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Auction: 11010 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 13

An Early ´1940´ Wellington Pilot´s D.F.C. Group of Four attributed to Flight Lieutenant A.E. Pringle, 115 Squadron, Royal Air Force; He Flew in the Stavangar Raid, April 1940, and Was Killed Enroute For A Raid Over Duisberg, 15.5.1940 a) Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ´1940´ and engraved ´Flt. Lt. A.E. Pringle 115 Sqdn.´ b) 1939-1945 Star c) Atlantic Star, with Air Crew Europe Bar d) War Medal, good very fine, with D.F.C. Royal Mint case of issue and comprehensive research (lot) Estimate £ 1,000-1,200 D.F.C. London Gazette 31.5.1940 Acting Flight Lieutenant Alec Edward Pringle (37299) The Recommendation states: ´During a period of intensive operations between 7 April and 14 April 1940 Flight Lieutenant Pringle led his section in three sorties all of which involved a double crossing of the North Sea and met with enemy opposition from the air and ground. In particular he led a very well planned and executed dawn attack on Stavanger aerodrome which entailed leading his section in darkness from the Scottish to the Norwegian coast below cloud at 700 to 800 feet. On this occasion low cloud made it too dark to see his target sufficiently well on arrival and with admirable determination he waited a further 40 minutes before delivering his attack in order that there should be sufficient light to allow of accurate bombing. Throughout the war he has set a very fine example by his keeness and determination, particularly during the period mentioned above when casualties in this Unit were high.´ Flight Lieutenant Alec Edward Pringle, D.F.C, a native of Southampton he joined the Royal Air Force as Acting Pilot Officer, 16.9.1935; after carrying out training at No. 3 F.T.S. he was posted as Pilot Officer to 38 Squadron the following year; with the outbreak of the Second World War he was serving as a Flying Officer, 115 Squadron (Wellingtons), Marham, Norfolk; whilst serving with the latter he took part in the R.A.F.´s first bombing raid of the War on a mainland target - the German held Norwegian airfield of Stavangar; he was awarded the D.F.C. for the raid and promoted to Flight Lieutenant 16.4.1940; piloting Wellington IA P9229 KO-S for a raid to Duisberg, 15.5.1940, Pringle, ´T/O 2335 Marham. Crashed between Bernay and Rouen (Eure), France´ (R.A.F. Bomber Command Loses of the Second World War, refers), the crew of 5 were all killed and are buried the Bernay (St. Croix) Communal Cemetery, France.

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£1,400