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Auction: 11007 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 20

A Good Second War ´1945´ Transport Command´ A.F.C. Group of Six to Dakota Pilot, Flight Lieutenant E.K. Buchanan, Royal New Zealand Air Force, A Veteran of D-Day and Arnhem, He Flew in Both Operations Tonga and Market a) Air Force Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ´1945´ b) 1939-45 Star c) Air Crew Europe Star, with France and Germany Bar d) Defence and War Medals e) New Zealand War Service 1939-45, generally good very fine, mounted as originally worn with the following documents: - Royal N.Z. Air Force Pilot´s Flying Log Book (covering the period 1.12.1941-29.5.1945) - named Investiture Invitation, dated 21.6.1945 - Several photographic images from various stages of recipient´s flying career, photocopies of original documents and copied research (lot) Estimate £ 2,000-2,500 A.F.C. London Gazette 3.4.1945 Flight Lieutenant Eric Kemp Buchanan, 512 Squadron (NZ 415743). The Recommendation states: ´For outstanding good work and devotion to duty as a transport captain in this squadron during the period August, 1943 to January, 1945. During this period of 17 months he has flown 900 hours on transport duties, 350 hours of which have been during the last 6 months. He is also one of the captains who pioneered the night A.D.L.S. Mail to the Continent, which in some cases was carried out in extremely difficult weather and with poor navigational aids. F/Lt. Buchanan has never spared himself in his untiring efforts to ensure that the task set was carried out. His brilliant record and exceptional flying ability have been an inspiration to the remainder of the squadron.´ Flight Lieutenant Eric Kemp Buchanan, A.F.C., born Auckland, New Zealand, 1920; educated at Takapuna Grammar School and studied for two years at Auckland University College prior to employment as a Civil Engineer for the Auckland Harbour Board; served with the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Auckland Regiment (T.F.) for three months prior to enlisting with the Royal New Zealand Air Force, as an Airman Pilot under training, 19.10.1941; posted No. 2 E.F.T.S., New Plymouth, 1.12.1941; carried out his first ´solo´ flight 8.12.1941; posted to Canada at the start of the New Year to continue with training, and commenced at No. 10 S.F.T.S., Dauphin, Manitoba, 18.2.1942; undertook further training at No. 31 Coastal O.T.U., Nova Scotia before transfer to England for operational flying, March 1943; posted as Pilot, 24 Squadron (Dakotas), Hendon, June 1943; as part of Ferry Command he flew with the squadron to destinations such as Gibraltar and Malta; transferred "S" Detachment 512 Squadron (Dakotas), Transport Command, August 1943; he flew a mixture of V.I.P. and freight flights, including 15.12.1943, ´Cairo - Tripoli, 1 V.I.P. Rus Gen, 1 P.O.W.´ and 24.12.1943, ´Portreath - Gibraltar 1 V.I.P., Governor of Gib.´ (Log Book refers); began training as a Glider tug and supply dropping, February 1944; flew on two Nickel Raids with the Squadron on Vire, 25th April and 25th May, prior to the invasion of France; Buchanan´s training was extended to dropping paratroopers and this was put to the test when he flew his Dakota as part of Operation Tonga, the airborne element of Operation Overlord; on the evening of 5.6.1944, ´Ops. "Tonga" 17 Paratroopers on D.Z. "V" (Caen) (Cabourg) Flak Hits Nose + Port Tyre + Wheel´ (Log Book refers); the paratroopers were successfully dropped and as part of 9 Parachute Battalion, 3rd Parachute Brigade, 6th Airborne Division they were to move from Drop Zone "V" at Caen and Cabourg and proceed to destroy the guns of the Merville Battery; he spent the rest of June and July flying supply drops over Normandy to fuel the advancing army, and in August began evacuating casualties from small airstrips on Northern France, 13.8.1944, ´B14 Loaded 18 Stretcher + 6 walking -Base´ (Log Book refers); on the 17th September Buchanan´s squadron took part in Operation Market, the airborne element of Operation Market Garden; on the first day of the operation Buchanan flew ´Base - Hatfield - Aldburgh - LZ (Arnhem) Glider Tow - (1 Jeep, 2 Trailers, 6 Troops -6500lbs); on the 19th, in the face of considerable flak, he flew a supply mission over Arnhem, where by this stage the 1st Airborne Division were already hard pressed; for the remainder of September and October he mainly flew supplies and casualty evacuation flights; March 1945 was a notable month, in that he transported the New Zealand Rugby Team on the 5th, and a replacement engine for General Montgomery´s staff car on the 20th; for the rest of his operational tour he mainly transported V.I.P.s, casualties and P.O.W.s; Buchanan was invested with his A.F.C. at Buckingham Palace, 3.7.1945, and discharged shortly after; he remained in the UK after the War and died in Hemel Hempstead, 1993.

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£2,800