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Auction: 13003 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 26

A Good Second War 1944 Wellington Wireless Operator's D.F.M. Group of Four to Flight Sergeant C. Manser, 101 Squadron, Royal Air Force, Who Flew in 31 Operational Sorties, Mainly Over Heavily Defended German Targets, Including to Berlin and Back 8 Times. He Was Killed in the Gatow Air Disaster, 5.4.1948, A Catalyst For the Berlin Blockade and Subsequent Airlift
a) Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1391823 F/Sgt. C. Manser. R.A.F.)
b) 1939-1945 Star
c) Air Crew Europe Star
d) War Medal, generally good very fine or better, with the following contemporary documents:
- R.A.F. Navigator's, Air Bomber's and Air Gunner's Flying Log Book (21.3.1943-12.6.1945, the latter months including his employment with B.O.A.C.)
- R.A.F. Service and Release Book
- Letter to recipient's father-in-law from the Private Secretary to the Military Governor of Berlin, dated 29.4.1948
- Letter to recipient's son from the R.A.F. Record and Pay Officer, dated 24.10.1969
- Letter to recipient's son from the German Air Attaché concerning the 50th Anniversary of the Berlin Airlift Commemoration, dated 3.2.1998
- Two Sergeant's Mess R.A.F. Ludford Magna Christmas Dinner 1943 Menus, both signed by members of 101 Squadron; a number of photographs of recipient from varying stages of his career
- Three R.A.F. Notebooks, used during various courses; Air Ministry and Ministry of Civil Aviation, Communications Procedures for the Civil Aeronautical Service Manual (lot)

D.F.M. London Gazette 13.10.1944 1391829 Flight Sergeant Charles Manser,101 Sqn, R.A.F.
The Recommendation states: 'Flight Sergeant Manser has completed 30 sorties with this squadron against some of the most heavily defended targets in Germany including 8 attacks on Berlin and on all of these operations, he has displayed a keen determination and his steadfastness of purpose is worthy of high praise.
This N.C.O. is a Wireless Operator of outstanding ability whose knowledge and general airmanship have proved invaluable to his Captain on many occasions. Very keen and efficient, Flight Sergeant Manser concentrates on the task in hand with great determination and has helped in no small measure to produce the fine results achieved by his crew.
By his courage and fine example, Flight Sergeant Manser has set a very high standard and it is recommended that his consistent good work and unfailing devotion to duty at all times fully merit this recommendation for an award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.'

Remarks by Station Commander: 'Flight Sergeant Manser has consistently done splendid work, often under difficult and dangerous conditions. His coolness, courage and determination are most praiseworthy and he has set an excellent example of devotion to duty to the other Wireless Operators in the squadron.'

1391829 Flight Sergeant Charles Manser, D.F.M., born 1921; enlisted Royal Air Force, October 1941; after training at No. 2 Radio School, No. 3 (O) A.F.U., No. 28 O.T.U. and 1662 Conversion Unit, he was posted for operational service as a Wireless Operator to 101 Squadron (Lancasters), Ludford Magna, 7.11.1943; in October 1943 the squadron's aircraft had been fitted with A.B.C. jamming equipment, 'this apparatus, which searched out and then jammed enemy R/T frequencies, was vital to the "Battle of the Ether", and a specially-trained German speaking operator accompanied the crew. The special Lancasters - they were readily distinguishable from normal aircraft by their two large dorsal masts - carried a normal bomb load less the weight of the operator and the A.B.C. apparatus... like many other highly ingenious radio counter-measures devices, was, of course, top secret' (Bomber Squadrons of The R.A.F. and Their Aircraft, P.J.R. Moyes, refers); Manser flew in 31 operational sorties with the squadron including: Frankfurt (3); Berlin (8), including 20.1.1944, 'Ops Berlin - Attacked By 3 Me 110s. Cannon Shells Thro Portside etc. Emergency Landing at Lindholme. A/C Write Off' (Log Book refers); Stettin; Leipzig; Stuttgart (2); Schweinfurt; Essen; Nurnburg; Aulnoye; Rouen; Cologne; Maintenon; Venissieux; Orleans; Duisburg; Brunswick, 22.3.1944, 'Ops - Brunswick. Damaged By Accurate Predicted Flak' (Ibid); Aachen (2) and Trappes; having completed his operational tour at the end of May 1944, Manser was posted to No. 28 O.T.U., Wmyeswold; subsequent postings included to 93 Group, Screened Pilots School, Church Broughton and 109 (T) O.T.U., Crosby on Eden; he was employed at B.O.A.C. Whitchurch, April-June 1945 before being discharged from the R.A.F. 14.11.1946; after the war Manser was employed as a radio operator by British European Airways, and on 5.4.1948 he took off as part of the crew in a Vickers Viking for a scheduled flight for Gatow, Berlin (British Zone); 10 Tons for Tempelhof, The Berlin Airlift, by Bob Clarke offers the following account of the flight:

'A scheduled British European Airways Vickers Viking was on its final approach into Gatow, when suddenly a Yak-3 Russian fighter passed close by at speed. The Yak then turned and made another high-speed pass, misjudged and crashed head-on into the Viking, ripping the starboard wing clean-off the aircraft. Both aircraft crashed in flames killing all on board, wreckage coming down on both sides of the sector border. Maj. Hen. Herbert was immediately on the scene. He discovered the Yak had come down in the British sector but this was already guarded by Russian troops. Unfortunately the Viking fuselage lay just inside the Soviet Sector; this too was surrounded by armed Russians. After lengthy negotiations Herbert agreed to allow one Russian sentry to remain at the Yak site as long as one British soldier was allowed to stay with the Viking.

The bodies of the four crew, John Ralph, pilot, Norman Merrington, co-pilot, Charles Manser, radio operator, and Leonard C. Goodman, steward, along with their ten passengers, including two from America and one from Australia, had to be left at the crash site while the political wrangling over acess to the aircraft dragged on. Robertson [British Military Governor Berlin] was enraged by the situation and immediately ordered fighter escort for all British aircraft using the [Berlin] corridors. Sokolovsky (Soviet Military Governor) even gave Robertson an assurance that the SMA had no intention in interfering with aircraft using the corridors. However this attitude did not last for long. When a quadripartite board of enquiry was requested the Soviets blamed the accident on the British, saying that no request for the aircraft to be allowed to traverse Soviet airspace had been lodged and in any case the Yak was legally allowed to be there. Eventually a board of enquiry was convened but it comprised only Russian and British investigators. The Soviets argued that the French and American representatives were not required and forbade their inclusion. The board published its findings in two separate reports but both came to similar conclusions, the accident was just that, no malicious intent was intended and the crash was down to an error on behalf of the Yak pilot.'

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