Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Flight Sergeant (Wireless Operator / Air Gunner) F. W. Griffiths, 40 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who was killed in action when his Wellington crashed over the Szony Komarom Oil Refinery, Hungary, after being hit by flak, 21-22 August 1944

1939-45 Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with named Air Council enclosure and medal ticket, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘A. Griffiths, Esq., 1 Collingwood Road, London N15’, extremely fine (4) £120-£160

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Second World War Royal Air Force Casualties.

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Frederick William Griffiths served during the Second World War as a Wireless Operator / Air Gunner with 40 Squadron, flying Wellingtons- he joined the Squadron, based at Foggia air base complex, Italy, in May 1944, and took part in the brutal air campaign to destroy the large oil production industry based mainly in Romania and Hungary. The targets were heavily defended and the losses were great. Chief among the larger targets was the Ploesti Xenia Synthetic Oil Refinery in Romania, the most heavily defended target to be attacked outside Germany. Griffiths and his crew began flying operations in June 1944, and flew together on 16 raids up until their loss in August 1944. They attacked targets in Yugoslavia, Italy, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania and Bosnia. These targets were mostly oil refineries and very heavily defended. They included Terni, Nis, Parubice, Ploesti Xenia, Trieste, Prahova and Szony Komarom.

Griffiths was killed in action when Wellington LN652, piloted by Flying Officer J. Barnett, was hit by flak and crashed whilst on a raid on the Szony Oil Refinery at Komarom, Hungary, on 21-22 August 1944, on what was the recipient’s 21st operational sortie. The entire crew were killed.

Griffiths is buried in Budapest War Cemetery, Hungary. His medals were sent to his father, Albert Victor Griffiths.

Sold with copied research, including accounts made by a pilot of 37 Squadron (James MacIsaac R.C.A.F.) who participated in the raids alongside 40 Squadron’s aircraft including that of Griffith’s- the accounts give a very detailed view of the attacks and the subsequent results.