Auction Catalogue

1 & 2 March 2017

Starting at 11:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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Lot

№ 47

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1 March 2017

Hammer Price:
£1,800

A Second War 1943 ‘Bomber Command’ D.F.C. group of six attributed to Flight Lieutenant R. P. Grimwood, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1943’; 1939-45 Star ; Air Crew Europe Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, nearly extremely fine (6) £1200-1600

D.F.C London Gazette 17 August 1943.

The recommendation, dated 23 June 1943, states: ‘Pilot Officer Grimwood was posted to No. 57 Squadron from No. 1654 Conversion Unit on 15 January 1943. He has now completed 23 sorties involving 146 hours 30 minutes operational flying. Amongst the targets he has attacked are Berlin (twice), Munich, Stettin, Essen (twice), 8 other Ruhr towns, Turin, Spezia, and several other targets in Germany. Pilot Officer Grimwood is a most determined and resolute captain who has at all times pressed home his attacks with the greatest vigour. He has on several occasions obtained photographs of the aiming point. No difficulties have been too great to surmount and the one occasion when he was forced to abandon a sortie was when flying with a very new and inexperienced navigator who became completely lost over enemy territory. Pilot Officer Grimwood has shown the greatest keenness to operate against the enemy and his cool competence and complete disregard of danger make him an invaluable asset to the Squadron.
His work on the ground is equally sound. Both as an N.C.O. and now as a Pilot Officer he has always been thoroughly reliable. He leads his crew with the confidence which is the result of sound knowledge. He is a valuable assistant to his Flight Commander and whatever he is asked to do is done efficiently and without fuss. His ability, bearing, and behaviour at all times are exactly what is hoped for in a junior officer in an operational Squadron. I consider that Pilot Officer Grimwood has completed two-thirds of an excellent first tour of operations and I very strongly recommend the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross.’


Raymond Peter Grimwood was born at Highbury, London, on 7 April 1923, and enlisted in the Royal Air Force on 10 March 1941. After initial training in the United States of America with four other pilots at Tuscaloosa, October 1941 until May 1942, he attended No. 3 (Pilot) A.T.U. in July 1942. Posted to No. 57 Squadron (Lancasters) at R.A.F. Scampton on 15 January 1943 as a Sergeant Pilot from 1654 Conversion Unit, his first sortie was a raid over Turin on 4-5 February 1943. Further operational sorties over the next few months included the submarine bases at L’Orient and St. Nazaire, and the German targets of Munich, Berlin (2), Keil, Frankfurt, Dortmund, Dusseldorf (2), Essen, Cologne, and the Skoda works at Pilsen. Commissioned Pilot Officer on 12 May 1943, he was recommended for the Distinguished Flying Cross on 23 June 1943 after 23 sorties, and completed his tour with a raid over Regina on 16-17 July 1943, having diverted from the original target of Milan. Posted to No. 17 Officer Training Unit on 1 August 1943, he was promoted Flying Officer on 3 September 1943, and Flight Lieutenant on 3 March 1945. His last day of service was on 31 October 1946.
 
After the Second World War Grimwood was employed by British European Airways flying Viscounts, Vanguards, and Tridents, and was awarded a Master Air Pilot award by the Guild of Air Pilots & Air Navigators on 1 June 1961. He retired in 1977, having flown almost 20,000 hours, and died at Bury St. Edmonds, Suffolk, on 15 January 1994.


Sold together with a copy of the London Gazette listing the award of the D.F.C.; Air Council enclosure; named certificate as a contributor to the Bomber Command Museum Appeal, with accompanying letter; portrait photograph of the recipient; various other photographs, including one of the recipient with H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh; and a large quantity of copied research.