Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

South African Memorial Plaque (152680V Lieut. F. M. du Toit S.A.A.F.) good very fine £200-300

Francois Meyer du Toit was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, in 1924, and having enlisted in the South African Air Force began his training on 6 April 1943. Posted to Air School, Standerton, in June 1943, he received his Flying badge on 29 October 1943, and was posted to No. 73 Officer Training Unit, Abu Sweir, on 29 December of that year. Commissioned Second Lieutenant, his first operational posting was to No. 145 Squadron (Spitfires) Flight, Venafro, Italy, under the command of Squadron Leader Neville Duke, D.S.O., D.F.C., with whom he flew his first patrol on 1 May 1944. Moving to Lago on 22 May, and Littoria on 11 June, the Squadron arrived in Perugia on 4 July 1944. Du Toit was killed on 8 July 1944, after a bomb exploded in landing on his return from bombing a road junction, and he is buried in Assisi War Cemetery, Italy.

Sold together with the recipient’s South African Air Force Pilots Flying Log Book, covering the period 6 April 1943 until 8 July 1944 (his complete flying career), with several entries signed off by Neville Duke; a caricature drawing of the recipient; and a group of Medals, S.A.A.F. cap badge, and embroidered pilots wings representative of those awarded to Lieutenant de Toit, comprising 1939-45 Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45; Africa Service Medal, all privately engraved ‘152680V F. M. D. U. Toit.’, the last erased and re-engraved.