Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The outstanding and rare Second War C.G.M., ‘Immediate’ D.F.M. group of five awarded to Lancaster Rear Gunner V. A. Roe, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who flew in 14 operational sorties in Wellingtons and Halifaxes with 466 Squadron, prior to flying the remainder of his operational service with 35 Squadron - which amounted to a remarkable 84 operational sorties with the Squadron, 50 of which were with Flying Officer John Forde as his pilot, and out of the total of 84, 11 were as Master Bomber crew and 7 as Deputy Master Bomber crew, all with Pathfinder Force.

An accomplished ‘Tail-End Charlie’, Roe successfully fought off an Me. 110 during the raid on Haine-St-Pierre, 8-9 May 1944, ‘which made four successive attacks using cannon and machine-gun fire... Roe returned fire and on each occasion although his turret had been hit and become unserviceable, resulting in Sergeant Roe being covered with oil. When the Me. 110 made the fourth attack, it was seen to have caught fire in one engine and it is claimed as probably destroyed. Throughout the combat, Sergeant Roe handled his guns with cool determination, clearing stoppages in between attacks although he had received a slight injury in his right arm from a cannon splinter early in the encounter.’

Warrant Officer Roe was killed in action on a raid to Chemnitz, carrying out his 98th operational sortie, 5-6 March 1945. He was 21 years old

Conspicuous Gallantry Medal (Flying), G.VI.R. (Act. W/O. (1813968) V. A. Roe. R.A.F.); Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1813968 Sgt. V. A. Roe. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star, 1 clasp, Bomber Command; Air Crew Europe Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; War Medal 1939-45, first two on investiture pins and in named card boxes of issue, remainder later issues, in Royal Mint boxes of issue, with enclosure, extremely fine (5) £30,000-£40,000

One of only 11 men to be awarded the combination of the C.G.M. and D.F.M.

C.G.M. London Gazette 13 April 1945:
‘Since the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal, Warrant Officer Roe has participated in a further large number of operational sorties. He has proved himself to be a most enthusiastic and skilful air gunner and has continued to operate with undiminished determination and courage. By his magnificent record of achievement and unfailing devotion to duty, this gallant Warrant Officer has set a sterling example to all air gunners.’

D.F.M. London Gazette 13 June 1944:
‘On the night of 8/9th May, 1944, Sergeant Roe was rear gunner in a Lancaster detailed to attack Haine-St. Pierre. As the aircraft was approaching the target, two Ju. 88’s were encountered but successfully evaded. Shortly afterwards, and Me. 110 was encountered which made four successive attacks using cannon and machine-gun fire. Sergeant Roe returned fire and on each occasion although his turret had been hit and become unserviceable, resulting in Sergeant Roe being covered with oil. When the Me. 110 made the fourth attack, it was seen to have caught fire in one engine and it is claimed as probably destroyed. Throughout the combat, Sergeant Roe handled his guns with cool determination, clearing stoppages in between attacks although he had received a slight injury in his right arm from a cannon splinter early in the encounter. He carried on, showing a fine offensive spirit. Sergeant Roe is a very reliable Air Gunner who has always carried out his duties most conscientiously. At all times his courage, skill and determination are a fine inspiration to his crew. In recognition of his courage and devotion to duty during the combats of the night of 8/9th May, 1944, this N.C.O. is recommended for an immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Medals.
Remarks by Station Commander: Recommended. This N.C.O. displayed courage and determination of a high order throughout the attacks.’

Victor Arthur Roe was born at Old Barge Yard, Norwich in May 1923. He was one of nine children, all removed from the custody of his parents, who were sadly alcoholics, and placed in various Children’s Homes around Norwich. Roe was educated at the Surrey Road Primary School and the Nelson Street Senior Boys’ School - and his father died whilst he was at primary school. Aged 11, Roe was transferred to Mr Fegan’s Home for Boys in Yardley Gobion, near Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire. The latter institution had a rigid approach to preparing the boys for later life through discipline and hard work, which culminated in working at the Goudhurst Farm prior to ‘release’ into the wider world. Roe moved to work at the farm in April 1938, and having completed his time in Fegan system was subsequently employed at Copping Farm, part of the Bernstein Estate near Tonbridge in Kent.

