A Collection of Awards to the Royal Air Force between the Wars (1919-1939) formed by Group Captain JE Barker

The unique ‘Garjak Nuer’ and ‘Bomb and Mine Clearance’ campaign combination group of six awarded to Flight Lieutenant F. A. Giles, Royal Air Force, who flew as a Camel pilot with 209 Squadron during the Great War - claiming one Victory, 8 October 1918, and being forced to land behind enemy lines after a dogfight just 2 days before the Armistice was signed.

Giles’ superb Log Book records his subsequent service against the Garjak Nuer tribe in the Sudan. Initially tasked with flying a replacement D.H.9 to ‘H’ Unit, his log book entries from 26 March - 1 April 1920 cover the epic flight of eight stages between Helouan and Nasser in the Sudan, some 1,800 miles, which he and his observer A.C.2. L. Humphries completed in a total flying time of 20 hours and 40 minutes. Upon arrival he was attached to ‘H’ Unit, and carried out 8 operational sorties against the tribe, also recorded at length in his log book. He served during the Second War as an Armament Officer, and after the war carried out bomb disposal duties

British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oak Leaves (Lieut. F. A. Giles. R.A.F.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Bomb & Mine Clearance 1945-49 (Flt. Lt. F. A. Giles. R.A.F.); Khedive’s Sudan 1910-21, 2nd issue, 1 clasp, Garjak Nuer (F/O. F. A. Giles. R.A.F.) clasp loose on riband as issued, officially impressed naming, mounted as originally worn, generally nearly very fine (6) £3000-4000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to the Royal Air Force between the Wars (1919-1939) formed by Group Captain JE Barker.

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Collection

Provenance: Medals to Giles - The Aviation Collection, Spink, May 1998. Log Books to Giles - DNW, September 2013.

Approximately 28 ‘Garjak Nuer’ clasps awarded to the Royal Air Force - 6 to officers, 22 to other ranks.

Frederick Alexander Giles was born at Trowse Newton, Norfolk, in November 1898. He originally served during the Great War with the 1st Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment. Having advanced to Lance Corporal, Giles transferred to the Royal Naval Air Service in July 1917. He was commissioned Temporary Probationary Flight Officer and posted for initial training at R.N.A.S. Redcar later that month. There was no flying due to poor weather, and as such Giles dutifully lists in his log book the lectures and instructional workshops that he attended during the period. He received, however, an early lesson in what to use his log book for when the Senior Flying Officer at Redcar signed off his log book with ‘This is a flying log NOT a record of lectures attended.’

The weather cleared and Giles carried out pilot training, progressing to flying Gnome Avros. He records his first solo flight in the latter aircraft, ‘Take off fair. Banking good. Under-estimated aerodrome. Engine did not restart when switched on. Crashed on making forced landing 3/4 mile SE Redcar Aerodrome.’ Despite an inauspicious start, Giles gained his ‘Wings’ and was posted to R.N.A.S. Cranwell in November 1917. He carried out further training in B.E.2c’s, Bristol Scouts, Sopwith Pups and Camels.

Great War Success

Giles was posted for air firing training at R.N.A.S. Freiston in February 1918, before being appointed as an Instructor on ‘D’ Flight at Cranwell the following month. He transferred to the Royal Air Force as a Lieutenant in April 1918, and remained at Cranwell. Giles was present for the visit of the King and Queen to Cranwell, 11 April 1918, before being posted for operational flying to 209 Squadron (Camels) at Izel-le-Hameau, France, in August 1918. The Squadron were engaged in fighter and ground-attack missions along the Arras and Lens front area. As the front moved during the final stages of the war, Giles lead seven aircraft on low straffing over the Cambrai front, 8 October 1918:

‘BR Camel 4380. When diving from about 6,000 ft to drop my bombs in the district of Thun-Levêque, I met four Fokker Biplanes and a Two Seater. One I nearly collided with. Another I fired 50 rounds into, which then went SE. A third one I fired at from above and at a distance of about six yards. This machine then went into a steep dive for a few feet, burst into flames and crashed. This happened at about 3,000 ft. Confirmed by Capt. Foster D.S.C., Lt. Gibbons & Lt. Mills. During the time I was attacking the Fokkers, the Two Seater was firing at me without result. I then dropped my four bombs on the railway line running through Thun-Levêque. Owing to EA did not observe any hits. (B Flt: Cornwall, Allen and Bingham Missing)’ (Log Book refers).

