Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Great War D.F.M. awarded to Sergeant Mechanic T. Hooton, Royal Air Force, late Royal Flying Corps, who served as a Bristol Fighter ‘Gunner Observer’ in 22 Squadron and survived a crash landing after his pilot was wounded

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.V.R. (107715 Sergt Mech. Hooton, T. R.A.F.) mounted for display, suspension slack, very fine £1,600-£2,000

Dix Noonan Webb, February 2015

Just 104 awards of the D.F.M. were made in the Great War, two of them with Second Awards Bars, in addition to four honorary awards.

D.F.M. London Gazette 1 January 1919.

The original recommendation states: ‘While flying a sortie the pilot, Lieutenant J. S. Tarbolton was wounded. When he managed to force land the aircraft both crewmen were taken to hospital. Sergeant Hooton, although not wounded, was flying on operations even though he was sick.’

Trevor Hooton was born in Taff’s Wells, Glamorganshire on 18 July 1896 and enlisted in the Army Service Corps in September 1914.

Actively employed as a driver in France from May 1916, he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps as a 2nd Class Air Mechanic in November 1917. He subsequently served on the strength of No. 42 Squadron, prior to transferring to 22 Squadron in April 1918, and is confirmed on his service record as having acted as a ‘Gunner Observer’.

And it was in that capacity, on 23 August 1918, in a Bristol Fighter of 22 Squadron, that he and his Canadian pilot - Lieutenant J. T. Tarbolton - came under heavy A.A. fire while escorting a bombing raid to Valenciennes. Resultant damage included the loss of their aircraft’s propeller and gearbox but Tarbolton somehow managed to make a forced landing behind our lines. Both men were admitted to hospital.

Returning to the U.K. in September 1918, Hooton was awarded the D.F.M. and placed on the R.A.F. Reserve in January 1919.