Roe enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in January 1943, and was posted to No. 14 Initial Training Wing, Bridlington. He trained as an Air Gunner at No. 8 Bombing and Air Gunnery School, Evanton, and advanced to Leading Aircraftsman. Roe, having advanced to Sergeant, was subsequently posted to 20 O.T.U., Lossiemouth. Whilst at the latter he trained in Wellingtons and formed his first crew with Warrant Officer J. Forde (Pilot), Warrant Officer H. Warner (Bomb Aimer), Warrant Officer J. Rollins (Navigator) and Sergeant D. Carruthers (Radio Operator). They were posted for operational service to 466 Squadron (Wellingtons) at Driffield in August 1943. They carried out 7 operational sorties, 5 of which were Mining, before being posted to 1652 CU to convert to Halifax bombers. Here they were joined by Sergeants D. Cole (Flight Engineer) and W. Quirke (Mid Upper Gunner), and upon return to their Squadron they carried out another 7 operational sorties, including: Frankfurt; Berlin; Magdeburg; Schweinfurt; Trappes and Le Mans.

As Peter Bodle notes in Zero To Hero, From a Boys’ Home to R.A.F. Hero:

‘This time the seven operations more or less spanned the Christmas and New Year period of 1943-44. Their first Halifax sortie was on 20 December... On the third sortie, ‘The Big City’, Berlin was the target, but it was not until the raid following the Berlin run that Victor mentioned anything about enemy action. In that post raid report it was noted that their plane HX266 had collected some flak damaged from what was believed to be radar controlled ack-ack guns in the Wilhelmshaven area. Fortunately according to this report after the raid, it produced only a slight amount of damage to the aircraft and none to the crew. The other high point Victor noted from his time on the Halifax occurred just three days later, landing out at Tangmere, as their Halifax LV837 ran low on fuel and their pilot John Forde made a precautionary diversion into the Kent fighter airfield to take on more.

In all the Halifax raids, they were led to the target area by the Lancasters of the Pathfinder Force, whom they were to join in just a few weeks’ time. This way, like many others before them, Victor and the rest of the John Forde team had been given a good insight into what was needed to be a Pathfinder crew, long before they ever started their PFF training.’

The PFF - Lancaster ‘Tail-End Charlie’

Roe was posted to Warboys for PFF training, prior to being posted for operational flying with 35 Squadron (Lancasters) in April 1944:

‘So just six months after stepping into a Bomber for the first time, Victor’s latest posting was sending him further south in mainland Britain to R.A.F. Graveley in Huntingdonshire, to join the crème de la crème of Bomber Command, the Pathfinder Force (PFF). He was off to R.A.F. Graveley where he would be joining 35 Squadron, one of the earliest and most prestigious of the Pathfinder Force Squadrons. Once he had received the posting and before he even stepped foot past the gate house for the first time, he realised that there had already been many pages of history written by this unique group of very special airmen.’ (Ibid)