After a brief period of leave in the UK, Giles returned to the Squadron in November 1918. Now based at Bruille, he flew on high offensive patrols over the Valenciennes-Mons front during the last week of the Great War. On 9 November, Giles was leading two aircraft when his engine cut out at 15,000 ft:

‘Glided West followed by Porter. At 5,000 ft we were attacked by a Hun Two Seater who fired several rounds into my machine. Owing to my engine being useless I could not attack. Hun followed me until I made successful forced landing and then went West and strafed our advancing Infantry inflicting heavy casualties. I landed in land actually occupied by Huns. Machine guns were firing at me from all directions and owing to lack of time luckily did not burn my machine. Infantry Advanced Outposts eventually came out to me and escorted me to a safe place. Later they advanced and after 48 hours Mechanics arrived to repair engine. Lt. Whales attempted to fly my machine back but lost his way and crashed at some French aerodrome near St. Quentin. Had no food or sleep since 9.30am Monday until tender arrived following afternoon. Landed at Le Paye, near Mons.’

Having managed to survive until the Armistice, Giles remained with 209 Squadron in France managing to find entertainment during test flights, 2 December 1918:

‘Pressure system now OK. Owing to low clouds amused myself by hedge hopping and zooming on some Infantry Troops at drill. Did two very poor ‘rolls’ and made the worst landing up to date. (Burst right tyre, and tail skid).’

Giles’ subsequent entry in his Log Book gives:

‘Severely censured by the Wing Commander (Lt. Col S. Smith, D.S.O.). Went with detachment to welcome Royal Party into Valenciennes (H.M. The King, H.R.H. The Prince of Wales and H.R.H. The Prince Albert, R.A.F.).’

Giles undertook several ferry flights throughout the early part of 1919, flying a variety of German aircraft handed over in accordance with the terms of the Armistice. Having flown Pfalz Scouts and an LVG, Giles was tasked with flying a Fokker Biplane from France to UK. The latter was to be delivered to the Canadian Government as a ‘War Trophy’, however, what was not taken into account was the inclement weather encountered by Giles during the flight. As a consequence he damaged the aircraft during a forced landing in a ploughed field just outside of Croydon, and once again during take off. The biplane had to undergo extensive repairs at Kenley prior to being handed over.

After returning to France in April 1919, Giles was posted to 70 Squadron to serve with the Royal Air Force of Occupation in Germany. This posting was short-lived, and he transferred to 206 Squadron in May 1919. The Squadron was to travel to Egypt to serve as part of the British Egyptian Expeditionary Force. Giles arrived in Aboukir in June, and flew in Avros and D.H.9’s out of Helouan from the following month. His regular observer at this point was Lieutenant E. Barnes, however, the latter departed as one of the group of officers, N.C.O.s and men detailed for duty with ‘Z’ Unit in Somaliland. One of several observer’s to fly with him during this period was A.C.2 L. Humphries of ‘A’ Flight, a fact recorded in his Log Book entry for 21 February 1920 (see Lot 805).

Garjak Nuer

In mid-December 1919 a R.A.F. detachment known as ‘H’ Unit, consisting of two De Havilland D.H.9 aircraft, four officers and 23 other ranks under the command of Flight Lieutenant R. M. Drummond, D.S.O., M.C. were required in the Sudan for operations against the Garjak Nuer tribe who lived in the Eastern Nuer District of the Upper Nile, close to Abyssinia. The Unit left Cairo, by land and water, and arrived at Nasser in the Sudan, 3 January 1920. They proceeded to erect their machines, with difficulty, one machine being ready for testing on 20 January and the aerodrome was prepared and ready for use on 24 January. Both machines were completed and tested on 25 January, and on 31 January the first reconnaissance flight in support of No. 71 Patrol, Egyptian Army was carried out. A report by Drummond on the operations of ‘H’ Unit from 3 January to 10 June 1920 records that because of crashes and a disastrous fire on 18 February, and notwithstanding a third (reserve) machine having been transported to them, that flying operations had to be ceased in March because only one serviceable aircraft could be raised. As a consequence a request was sent to Cairo to fly in a new machine as a matter of urgency.

