Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The awards and archive of Acting Lieutenant P. J. W. Cruttenden, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, late Air Transport Auxiliary, the man who pulled Douglas Bader from the wreckage of his aircraft at Woodley Aerodrome on 14 December 1931, and accompanied him to hospital: by his prompt and efficient actions it is probable he saved Bader’s life

Defence and War Medals, extremely fine; to be sold with a large quantity of original documentation, including the recipient’s original Flying Log Books (4), the first a Civil Aviation Form 24 type, covering the period October 1931 to June 1932, when Cruttenden was a student pilot, and including the entry for that fateful day at Woodley Aerodrome on 14 December 1931; the second a similar type and covering the period July 1941 to May 1942, including flights in Hurricanes, this for his early days as an Air Transport Auxiliary (A.T.A.) ferry pilot; the third an R.A.F. issue covering the period July 1941 to August 1945, again as an A.T.A. ferry pilot, types flown including Hurricanes, Blenheims, Beaufighters, Mosquitos, Lysanders and Wellingtons; and the fouth a similar type, covering the period September 1945 to November 1947, in which period Cruttenden was ferrying Martinets for the Fleet Air Arm, R.N.V.R; together with an old photograph album with several interesting scenes from pre-war days as a civil instructor, through to wartime service in the A.T.A. and afterwards in the R.N.V.R.; a ticket for the premiere of the film of Bader’s story, Reach for the Sky, at the Odeon, Leicester Square on 16 July 1956, with a related letter from Bader’s secretary and a quantity of newspaper cuttings covering Bader’s post-war years; an A.T.A. certificate of service, confirming Cruttenden’s final rank of First Officer (Ferry) and dates of service from July 1941 to August 1945; and R.N.V.R. service certificates and other related paperwork, one describing the recipient as a ‘very capable and experienced aviator’ (Lot) £1200-1500

Percy James William “Jim” Cruttenden was present at Woodley Aerodrome on Monday 14 December 1931, when Douglas Bader, then serving as a Pilot Officer with No. 23 Fighter Squadron, attempted a ‘slow roll’ at a low altitude. Cruttenden later recalled how he knew Bader’s Bristol Bulldog would never complete the exercise and was already running towards the circling aircraft just before it nose-dived into the ground with terrific force: one of Bader’s first recollections was of a ruddy-faced young man leaning into the remnants of his crumpled cockpit and releasing the safety harness - it was “Jim” Cruttenden, an Australian student pilot at the Club.



The task of clearing wreckage away from the cockpit was slow and difficult but ultimately Cruttenden gently lifted Bader out and laid him on the grass. As his shoes were removed Bader remembered seeing Cruttenden doing something with his right knee. His hands were covered in blood. Later on, in the back of the ambulance, he was conscious enough to feel Cruttenden actually proding around inside his knee, although he was not aware that the latter was fighting to get a grip a on his femoral artery. Somewhat disturbed by the Australian’s actions, and growing bored of lying on his back, Bader considered the whole matter ‘damn silly’ and said he was going to get up. Not surprisingly, Cruttenden held him back and calmly announced that they would shortly be arriving at the hospital. Not content, Bader twisted his shoulder off the stretcher and landed a right hook on Cruttenden’s chin. The bemused Australian returned the gesture by means of a pacifying grin and merely told Bader to “ease it up”. By now the latter felt rather foolish although he spared himself a pat on the back for putting up such a defiant stand.

As the ambulance finally sped into the grounds of the Royal Berkshire Hospital, neither man could have guessed that it was to be the beginning of a triumphant struggle that would result in a flying career second to none (for further details, see Reach for the Sky, by Paul Brickhill).