Roe was to go on and fly as a Rear Gunner in a remarkable 84 operational sorties with the Squadron, 50 of which were with Flying Officer John Forde as his pilot, and out of the total of 84 - 11 were as Master Bomber crew and 7 as Deputy Master Bomber crew. His operational sorties included: Essen; Achères; Montdidier; Nantes; Haine-St.-Pierre (8/9 May 1944, see D.F.M.); Louvain; Duisburg; Dortmund; Aachen; Bourg Leopold; Mardick; Forêt de Cerisy; Fougères; Rennes; Lens; Sterkrade; Laon; Middel Straëte; Oisemont (2), including as Deputy Master Bomber crew for 1 July 1944; Villeneuve-St.-Georges; Marquise, Deputy Master Bomber crew, 6 July 1944, hit by flak three times; Caen, 7 July 1944; Les Catelliers, Deputy Master Bomber crew, 9 July 1944; Nucourt; Rollez; Les Landes Vielles et Neuves, Deputy Master Bomber crew, 15 July 1944; St. Philibert; Forêt de Nieppe (3), Deputy Master Bomber crew, 31 July/1 August 1944 and in the same capacity 6 August 1944, and as Master Bomber crew, 9/10 August 1944; Bois de Casson; Bec d’Ambès, Deputy Master Bomber crew, 4 August 1944; Normandy Battle Area, 7/8 August 1944; Douai, Master Bomber crew, 11 August 1944; Rüsselsheim; Falaise, Master Bomber crew, 14 August 1944; Le Culot, Master Bomber crew, 15 August 1944; Stettin; Bremen; Pourchinte, Master Bomber crew, 31 August 1944; Le Havre, Army Support (5), including as Master Bomber crew for the raids on 9 and 10 September 1944; Calais (2) both as Master Bomber crew, 27 and 28 September 1944; Saarbrücken; Fort Frederick Hendrik (gun batteries), Master Bomber crew, 11 October 1944 and Duisburg, 14/15 October 1944.

The Haine-St-Pierre raid allowed Roe’s ability with his guns to come to the fore, a feat which was reflected in the award of an ‘immediate’ D.F.M.:

‘Then, for the first time thus far in their short PFF career, the Luftwaffe decided to get seriously involved and 929 was attacked on three separate occasions by German night fighters. Initially 929 was attacked by a twin engine Ju.88 night fighter. Despite the obvious temptation, Victor’s training kicked in and he followed stadard R.A.F. proceedure by not firing his guns, as the flashes from his weapons might well have helped identify their position to other fighters, and right now, dealing with one, was enough to keep them all occupied. Instead, at the appropriate moment, he called to John Forde, ‘Corkscrew right!’ as the bomb run was abandoned....

Fortunately on this occasion the manoeuvre worked and they gave the Luftwaffe pilot the slip. Once safely back in the darkness, they orbited to starboard and were able to gather their thoughts and recommence their bombing run at 8,600 feet. By the time they were over the remains of the marshalling yards, their colleagues ahead had stirred up dust and started fires that were now throwing up pillars of smoke to a height of 4-5,000 feet, pretty well obscuring most of the target. The Master Bomber instructed them to drop their ordnance on the centre of the fires. This they were able to do... But Victor still had work to do. Another German night fighter, this time a Messerschmitt Me.110, found the opportunity to press home another attack. Again John Forde was able to throw it off the trail, and it appeared to have had enough for the time being. Unfortunately, a third attack this time was by a fully radar equipped Me.110. This one managed to get on their tail and made a strafing pass which peppered Victor’s turret with cannon fire, slightly injuring him. This action also severed some hydraulic pipes putting the turret out of action and coating a now rather incensed Victor with hydraulic oil. Despite this, or maybe because of his intense annoyance, Victor was able to work with his pilot and get the plane manoeuvred so he could bring his guns to bear on the attacking German fighter and spray it with enough bullets to knock out its starboard engine. The Messerschmitt was last seen with its disabled engine fully ablaze, falling through the cloud undercast, apparently out of control.’ (Ibid)

Roe advanced to Acting Warrant Officer in October 1944, and the raid on Duisburg was to be the last for the Forde crew:

‘Sadly this was to be the last sortie for the Forde crew as a unit, as they had reached the end of their tour. Having been a real ‘band of brothers’ for so long, it was now time for career choices to be made and for each to go their own separate ways. John Forde, Don Carruthers and John Rollins elected to move on to Transport Command and retrain on the Douglas DC3. They had opted for a slightly less adventurous life in the Far East.... Victor on the other hand was still very much up for the fight and requested another tour with the Pathfinders. It was understandably not a problem for the R.A.F. and with his continuance as aircrew agreed he was granted his option of staying with 35 Squadron.’ (Ibid)

