Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War ‘1943’ D.F.C. group of four awarded to Lancaster mid upper gunner and rear gunner, Flight Lieutenant M. H. Stewart, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, an Old Etonian who flew in at least 30 operational sorties with 12 Squadron, including to Essen and back on 6 occasions

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1943’, and additionally ‘F/O. M. H. Stewart’; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, campaign awards privately impressed ‘133457 F/Lt M H. Stewart.’, mounted for wear, generally very fine or better (4) £1,000-£1,400

Provenance: Spink, December 1987.

D.F.C. London Gazette 15 October 1943, the original recommendation states:

‘Flying Officer Stewart a gunnery officer has carried out 30 sorties and has participated in attacks on Berlin, Hamburg twice, Essen six times, Pilsen, Munich and Spezia.

He has always shown the greatest keenness for flying and displayed exceptional devotion to duty. He has now completed his first tour of operations, and has applied and been accepted for training as a navigator.

The strong sense of discipline and great courage and determination shown by F/O Stewart fully merits him the award of the D.F.C.

Remarks by Station Commander:

Flying Officer Stewart has recently completed a most successful tour of operations. This officer has always shown a terrific keenness to operate, regardless of captain or crew, and was sorely disappointed when his tour ended.

On many an occasion, by his alertness and good direction, he has enabled his captain to avoid enemy attention and bomb the target successfully.

I strongly recommend that Flying Officer Stewart’s magnificent fighting qualities, devotion to duty, and keenness to operate, be recognised by the award of the D.F.C.’

Malise Herbert Stewart was born in February 1912, and was the son of Captain G. Stewart, Coldstream Guards - who had been killed in December 1914. Stewart was educated at Ludgrove School and Eton. He was commissioned Pilot Officer (on Probation) in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in November 1942. Having carried out training as an Air Gunner, Stewart was posted for operational service with 12 Squadron (Wellingtons and Lancasters) at Wickenby in November 1942.

Stewart flew in at least 30 operational sorties with the Squadron between January - August 1943, including: Essen (5); Berlin; Turin; Lorient; Nuremburg (3); Cologne (3); Munich; Stuttgart; St. Nazaire; Kiel; Spezia; Pilsen; Stettin; Duisberg; Dusseldorf; Bochum; Krefeld; Hamburg (3); Essen; Milan and Leverkusen.

Stewart advanced to Flying Officer in May 1943, and carried the above sorties as either mid upper gunner or rear gunner. On completion of the tour, Stewart was posted to 1662 (Heavy) Conversion Unit at Blyton in October 1943. He advanced to Flight Lieutenant in November 1944, was discharged in 1948, and died in September 1974.

Sold with extensive copied research, and a letter from recipient’s first Captain of aircraft - Flight Lieutenant R. F. Noden, D.S.O., D.F.C. written in January 1993, with annotated photographic image of crew including recipient.