Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part I)

Three: Sergeant S. Walters, Royal Air Force, who died of injuries after his Blenheim crashed at Wattisham in September 1940: his Station C.O., Wing Commander (later Air Vice-Marshal Sir Laurence) Sinclair was awarded an immediate G.C. for his efforts to pull Walters from the burning wreckage

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal 1939-45, extremely fine (3) £600-800

Unfortunately the rescued airman [Walters] subsequently died of his injuiries. Wing Commander Sinclair was the first R.A.F. officer of the war to have the George Cross pinned on his chest by the King’ (The Story of the George Cross, by Brigadier The Rt. Hon. Sir John Smyth, Bt., V.C., M.C., refers).

Walters, who was 24 years of age at the time of his death, was buried in the local churchyard at Probus, Cornwall.

Sold with the recipient’s original Flying Log Book, covering the period September 1939 to September 1940, with closing handwritten endorsement, ‘Died of wounds and injuries in action, 30.9.40’, with related forwarding letter from the R.A.F. Records Office, and including several flights with ‘P./O. Searby’ at No. 13 O.T.U. in May 1940, afterwards Air Commodore John Searby, D.S.O., D.F.C., leader of the famous Peenemunde raid in August 1943; his R.A.F. Certificate of Service and Discharge, dated 30 September 1940; and 10 pre-war and wartime photographs, including the recipient in his flying suit and others of aircraft in flight.