Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War ‘1943’ Lancaster Air Gunner’s D.F.M. group of five awarded to Sergeant R. K. Buxton, 97 and 61 Squadrons, Royal Air Force, who flew in 50 operational sorties, including a large number to many of the most heavily defended targets in German, and was killed in action when his aircraft was attacked by night fighters during the Peenemunde Raid, Operation Hydra, on 17 August 1943

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (918892. F/Sgt. R.K. Buxton. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, nearly extremely fine (5) £1,400-£1,800

D.F.M. London Gazette 11 June 1943.
The original recommendation states: ‘This N.C.O. has completed many successful sorties as Air Gunner against German and Italian targets. He has also taken part in daylight raids on Danzig and Le Creusot. Sergeant Buxton’s skill and courage have played a large part in the successes achieved by his crew. Sorties 32, Flying hours 198.00. Air Gunner.’

Reginald Kenneth Buxton was born in Bristol on 9 March 1920 and enlisted into the Royal Air Force on 19 March 1940. Promoted temporary Sergeant on 16 August 1941, he was selected for training as an Air Gunner, and on completion of his training was posted to 97 Squadron at R.A.F. Woodhall Spa. As a mid upper gunner flying Lancasters, he flew his first mission on the night of 25-26 April 1942, which was an attack on the Heinkel Aircraft Works at Rostock. During May and early June 1942, he took part in a number of sorties, including the 1,000 bomber raids on Cologne. During a raid in Gennevilliers on the night of 29-30 May 1942, his aircraft was damaged and it was noted that ‘Mid upper gunner was slightly wounded in leg when his turret was riddled’. Presumably it was a very light wound because the following night, Buxton was again in action during a raid on Essen. Between 25 June and 3 July, he took part in four raids on Bremen, including the 1,000 bomber raid on the Focke Wolf Aircraft works. Between then and 16 October 1942, he took part in another 14 raids against heavily defended targets in Germany, including Wilheimshaven, Danzig, Hamburg, Saabrucken, Dusseldorf, Essen, Wismar (aircraft hit in the tail by flak), Osnabruck, Keil, and Cologne. On 17 October, Buxton flew his 32nd and final mission with 97 Squadron, a daylight raid on Le Creusot.

Having been promoted temporary Flight Sergeant on 1 October 1942, Buxton transferred to 61 Squadron as part of 5 Group in 1943, and started his second tour, again flying Lancasters, with a raid on Dortmund on the night of 23-24 May 1943. He would take part in another 18 raids (1 returned early), during the following 4 months, again against some very heavily defended targets, the majority in Germany, including Dortmund, Dusseldorf, Essen, Wuppertal, Bocham, Cologne, Frefeld, Mulhiem, Turin (Italy), Hamburg, Bologna and Mannheim. During these raids, he aircraft was damaged by flak four times (twice heavily so) and noted as evading an enemy fighter during a raid on Oberhausen.

Buxton was killed in action on his 50th sortie, during the Peenemunde raid on 17-18 August 1943, when his Lancaster W.4766 was attacked by night fighters and shot down. Of the crew the pilot was taken prisoner, the Navigator escaped, and the other six members of the crew (including Buxton), were killed. A report states that the aircraft, which was in the second wave of bombers, blew up and that Flying Officer Barker (Navigator) was blown out of the aircraft. Buxton was initially buried at Griefswald but now rests in the Berlin War Cemetery. Research suggests Buxton’s Lancaster may well have been brought down by Uffz Gunter Liersch of 11/NJG 3.

Sold with a photographic image of the recipient and a large quantity of copied research.