Auction Catalogue

21 May 2020

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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Lot

№ 75

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21 May 2020

Hammer Price:
£650

An unusual Second World War ‘Royal Aircraft Establishment’ Civil B.E.M. group of three awarded to Mr P. E. Crosson, late Quartermaster, Hampshire Aircraft Parks, Royal Flying Corps, a British aircraft industry pioneer who once worked with Colonel Samuel Cody, the first man to fly in Britain

British Empire Medal, (Civil) G.VI.R., 1st issue (Percival Edward Crosson); Coronation 1937; Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, E.VII.R. (464 Sjt: P. E. Crosson. 4/Hants: Regt.) nearly extremely fine (3) £300-£400

B.E.M. London Gazette 4 June 1943: ‘Percival Edward Crosson, Shops Superintendent, Royal Aircraft Establishment, Ministry of Aircraft Production.’

T.F.E.M.
Army Order 75 of April 1910.

Percival Edward Crosson was born at Farnborough, Hampshire, on 26 June 1882. He was ‘employed at the Balloon Factory & R.A.F. since 1897 on Balloons & experimental airships & areoplanes also general & motor engineering, rate fixing, planning, estimating, & machine shop supervision.’ During the Great War he was appointed Quartermaster (with Hon. rank of Lieutenant) of Hampshire Aircraft Parks, R.F.C.-T.F., on 6 December 1915, where he remained for the duration of the war. He continued to be employed in civilian life at the Royal Aircraft Establishment at South Farnborough, from where he eventually retired in December 1950 after 33 years as Shops Superintendent. The following obituary notice appeared after his death in 1973:

‘British aircraft industry pioneer dies. A man who worked with Col. Samuel Cody, the first man to fly in Britain, has died aged 91. Mr. Percival Edward Crosson, who died at Farnham Hospital, was actively concerned with the development of flying in this country from its inception.

He started his career as an apprentice at the Balloon Factory, South Camp in 1896, at a time when design and development were carried out mostly on the workshop floor. He worked on all the earliest British airships and aeroplanes, and for more than a year worked with Col. Cody when the pioneer was developing his manlifting kites and powered aircraft.

At the outbreak of the First World War, he became works chief foreman at the factory which later became the Royal Aircraft Establishment, and he was promoted later to works superintendent, a post he held until he retired in 1950.

During his 54 years at the works, he made an important contribution to the establishment and the aircraft industry, and was awarded the British Empire Medal.’

Sold with full research including several copied articles by Crosson published in
R.A.E. News, giving his personal experiences of working there.