Orders, Decorations and Medals

An interesting evader’s group of four to Flight Sergeant Harry Moss, No. 207 Squadron, Royal Air Force, the sole survivor of his Lancaster when it was shot down over Paris in April 1944
1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals, these all unnamed as issued, together with his original R.C.A.F. Flying Log Book for the period January 1943 to April 1944, two forged French I.D. cards and another Spanish one, Royal Air Force I.D. card, several photographs and various official telegrams and letters reporting his loss and subsequent reappearance in Gibraltar, a replacement gold Caterpillar Club pin (named), and a rare R.A.F. button escape compass, generally good very fine (4) £500-600

Flight Sergeant Harry Moss had successfully completed 18 night bombing sorties, as Air Bomber with No. 207 Squadron, when he took off on the night of 20th April, 1944, in Lancaster “H”, with Pilot Officer T. J. Burgess, R.A.A.F., at the controls. The events that followed are described in his own words, taken from his MI9 statement:

‘We took off from Spilsby at 2130 hrs on 20 Apr to bomb Paris. Five miles from the target we were attacked by a night fighter at 6500 ft. Our engines were set on fire and the order to bale out was given immediately. I opened the escape hatch as the aircraft went into a steep dive. It started to spin and I was unable to overcome the centrifugal force. I pulled my ‘chute inside the aircraft and was dragged clear. I hit the ground on the second swing.

I landed in a field in the St Mande district of Paris close by a German anti-aircraft battery. I could hear the soldiers calling to one another, and several flares were fired at that time, but I do not know whether it was because of my presence or whether they were signalling to each other. I could not hide my parachute, owing to the rustling noise it made on the grass, so I left it where it was and headed S.W. at once. I was wearing a civilian leather jacket under my tunic, so I removed my tunic, carrying it under my arm and pulling my trousers over my flying boots.

I reached Champlan about 0800 hrs (21 Apr) and decided to skirt the village. I was seen, however, by two men, and thought my wisest policy was to declare myself to them, which I did in very poor French. They told me to hide in a haystack, promising to return in two hours’ time.

I did not like the look of these two men, so I left my hiding place as soon as they had gone and made my way across the fields towards Longjumeau. On the way I met a man, and, since there was no one else about at the time, I declared myself to him. He immediately took me to his home at Longjumeau, gave me a meal and put me to bed. From this point my journey was arranged for me.’

Flight Sergeant Moss arrived at Gibraltar on 3rd June, 1944, and was back in England on the 6th June. The remaining six crew members were all presumed to have perished when their aircraft crashed.