Voss Shipyards at Hamburg. On arrival over the target area severe icing and bad weather generally was encountered and the aircraft proceeded to Wilhelmshaven to bomb the Turpitz. A high level attack was made with 6x250 lb G.P. bombs and 60 lbs of incendiaries but no results were observed on account of low cloud over the target.’

Sergeant Gerard Kelly, D.F.M., was killed in action on 1 August 1942 and is buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany.