Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Caterpillar Club badge issued to Pilot Officer D. W. Bateman, D.F.C., 77 Squadron, Royal Air Force, who was shot over Munich on 9-10 March 1943, and was taken Prisoner of War, being interned at the infamous Stalg Luft III at Sagan - the scene of the ‘Great Escape’

Caterpillar Club badge, in gold with painted enamel eyes, the reverse engraved ‘Pres. by Irving’; together with the recipient’s Caterpillar Club Certificate of Membership laminated card, named to ‘P/O. D. W. Bateman’, extremely fine £300-£400

D.F.C. London Gazette 13 July 1943.

The Recommendation states: ‘This Officer was making his last operational sortie as a wireless operator in Aircraft DT.734 in Munich on the night of 9-10 March 1943, from which he failed to return but is now reported to be a prisoner of war. He joined the Squadron as a Non-Commissioned Officer on 3 November 1941, and was appointed to commissioned rank on 18 December 1942, and both as an Officer and a Non-Commissioned Officer maintained a high standard of efficiency as Deputy Signals Leader. During attacks on many targets he was a constant inspiration to his comrades by his calmness and complete disregard for danger, and was held in affectionate esteem by all with whom he came in contact. Consistently good throughout the whole of his tour of duty with this Unit, I strongly recommend that the Officer’s fine record be recognised by an award of the D.F.C.’

Covering Remarks by the Station Commander: ‘Although not personally known to me, I consider that this Officer has a fine operational record. After flying for 200 operational hours with Coastal Command, he completed sorties over some of the most heavily defended targets in German, and also took part in raids against Italy and Occupied France. Knowing the accurate judgement of the Squadron Commander, I feel confident to endorse the recommendation for the award of the D.F.C.’

Covering Remarks by the Air Officer Commanding: ‘This Officer, now a prisoner of war, has a fine operational record, and I strongly recommend the award of the D.F.C.’

Dennis Walter Bateman served a Wireless Operator with 77 Squadron, flying Halifaxes, and undertook his first operational sortie against Cologne on 11 December 1941. He undertook a further 13 sorties during the period 16 December 1941 to 27 April 1942, with targets including Rotterdam, Wilhelmshaven, St. Nazaire, and Dunkirk. He then took part in 24 operational submarine patrol sorties with Coastal Command from 3 June to 1 October 1942, before reverting to Bomber Command in early 1943. His first sortie back with Bomber Command was on Lorient on 4 February 1943, when his aircraft was hit by flak; after a return visit to Lorient, and an attack on St. Nazaire, he took part in a raid on Munich on 9-10 March 1943. His aircraft was shot down, but he baled out and ‘was able to save my life with one of your chutes.’ (letter from the recipient to Leslie Irvin refers). Taken Prisoner of War, he was held for the remainder of the War at the infamous Stalag Luft III at Sagan, and was present there when the ‘Great Escape’ occurred on the night of 24-25 March 1944.

Sold with a portrait photograph of the recipient; his R.A.F. Air Signallers cloth Flying Badge; and various copied research.