Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The rare immediate ‘Kurdistan’ M.S.M. group of three awarded to Flight Sergeant, later Flight Lieutenant, W. G. Bates, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force - his being the last immediate R.A.F. M.S.M. ever to be awarded

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Kurdistan (755. F/Sgt. W. G. Bates. R.A.F.); Royal Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R. (755. F/Sjt. W. G. Bates. R.A.F.); Royal Air Force L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (755. S.M.2. W. G. Bates. R.A.F.) generally nearly very fine (3) £700-900

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the Royal Air Force between the Wars (1919-1939) formed by Group Captain JE Barker.

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Provenance: Spink, December 1990.

M.S.M. London Gazette 11 June 1924:

‘For distinguished service rendered during operations in Kurdistan between 15th February and 19th June, 1923.’

1 of 18 M.S.M.’s awarded to the R.A.F. over a four year period for Kurdistan.

William Gordon Bates was the son of Lieutenant W. Bates, Royal Marine Light Infantry, and was born at Chatham Barracks in February 1898. He enlisted as a Boy Entrant, aged 15, with the Royal Flying Corps in June 1913. Still a Boy, Bates was on the strength of the Aircraft Park in August 1914. His service training was clearly effective because within 4 years, on 1 June 1917, as a Fitter (Eng), he was promoted to Sergeant. He transferred to the Royal Air Force as Fitter (AE) with the rank of Sergeant Mechanic in April 1918.

Bates’ operational service began as a Flight Sergeant during the operations against the Turkish supported rebel forces of Sheik Mahmoud in Kurdistan, March - June 1923. He was awarded the L.S. & G.C. in June 1931, and was posted as an Acting Warrant Officer to 55 Squadron, Hinaidi, Iraq, in March 1933. Having advanced to Warrant Officer in November of the same year, Bates was posted to 31 (Army Co-operation) Squadron, Karachi, 8 November 1934.

Bates returned to the UK and was posted as Warrant Officer Engineer to No. 9 Flying Training School, Thornaby, in March 1936. He was commissioned Flying Officer on probation, Technical (Engineer) Branch in August 1940, and served at R.A.F. Hornchurch. Bates advanced to Temporary Flight Lieutenant in December 1941, and retired 7 October 1945. In later life he and his wife ran The Mermaid Pub at Christian Malford, Chippenham. Bates died at the Manor Hospital, Bath, in November 1964.