There’s No Place Like ‘Home’ - Volunteering for Another Tour with 35 Squadron

Perhaps as a consequence of his dislocated youth, Roe decided to elect for what he knew and the stability that comes with it. He slotted into the turret of Flight Lieutenant F. Watson’s crew, with other members being Pilot Officer K. Smith (Navigator), Flying Officer S. Scott (Bomb Aimer), Warrant Officer L. Holland (Mid-Upper Gunner), Sergeant R. Grayson (Wireless Operator) and Sergeant G. Cross (Flight Engineer). The remainder of Roe’s operational service (with the exception of one sortie) was carried out with Watson as his pilot between November 1944 - June 1945. These operational sorties included: Düsseldorf; Bochum; Gelsenkirchen (2); Freiburg; Dortmund; Heimbach; Soest; Mersberg; Ludwigshafen (2); Ulm; Koblenz; Nippes, 24/25 December 1944, as part of J. J. Osmond’s crew; Hanover; Hanau; Munich; Saarbrücken; Mersberg-Leuna; Zeitz; Stuttgart; Mainz; Bonn; Goch; Politz; Dresden (Operation Thunderclap), 13/14 February 1945; Chemnitz; Dortmund; Duisburg; Essen; Mainz; Mannheim and Chemnitz, 5/6 March 1945.

Chemnitz - The Point of No Return, So Close to a Century

Roe’s crew were to fly in one of 760 aircraft allocated for the above raid on Chemnitz Marshalling Yards:

‘The yards took on extra importance this time as the Germans were known to be planning a large reinforcing operation to rush more men to the eastern front... With Chemnitz located rather close to the Swiss-German border this was to be a very long raid of some eight and a half hours from chock-to-chock. To make it harder, intelligence indicated a particulary heavy flak concentration in the area. The Met Flight boys had forecast a total cloud cover with layers of wispy cloud likely even above the bombers operational height of 18,000 feet. Neither the weather or defensive forecasts were wrong, but the major surprise of the operation was that thirty or more R.A.F. bombers were to be lost on this one raid....

The Watson crew again aboard their regular Lancaster E333S-Sugar, was amongst those who did not make it back to base. It was believed their plane was hit by flak in the target area and plummeted to earth in what is now an allotment area, just off Frederick Engles Strasse in Chemnitz. It would appear that Navigator Ken Smith had managed to escape the doomed plane but at too low an altitude, or that he had been thrown clear on impact. Sadly he had not survived either. All the members of the seven-man crew were buried in a collective grave in Chemnitz. Victor had flown his last sortie. Had it been completed it would have been his ninety-eighth combat operation.... Victor’s CGM was announced in the London Gazette just a few weeks later on 13 April 1945.’ (Ibid)

Warrant Officer Roe is commemorated, along with the rest of his crew, on the Runnymede Memorial. Roe had managed to re-establish contact with some of his siblings during the war, making his sister Kate (by then married) his next of kin. Almost a year after his death, it was the latter who went to Buckingham Palace to receive his gallantry awards upon his behalf. Warrant Officer Roe’s family then claimed his campaign medals in 2008.

Sold with the following related items and documents: Path Finder Force Badge Award Certificate, dated 5 March 1945, Telegram addressed to recipient's sister informing him that he is ‘Missing in Action’, dated 6 March 1945; various Air Ministry correspondence with regard to recipient’s status; 2 Letters written by the mothers of two of Roe’s crew to his sister, and one from the father of a crew member, written shortly after their listing as ‘Missing in Action’; a number of family letters, cards and personal photographs sent to the recipient c/o the Sergeant’s Mess, R.A.F. Gravely, near Huntington between 1944-1945; various correspondence to the recipient’s sister with regards to her attendance to receive her brother’s gallantry awards at Buckingham Palace upon his behalf; Holy Bible, dedicated to ‘Victor A. Roe from H. M. Morris, 1st August, 1941; a number of photographs and photographic images of recipient in uniform, and one of his sister at Buckingham Palace wearing his awards; with other ephemera and copied research.