Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A poignant and well documented Great War ‘fighter pilot’ casualty pair awarded to Second Lieutenant E. A. Cave, 24 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, who flew DH.2s as part of the R.F.C.’s first single seater fighter squadron. He was killed in a flying accident when returning from a patrol, 13 February 1916, just 7 days after arriving in France

British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut. E. A. Cave.) in named card boxes of issue, with Memorial Scroll, extremely fine (lot) £300-400

Eric Arthur Cave was born in Rushden, in August 1893, the only son of Mr and Mrs A. Cave of “The Hutt”, Higham Road, Rushden, Northamptonshire. He was educated at Kent College, Canterbury, and prior to the war was employed on the literary staff of the Northampton Daily Echo; Northampton Independent and on the editorial staff of The Yorkshire Observer.

Cave attested for the Royal Flying Corps in July 1915, carried out his flying training at Brooklands, and obtained his Aviator’s Certificate as well as his commission on his birthday - 9 August 1916. He was posted for operational flying to 24 Squadron (DH.2s), the R.F.C.’s first single seater fighter squadron, and served with them in the French theatre of war from 6 February 1916. He wrote of his initial experiences in a letter to his parents, dated 7 February 1916:

‘My Dear All,

We arrived here today in a howling gale, yesterday evening quite unfit for flying because of rain. Four of the machines crashed more others badly at Folkestone & at present only just over half the Squadron have arrived. We have to go out on patrol duty over the lines tomorrow all day, and as we are so short handed it means rather a heavy job.

However, will write you later. Am awfully tired & have to get up at six.’

Six days later Cave was killed in a flying accident. On 14 February his C.O., Major Lanoe Hawker, V.C., D.S.O. wrote to the following to Cave’s mother:

‘Dear Mrs Cave,

Permit me first, on behalf of myself and the whole of no 24 Squadron, to express our deepest sympathy with you in your sad bereavement.

This Squadron, as you probably know, is equipped with fast Scouts, which are undoubtedly very tricky to fly. Your son however, was a good pilot, and handled the machine very well.

Unfortunately, while planing down to land about 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon, he made too steep a turn, the machine got out of control, and dived to the ground before he had time to recover control again.

Help arrived within 2 minutes of the accident, but there was nothing to do - death was instantaneous:- at least he did not suffer any pain....’

The crash was to prove a turning point for the Squadron, as related in Hawker, V.C. in the chapter ‘Arrival in France’:

‘The 13th of February turned out to be a critical day for the squadron. Cave on his way back from a patrol got into a spin, crashed and was killed on the neighbouring aerodrome occupied by No. 11 Squadron. Two of his best pilots, for to Lanoe all his pilots were his best, were killed before a shot had been fired at the enemy. Lanoe, with his ready sympathy, felt their loss acutely. The DH.2 was living up to his evil reputation... his squadron had reached a crisis. When he returned to his own mess, he found discussion being carried on by some of his pilots as to whether it was really possible to get the DH.2 out of a spin when once it started. So far it was considered fatal to get the DH.2 into a spin, and the pilots had taken great pains to avoid it... and that the machine was a death trap. Listening quietly, Lanoe realised that the fighting value of his squadron was in peril. His was the first squadron of DH.2s, and there was a possibility of his pilots losing confidence in their machines in which case the morale of the squadron was gone....

Without a word Lanoe left the mess and ordered out a machine, climbed to 8,000 feet and deliberately threw it into a spin. If he failed to get it out of a spin... but Lanoe never thought of failure. Putting his theories in practise he recovered from the spin without difficulty. He tried again and again, with engine on, with engine off, left spin, right spin.... Down Lanoe came to the aerodrome and radiating confidence he walked briskly into the mess. “It’s all right, you fellows,” he said, “You can get the DH.2 out of any spin. I have just tried it out.”

The pilots gathered eagerly around him, and he carefully explained the correct manoeuvres until they all understood them clearly, but he warned them above everything not to get into a spin near the ground. Out they all went to follow his example. It was an anxious moment, for another crash might have shaken irreparably the confidence of his pilots, but all went well....

Cave was buried quietly [originally at Villers-Bocage Cemetery, and then moved to Terlincthun British Cemtery, Wimille] and, though Lanoe showed a brave face to his squadron, he carried a heavy heart.

“13.2.16
After four months of school work at Hounslow without an injury to anyone, we have struck some dreadfully bad luck - one of my lads was killed on Wednesday, and another again today, two in a week is really too terrible, and both flying accidents. Two so close together is dreadfully hard - and I am feeling very depressed in consequence. I have such nice keen lads, and it does seem such a pity and it is such a waste, and I have to write to their people as their commanding officer.” ‘

Sold with the following related documents: Commission appointing Eric Arthur Cave Second Lieutenant in the Special Reserve of Officers, Royal Flying Corps, military Wing, dated 9 August 1915; Aviator’s Certificate, numbered 1546, and dated 9 August 1915; Royal Flying Corps (Officers) Certificate “A”, dated 28 October 1915; Overseas Ex-Servicemen Association Roll of Honour Scroll, named to recipient; Letter from recipient addressed to his parents, dated 7 February 1916; a half-written letter to recipient’s parents, dated 12 February 1916, additionally annotated ‘This was in Eric’s kit’; Letter of Condolence to recipient’s mother from Major L. Hawker, V.C., D.S.O., Commanding Officer 24 Squadron, dated 14 February 1916; three Calling Cards, two for pre-war employment and named to recipient as of the Northampton Independent and The Yorkshire Observer; several photographs of recipient, newspaper cuttings and other ephemera.