Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An original, complete and interesting set of R.A.F. flying log books (4) appertaining to Air Vice-Marshal W. D. Disbrey, C.B., C.B.E., A.F.C., Royal Air Force, the first of them covering the period September 1931 to February 1934, the second February 1934 to June 1939, the third July 1939 to October 1953 and the fourth February 1953 (commencing with carried over entries from the third) to October 1961, the month of September 1942 particularly noteworthy for a succession of high altitude flights in Spitfire Mk. IXs, including a record height of 43,500 feet on the 16th, but the whole representative of much further challenging flight, including attachment to the Fleet Air Arm 1934-37 (‘Hit funnel when taking off, returned and landed’ and a ‘first solo’ on the new type Swordfish), through to early glider work and the age of the jet, and, according to his own “Aircraft Flown” list, evidence of activity in some 60 different types (and 10 glider types), spines worn/weak, contents good (Lot) £350-400

William Daniel Disbrey was born in London in August 1912 and, after completing his education at Minchenden School, entered the Royal Air Force as an Apprentice in 1928. He subsequently gained a cadetship to Cranwell, was awarded his “Wings” and was posted as a Pilot Officer to No. 3 Fighter Squadron, a Bulldog unit, in 1933. In the following year, however, he was attached to the Fleet Air Arm, in which capacity he served until 1938, a period that witnessed him carrying out 270 deck-landings (35 of them at night), mainly on the Courageous and Glorious while on the strength of No. 823 (F.S.R.) Squadron. He also participated in the official fly pasts for the R.N. Reviews at Spithead in 1935 and Gosport in 1937. Gazetted for a well-deserved A.F.C., he next attended a specialist engineering course at R.A.F. Henlow, a posting that set the mould for his future career, not least in respect of his subsequent wartime appointments as Engineer Officer of Fighter Command 1940-43 and 2nd Tactical Air Force 1943-45 - having been awarded the O.B.E. in 1943, he was promoted to C.B.E. at the War’s end. Disbrey went on to enjoy a highly successful post-war career and held several senior appointments in the R.A.F’s engineering branches, among them that of Director-General of Engineering 1964-1967, for which he was created a C.B. in the latter year, and Air Officer Engineering, Strike Command 1968-70. Having retired in the latter year, he became Technical Manager of the Training Institute, Airwork Services, Saudi Arabia, where no doubt he found time to enjoy his favoured recreations of golf and sailing before settling at Reading in Berkshire.