Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A very rare Second World War Photographic Reconnaissance Unit pilot’s Mediterranean theatre D.F.C. group of seven awarded to Flight Lieutenant W. St. G. Chandler, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who flew nearly 90 solo missions in unarmed, stripped-down P.R.U. Spifires, and latterly Mosquito aircraft

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1945 and further engraved, ‘F./Lt. 141356 W. S. G. Chandler’, with Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals; Police Exemplary Service Medal, E.II.R. (Sergt.), mounted as worn, good very fine, together with Royal Life Saving Society and S.J.A.B. medals / badges from the 1950s, both named to the recipient (9) £1800-2200

D.F.C. London Gazette 2 January 1944. The original recommendation states:

‘This pilot completed an operational tour in eleven months, flying 86 sorties amounting to 300 hours.

These missions over Greece, Crete, the Dodecanese and Cyclades entailed long hours in a single engine unarmed aircraft, and often a complete front as high as 35,000 feet was encountered but with determination this pilot continued to his target.

On one occasion he was intercepted by a twin engine enemy aircraft which he evaded. He continued his mission and was then attacked by two Me. 109s. These he also evaded and returned to base. On another sortie he was again attacked by a twin engine enemy aircraft over Thera. He managed to break away from this enforced combat and continued his sortie, returning to base with valuable and detailed visual information of Candia harbour.

He is recommended for the honour of the Distinguished Flying Cross.’

Wilfred St. George Chandler, who enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in September 1941, commenced pilot training at No. 29 E.F.T.S. in January 1942 and qualified for his “Wings” at No. 22 E.F.T.S. at Thornhill exactly one year later.

Commissioned as a Pilot Officer, he was posted to the Middle East and attended No. 74 Operational Training Unit, gaining flying experience on Hurricanes and Spitfires, prior to being sent to No. 680 (P.R.) Squadron. Given the importance of a pilot’s high altitude capabilities if he was to be at all effective in a Photographic Reconnaissance Unit unarmed Spitfire, Chandler was quickly assessed in a decompression chamber, and, showing no ‘evidence of bends’ and good ‘eustachian clearage’, he went operational four days later, flying a mission to Candia on 17 September 1943.

As evidenced by his Flying Log Books and D.F.C. recommendation, over the next eleven months he was constantly on active service, flying nearly 90 solo operational sorties. And nor were prowling enemy aircraft the only danger, his entries making mention of intense flak opposition at several “targets”. In June 1944, he started to fly his first missions in Mosquito aircraft, in addition to Spitfires, and it was not until the end of July 1944 that he completed his last sortie to Greece.

Chandler returned to the U.K. in October 1944 and served as an instructor at assorted training units for the remainder of the War.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including the recipient’s Flying Log Books (2), covering the periods January 1942 to November 1943, and December 1943 until August 1945; Buckingham Palace forwarding letter for the D.F.C. and Air Council campaign medal forwarding slip; R.A.F. Service and Release Book and Medical Card Record; eight wartime photographs; and his R.A.F. officer’s peaked cap and two pairs of uniform “Wings”.

Also see Lot 1264 for his father’s awards.