Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Pilot Officer C. J. Allsup, Royal Air Force, a Hudson pilot, who served with 220 Squadron, and was killed returning from an anti-shipping raid, 1 August 1940

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Air Council enclosure and ticker tape, in card box of issue addressed to ‘W. P. Allsup, Esq., 121, Chatsworth Court, London, W.8.’, with Memorial Scroll, in OHMS envelope addressed to the same recipient, portrait photograph of recipient in uniform and Commission dated 27 January 1939, with other ephemera, extremely fine (lot) £180-£220

Charles James Allsup was the son of William Percy Allsup, and was commissioned Acting Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force in January 1939. He served as a pilot with 220 Squadron as part of Coastal Command during the Second War. Operating in Hudson’s from Thornaby, he took off in B/220 on an anti-shipping raid, 1 August 1940. On the return, ‘B/220 crashed when coming in to land off patrol - the aircraft hit a H.T. cable and burst into flames and the A/S bombs exploded and killed the two pilots and the wireless operator while the Air Gunner sustained only slight injuries.’ (Squadron Operations Record Book refers)

Pilot Officer Allsup is buried at Sanderstead (All Saints) Churchyard (CWGC gives the date of death as 2 August 1940).