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Auction: 18003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 604

A fine Second World War D.F.M. awarded to Flight Sergeant J. Queenborough, Royal Air Force, a veteran of nearly 90 operational sorties

He commenced his career as a Bomb Aimer and Navigator in Blenheims of No. 107 Squadron in August 1940, carrying out a spate of operations against targets in France and Norway; rested in May 1941, he returned to the Squadron for a second tour of duty in November 1942, this time carrying out low-level attacks in the unit's Bostons over Holland and elsewhere

Awarded the D.F.M. - and commissioned - he commenced a third tour of duty as Senior Navigator to No. 382 (Lorraine) Squadron in October 1944; his Free French comrades were suitably impressed and he was awarded the Legion of Honour and Croix de Guerre

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (751023 F./Sgt. J. Queenborough, R.A.F.), good very fine

D.F.M. London Gazette 3 September 1943. The original recommendation states:

'Flight Sergeant Queenborough, with Flight Lieutenant Dunn as pilot, has now completed 52 operations, some by night and others by day, and many of them against the most heavily defended targets in Germany and occupied territory. He has consistently found and bombed the target from high and low level. On 20 June 1943, as leader of a box of six aircraft, he was detailed to bomb an aerodrome in France. He scored many direct hits on the target.

Flight Sergeant Queenborough's experience has been of the utmost value to the Squadron, and the high courage and resolution which he has displayed at all times justifies, in my opinion, the non-immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.'

Jack Queenborough was born on 4 August 1914 and joined the R.A.F. in 1939. On qualifying as a Bomb Aimer and Navigator, he was posted to No. 107 Squadron, a Blenheim unit in August 1940, and undertook his first sortie - a strike against Guernsey aerodrome - on the 11th. Between then and May 1941, he completed a tour of 34 operational sorties, his targets being located in Belgium, France, Germany and Norway, in addition to convoy escort work.

Having then been rested in the interim, he commenced a second tour with No. 107 at the end of 1942, this time in Bostons. Here, then, the commencement of some highly perilous daylight strikes of the low-level variety, most notably against targets in Holland; by way of example, attacks on the steel works at Ijmuiden in May 1943. With a total of 56 sorties under his belt, he was recommended for the D.F.M.

Remarkably, the newly commissioned Queenborough commenced a third tour of operations in No. 342 (Lorraine) Squadron in the summer of 1944. The Squadron moved from Hartford Bridge to B50 airfield in Vitry en Artois near Douai on the French-Belgium border on 17 October and flew Mitchell II and III aircraft during this period. It moved again to Gilze-Rijen in Holland, between Breda and Tilburg, on 22 April 1945; for his services in No. 342, Queenborough was awarded the Legion of Honour (London Gazette 8 January 1947, refers), and the Croix de Guerre (London Gazette 5 June 1946, refers). He was invested with his awards by the French Ambassador in London.

The translation of the official citation for his Croix de Guerre states:

'An R.A.F. officer navigator since the outbreak of war, he has taken part in a long series of operations, many with Group 342 'Lorraine'. By both night and day, at high and low level, often in dangerous circumstances, in spite of enemy fighters and anti-aircraft fire, he has always shown incomparable calmness, courage and willingness. Since June 1944, the date on which he became Officer i/c Navigation, he has, with great technical competence and experience, which with his sense of command and perfect cooperation, greatly contributed to the success and contribution of Group 342 'Lorraine' since 6 June 1944.'

Postscript

On 26 February 1993, Queenborough's medals were stolen in a burglary at his home in Leicester. He was in hospital at the time and the ensuing media coverage brought considerable attention to his loss; a local historian, Michael Young, told the Leicester Mercury, "I think it is shocking someone should have stolen Mr. Queenborough's medals, particularly the D.F.M. which really does have to be earned." His D.F.M. was later returned.

Having survived approximately operational 90 sorties - plus a short spell with the U.S.A.F. in North Africa - the gallant Queenborough died on 14 March 1997; sold with two extensive research files, original medal riband and fabric observer 'Wings', R.A.F. cap badge and buttons, and part R.A.F service and release book.


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Sold for
£2,000