Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria including the collection to Naval Artificers formed by JH Deacon

An immediate Second World War pilot’s D.F.C. group of five awarded to Flight Lieutenant G. H. Smith, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, the survivor of an operational tour of 38 sorties, who was decorated for continuing to his target for 50 miles in a badly damaged and blazing aircraft

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse dated 1945, in its Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals, in named card box of issue with forwarding slip, virtually as issued (5) £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Awards to the Men of Bomber Command 1939-45.

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D.F.C. London Gazette 13 April 1945. The immediate award recommendation states:

‘This Officer and airman were pilot and Flight Engineer respectively in an aircraft detailed to attack Reisholz one night in February 1945. When nearing the target the aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire. Pieces of shrapnel smashed the bomb doors. The hydraulic gear was put out of action, causing the flaps to fall down, thus reducing the speed of the aircraft and making it difficult to control. The fuselage petrol tank was pierced and a large fire commenced. With complete disregard for his own safety, Sergeant Sleeman at once directed his efforts towards quelling the flames. The fire threatened to get out of control but Sergeant Sleeman worked strenuously and at last succeeded in extinguishing the fire. He had sustained several burns which caused him much pain. This did not prevent him from immediately turning his attention towards temporarily repairing the fuel cocks of the starboard tanks which had been damaged. Meanwhile, Flying Officer Smith displayed great coolness during this harrassing period, and kept his aircraft headed towards the target which he eventually attacked. Afterwards he flew the badly damaged aircraft back to the nearest airfield available in this country. This Officer displayed superb skill, great determination and devotion to duty. Sergeant Sleeman also proved himself to be an outstanding crew member. His courage and resource set a fine example.’

Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey Horwood Smith, D.F.C., completed his pilot training on Whitleys of No. 19 Operational Training Unit at Kinloss in April 1944 and, after attending a conversion course on Halifaxes, was posted to No. 640 Squadron at Leconfield, Yorkshire. Flying his first mission as Captain of Aircraft against Neuss on the night of 23-24 September 1944, he went on to complete a busy operational tour of 38 sorties, his targets largely comprising those of the heavily defended German kind. Thus trips to Bochum, Bottrop, Cologne (twice), Duisburg (thrice), Essen (seven times!), Kleve, Sterkrade (twice) and Soest, in addition to more specific strikes against the marshalling yards at Gelsenkirchen, Hannover, Saarbrucken and Stuttgart. Posted to R.A.F. Marston Moor in May 1945, he logged his last flight in a Dakota in July 1946, just prior to being demobilised.

Sold with a large quantity of original documentation and related artefacts, including the recipient’s Flying Log Book, covering the period September 1942 to July 1946; Buckingham Palace forwarding letter for the D.F.C. and message of congratulations from “Bomber” Harris; six wartime pilot’s maps, annotated for the targets of Chemnitz, Coblenz, Cologne, Essen, Hanau and Leipzig, together with photographic records of routes taken to Cap Griz Nez and Duisberg; a training pamphlet entitled, Captaincy And What It Means To You; Airman’s Service and Pay Book; Officer’s Medical Record and Service and Release Book; a rare ‘Escape Pipe’, with concealed compass in the stem - ‘Break this, head West and you are home ...’; an evader’s photograph ready for use by the French Resistance to prepare false identity papers; a wartime crew photograph; and a local newspaper cutting, ‘He flew his blazing aircraft 50 miles to complete mission.’