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Auction: 18001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 40A

Sold by Order of a Direct Descendant

A Second World War Coastal Command operations D.F.C. group of six awarded to Squadron Leader J. B. 'Tubby' Ensor, Royal Air Force, a Hudson pilot in No. 500 (City of Kent) Squadron who was credited with a U-Boat 'kill' in November 1942

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated '1943', in its Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, in their Air Ministry card forwarding box, with issuance slip, addressed to 'S./Ldr. J. B. Ensor, 17 York Rd., Northwood Hills, Middsx.', together with a Trent College swimming medal, dated 1931, and the recipient's embroidered 'Wings', generally good very fine (8)


D.F.C. London Gazette 16 February 1943:

'This officer has performed much operational flying, involving attacks on targets in enemy territory and anti-submarine patrols in the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean. In December (sic), he attacked a submarine and destroyed it. This officer has always displayed great determination and devotion to duty.'

John Bernard Ensor was born at Hampton-in-Arden, Warwickshire on 19 September 1912 and was educated at Trent College, Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire.

A pre-war regular - he was commissioned Pilot Officer in November 1938 - Ensor was decorated for his part in the destruction of the U-411 on 13 November 1942, a story which is recounted in Search Find and Kill, the R.A.F's U-Boat Successes in World War Two, by Norman Franks:

'Operating from Gibraltar, a U-Boat was observed five miles off and the aircraft [Hudson 'D', 500 Squadron, piloted by Ensor] dived and attacked from stern to bows. Four depth-charges were released from 50 feet which fell across the submarine, 150 yards ahead of the diving boat's swirl, 40 seconds after it got under. No results were seen.

U-411 had sunk eight ships. After her initial cruise from Kiel in August 1942, she had sailed from St. Nazaire on 7 November to patrol west of Gibraltar. She is believed to have been lost on or about 28 November but it is now understood to have been lost earlier, to this crew and aircraft, in the area of her patrol, position 3600/0935.

John Ensor received the D.F.C. for this attack.'

Having received his decoration at a Buckingham Palace investiture held in November 1943, Ensor appears to have undertaken a special mission to North Africa in early 1944; accompanying documentation suggests that he travelled in civilian attire as a 'Government official'.

He was released from the R.A.F. in the rank of Squadron Leader in April 1946.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation and related artefacts, including:

(i)
The recipient's Buckingham Palace investiture letter, dated 27 November 1943.

(ii)
His R.A.F. Service and Release Book.

(iii)
His British Passport, issued by the Foreign Office in January 1944, in the name of 'Mr. J. B. Ensor' and given profession as 'Government official'; together with R.A.F. Movement Control (Air) form, dated 24 January 1944, for 'Gib. - Castel Benito - Cairo.'

(iv)
A quantity of wartime silk 'evader's maps' (4), and 12 further maps of U.K.

(v)
A quantity of visiting cards in the name of 'Mr. J. B. Ensor, Royal Air Force'.

(vi)
The 1939-45 Star and War Medal awarded to a relative, C. D. Ensor, a soldier in the Royal Engineers, these in their named card box of issue, with related Record Office letters (2).



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Sold for
£1,900