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Auction: 1005 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 60

A Great War Casualty Group of Three to Sopwith Camel Pilot Lieutenant A.O. MacNiven, Royal Flying Corps, Late Highland Light Infantry, Whilst Taking Part in an Offensive Patrol Led by "Bomber Harris", He Was Killed in Action Engaged in a Dog Fight with ´40 Enemy´ Aircraft, 5.9.1917 1914-15 Star (2.Lieut. A.O. MacNiven. High:L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. A.O. MacNiven.), extremely fine, with Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque (Alister Orr MacNiven), in card envelope of issue, and four legal documents appertaining to the recipient (4) Estimate £ 350-400 Lieutenant Alister Orr MacNiven, born Glasgow, Scotland, 1893; educated at Kelvinside Academy, Glasgow and at Merchiston Castle School, Edinburgh; Commissioned Second Lieutenant 7th (Blythswood) Battalion Highland Light Infantry, 11.1.1915 and served with the regiment in the Gallipoli theatre of War; transferred Royal Flying Corps and appointed Flying Officer (Observer) 15.11.1916, gaining his Pilot´s "Wings", 19.6.1917; served in 45 Squadron (1 1/2 Strutters and Sopwith Camels), St. Marie Cappel, France, from August 1917; he was part of ´C´ Flight , then commanded by Captain A.T. Harris (later better known as ´Bomber Harris´); MacNiven flew in his first offensive patrol, 21.8.1917, and over the next two weeks he took part in several similar patrols, either in 1 1/2 Strutters or Sopwith Camels; these patrols included 3.9.1917 and 5.9.1917 when he flew on patrol with Second Lieutenant M.B. Frew [see Lot 4], ´On 5 September 1917 MacNiven took-off in a Sopwith Camel, B.3863, at 7.10am on a north offensive patrol in company with Captain Harris, Lieut. McMaking and 2/Lieut. Denison. At the same time, a south offensive patrol of four camels was flown by Lieuts. Wright, W. Shields and 2/Lieuts. Smith and Moody. A large formation of enemy aircraft was engaged at 7.30am and almost continuous fighting took place along both patrol beats until 9.00am. The enemy formation consisted of six D.F.W. two-seaters escorted by a number of Albatross Scouts. One report indicated that a total of forty enemy aircraft were so engaged. The Sopwith Camels were re-enforced by Spads and Sopwith Triplanes from other squadrons. During the course of the battle Wright drove one D.F.W. two-seater down out of control over Comines at 7.40am and McMaking drove one Albatross Scout down out of control at 8.00am. It was believed that several other enemy machines, which were driven down, fell completely out of control. These Victories had, however, been won at some cost to the British Formation. During the course of the fight Lieut. Shields had been killed. When the remainder of the formation landed at St. Marie Cappel, MacNiven´s machine was missing. It was later confirmed that he, too, was killed. MacNiven had survived for sixteen days after taking part in his first offensive patrol.´ (Article by J.A. Brown published in Cross and Cockade refers) MacNiven is commemorated on the Arras Flying Services Memorial.

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£2,100