Flying Officer Giles, with A.C.2. Humphries as his passenger in the observer’s seat of D.C.9 No. E8943, were the crew detailed for this mission to deliver the required replacement aircraft to ‘H’ Unit and thus enable them to continue with operations. Giles’ log book entries from 26 March - 1 April 1920 cover the epic flight of eight stages between Helouan and Nasser in the Sudan, some 1,800 miles, which they completed in a total flying time of 20 hours and 40 minutes. En route they landed at Assuit, Assouan, Wadi Halfa, Atbara, Khartoum, Jebelein and an emergency landing strip at Malakal. His log book records the latter as, ‘OK. Aerodrome very small. Surface good. Approach bad. First aeroplane to land here. Received by the Governor.’

Governors had also received the pair at Wadi Halfa and Atbara, and at Khartoum they were received by H.S.E. The Sirdar. Giles’ recorded their stay at Jebelein, ‘OK. Aerodrome badly marked and surface very bad - uneven - dangerous for a machine of D.H.9 type. Spent a comical day and night on aerodrome. Some trouble in starting engine.’ (Ibid)

The above was the only recorded problem with the machine, so all credit to A.C.2. Humphries. The journey was recognised as a fine feat of airmanship for which they were both commended. The wording seen on A.C.2 Humphries’ service record reads:

‘An expression of the Air Council’s appreciation conveyed for the manner in which above-mentioned airman in company of officers [sic] on a D.H.9 successfully carried out a flight from Cairo to Nasser from 26 March to 1 April 1920.’

Between 5 April and 23 May 1920, Flying Officer Giles flew eight sorties in support of No. 71 Patrol against the Nuers, these being the last entries in his bound set of log books. Operations against the Nuers were successfully concluded by 23 May 1920, and ‘H’ Unit was demobilised early the following month. Giles embarked, with the rest of the Unit, on the Lord Cromer for Khartoum. Drummond reported that ‘H’ Unit had carried out 45 flights totalling 97 hours flying time, had dropped 50 incendiary and 165 25lb (Cooper) bombs and fired 7,000 machine gun rounds during the operations.

Giles returned to the UK, and was posted as an Instructor to No. 1 Flying Training School, Netheravon, in June 1921. He was employed in the same capacity when he was posted to No. 4 F.T.S., Abu Sueir, Egypt, in November 1922. Having left the service, Giles continued his interest in flying during the inter-war years. Flying in a civilian capacity he planned to take part in the ‘Dole Air Derby’, the first crossing from California to Hawaii, as well as undertaking an attempted flight from San Francisco to New Zealand. Both of these highly ambitious projects were never to take place.

With the outbreak of the Second War, Giles was recalled into service and appointed a Pilot Officer in the Technical (Armament) Branch in December 1941. He was promoted Flying Officer in December 1942, and advanced to Flight Lieutenant in November 1945. Giles was subsequently involved in the clearance of bombs and mines in the UK and Northern Ireland between 9 May 1945 - 31 December 1949. He transferred briefly to the Aircraft Control Branch in 1951, before reverting to the Technical (Armament) Branch.

Giles transferred to the Reserve of Air Force Officers in January 1954, and retired 29 November 1963. In later life he resided at 43 The Oval, Market Drayton, Shropshire, and died at the Royal Salop Infirmary, Shrewsbury, 24 October 1971.

M.I.D. unconfirmed.

Sold with the following related documents and items: four Pilot’s Flying Log Books (July 1917 - May 1920), privately bound in one volume, with occasional pasted-down photographs and a mass of additional detail to the end of each book - aircraft flown, appointments, personnel rolls etc., recently rebound, with distressed original front cover affixed to new binding; several original photographs from various stages of career; two old Bristol District tokens; a small religious token, and file of copied research.