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

A rare and early Korea War D.F.M. awarded to Master Signaller G. J. F. McCourt, No. 205 Squadron, Far East Flying Boat Wing, Royal Air Force

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R., 2nd issue (1625446 Sgt. G. J. F. Mc Court, R.A.F.), an official replacement, in its Royal Mint case of issue, extremely fine £2000-2500

Approximately 25 D.F.Ms were awarded with the 2nd issue bust of Goerge VI, and 28 were awarded for services in the Korea War, eight of them to the Royal Air Force, 18 to the Royal Australian Air Force, and one each to the K.R.R.C. and Glider Pilot Regiment - McCourt’s being one of just three gazetted in 1951.

D.F.M. London Gazette 31 August 1951. The following extract was taken from the Straits Times, Singapore:

‘Korea War Awards for S’pore Airmen. Honours and awards for 16 Singapore-based fliers for Korean War operations are announced in today’s issue of the London Gazette. There are Distinguished Flying Crosses for two officers and one Master Engineer, a Distinguished Flying Medal for a Sergeant radio operator, and Mentions in Despatches for six officers and six N.C.O.-aircrew. The awards relate to operations between Jan. 1 and June 30 this year, carried out over and around Korea by Sunderland flying boats of the Far East Flying Boat Wing, Seletar ... The D.F.M. awarded to Sergeant/Signaller G. J. F. McCourt is partly for his skill as a radar operator during 32 sorties, many of them in bad weather in which his efficiency played a big part in the safety of his aircraft.’

Further background details to the activities of the Far East Flying Boat Wing are to be found in Peter Gaston’s The 38th Parallel:

‘At the commencement of hostilities the R.A.F.’s Far East Flying Boat Wing was made up of three squadrons of Sunderland Mark V Flying Boats, the squadrons being numbers 88, 205 and 209. The Wings task in Korea was the offensive blockade of the Korean coastline and this was achieved by round the clock reconnaissance in conjunction with the United States Navy, flying Martin Mariners. Three main areas were covered. Firstly, to the West over the Yellow Sea towards Shanghai, then North to the East of the Shantung Peninsula and down the West coast of Korea. Secondly, the Tshushima Straits between Korea and Japan, and finally the East side of Korea as far as the U.S.S.R. and then back to Iwakuni across the Sea of Japan.

These patrols, normally flown at a height of one thousand feet, were of ten to fifteen hours and watch was both visual and by radar with turrets manned and each and every contact carefully logged. The biggest enemy was the weather. In the winter months it was not unusual to experience temperatures of minus twenty degrees Centigrade which, in a draughty, unheated Sunderland, was no joke. Coffee often froze solid in the cup and incredible feats of navigation were performed in blinding blizzards. Acute icing problems and low ceilings were a particular hazard off the Korean coast where the terrain was one of peaks and off-shore islands which rose sharply from the sea.

The endeavours of the Far East Wing and the gallant crews of the Sunderland aircraft contributed in no small way to the success of a blockade which meant that by the end of the war, unfriendly shipping movements in the area had been brought to a complete standstill. Constant vigilance ensured that the enemy could not deny to the United Nations the freedom of the seas. Thus the vital supply lines were kept open.’

McCourt joined the Royal Air Force in London in July 1943, and, having attended a Radio School at Yatesbury, Wiltshire, was posted to the Middle East. Here he joined the strength of No. 5 Ferry Unit at Cairo, Egypt, and, between April and October 1945, flew as a Wireless Operator, and later Flight Engineer, in a variety of aircraft, including Wellingtons, Beaufighters and Dakotas. He was awarded the Defence and War Medals.

Remaining a regular, McCourt next saw active service as a Sergeant Signaller with No. 205 Squadron, operating in Sunderlands out of Seletar, Singapore during the Malaya emergency, when he flew on at least 10 “Firedog” anti-bandit bombing / strafing operations and several air-sea searches in association with the R.N., between November 1949 and June 1950. He was awarded the General Service Medal 1918-62 with ‘Malaya’ clasp.

Following a short sojourn at Kai Tak, Hong Kong, No. 205 moved to a new base at Iwakuni, Japan, in order to commence operational flying in support of our forces in Korea, but would return to Singapore in due course. McCourt subsequently completed 32 missions between October 1950 and May 1951, the majority being anti-sub. and mine patrols. He was awarded the D.F.M., in addition to the Queen’s and U.N. Korea Medals. At the end of May 1951, No. 205 also commenced direct bombing and strafing anti-bandit operations, so that by the time McCourt’s tour had expired in March 1952, he had flown many more “Firedog” sorties, in addition to further searches and anti-sub. and mine flights - his own calculations arrive at a tally of 109 operational flights of one form or another for both Malaya and Korea.

McCourt retired in the late 1960s as a Master Signaller, R.A.F., having added the L.S. & G.C. Medal to his other honours and awards.

Sold with the recipient’s original Flying Log Books (3), the first covering the period March 1944 to March 1951, the second the period April 1951 to October 1958, and bound as one volume with the first; and the third the period November 1958 to March 1966.

N.B.
McCourt’s original issue of the D.F.M. and other awards were sold in these Rooms on 22 September 2000 (Lot 824).