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Auction: 19001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 583

(x) 'Squadron Leader W. P. Sutcliffe, D.F.C., with three other pilots and their crews, returned from their flight to France the previous day, when they escorted and navigated fighters. Charlie Breese, Attie Atkinson, Joe Hunt and Philip Sutcliffe stood before Paddy Bandon as he said, "We're now 82 Squadron. Yes, just us."

Philip Sutcliffe recalls:

When I returned to our base airfield, I was sent for by the Squadron Commander, Wing Commander the Earl of Bandon, who told me that of twelve Blenheims of 'B' Flight led by Mike Delap, no fewer than eleven had been shot down by A.A. and fighters over Belgium. Only one returned to Watton and it was very badly shot up. Squadron Leader Delap survived and I received a letter from him whilst he was in a Belgian hospital. The squadron commander had the squadron up to full strength in aircraft and crews within the next three days.'

Valiant Wings, by Norman Franks, refers.

A fine post-war C.B., early Second World War operations D.F.C. group of ten awarded to Air Commodore W. P. Sutcliffe, Royal Air Force, a lucky survivor of the massacre of Blenheim aircrews over the Low Countries and France in May-June 1940

Pre-war he became something of a star during a protracted period of attachment to the Senior Service, surviving several close calls and in excess of 300 deck landings

But it was for his gallant part in a low-level and hotly contested recce of Sylt Island, the morning after a much hyped strike on Hornum aerodrome in March 1940, that he won his D.F.C. His part in that trail-blazing operation was a success, unlike the cover-up of the results of his photographic work on the same occasion - for those photographs later came to light and revealed that Hornum aerodrome had escaped unscathed

Subsequently plunged into the relentless - and costly - Blenheim operations of May-June 1940, he led formations of No. 82 Squadron on numerous occasions, a period of active service reflecting admirable courage in the face of heavy opposition: small wonder he was invited in the summer of 1940 to assist in the production of an episode of Time Inc.'s 'March of Time' short film series

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.), Military Division, Companion's neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, in its Garrard & Co. case of issue; Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated '1940'; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, clasp, Air Crew Europe; Africa Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf; Coronation 1953; United States of America, Legion of Merit, Officer's breast badge, gilt and enamel, the reverse machine engraved, 'Walter P. Sutcliffe', with its case of issue, together with the recipient's embroidered uniform 'Wings', mounted as worn where applicable, generally very fine and better (10)

C.B. London Gazette 12 June 1958.

D.F.C. London Gazette 17 May 1940. The original - joint crew - recommendation states:

'Squadron Leader Sutcliffe was the pilot, and Sergeant Phillipson and Leading Aircraftman Whitehead the Observer and Air Gunner of a Blenheim which carried outa photographic reconnaissance over Sylt on 20 March 1940.

The aircraft was over Sylt from 0854 to 0900 hours flying below the clouds and, in spite of very heavy and continuous A.A. fire from the shore battery which damaged the port wing, and with enemy fighters in the vicinity, a complete line overlap of Sylt was taken.

There is no doubt that courage and resource was shown by the whole crew in successfully completing a difficult task when it was obvious that such a reconnaissance was certain to be expected by the enemy after the previous night's bombing raids.

Squadron Leader Sutcliffe also carried out a previous reconnaissance on 20 March during which he attacked a Flak ship and obtained valuable information and photographs. He also led a sector on an operational sweep on 13 January which was successfully completed in spite of very bad weather. This officer has proved himself to be an inspiring leader under all conditions.

Both Sergeant Philipson and L.A.C. Whitehead were with Squadron Leader Sutcliffe on both these occasions in addition to having taken part in a large number of other operational flights. Both men are first class operational crews and can be relied upon to put up a first class show under the most difficult of circumstances.

I recommend the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Squadron Leader Sutcliffe and the Distinguished Flying Medal to Sergeant Phillipson and Leading Aircraftman Whitehead.'

Walter Philip Sutcliffe was born on 15 August 1910 and was educated at Durham School (1924-29), in which period he became a member of the Officers' Training Corps and passed for the infantry in November 1927. Young Walter had his sights set on a different career, however, for in early 1930 he joined the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell. He flew his first solo on 23 February 1931, took the college's R. M. Groves Memorial Prize and passed out as an 'above average' pilot at the year's end.

Deck landings, a ditching and a close call with the battleship Royal Sovereign

Posted as a Pilot Officer to No. 207 (Bomber) Squadron in early 1932, Sutcliffe gained experience on Fairey III F aircraft, a type of floatplane. Having then attended a Torpedo Training Course, he was posted to H.M.S. Furious, and quickly gained an 'above average' rating for his deck landings. A conversion course at Calshot followed and he next joined the carrier Glorious in Malta.

A flurry of flights over the Mediterranean and the Aegean ensued, among them a close call on 5 August 1933, when, in carrying out a low-level dummy torpedo attack the Queen Elizabeth and Royal Sovereign, his aircraft hit the latter's funnel. Pilot and aircraft nonetheless made a safe landing. Later still, in August 1934, during a flight from Navarin to Malta, he had to ditch in the sea with engine trouble. The aircraft floated for 15 minutes but then sank when an approaching destroyer forced it under the water, leaving Sutcliffe and his T.A.G. floating in the sea until picked up by the destroyer H.M.S. Bulldog.

By the end of the Glorious's Second Summer Cruise of 1934, Sutcliffe had completed 59 deck landings. For the rest of that year - and into the next - he flew out of Malta. Attached to 810 Squadron aboard Furious from 18 January 1935, he then re-joined 812 Squadron aboard the Eagle for her Spring Cruise of 1935.

On 13 May 1935, Sutcliffe flew from Malta to Gozo, as part of the illuminated night flying display for the Jubilee Celebrations, and, by the year's end, had raised his tally of deck landings to the 88 mark. As evidenced by his flying log books, such landings had their hair-raising moments, such as the occasion he collided with part of Glorious's superstructure, smashing his aircraft's wings, tail plane and propeller.

In early 1936, Sutcliffe was posted home to attend an instructor's course at the Central Flying School at Upavon, a role he duly fulfilled at R.A.F. Sealand, a period in which he flew display flights for Empire Air Day. In December 1936, however, he returned to an operational unit, joining No. 811 (Flying Torpedo Bomber) Squadron at R.A.F. Gosport. It was in this capacity that he flew a Swordfish for the first time, prior to joining the carrier Furious for a tour of duty in the Mediterranean. Returning home in March 1937, he went on to gain flying time in Nimrods and Sharks and, in May 1938, joined the carrier Courageous. This the same month in which his tally of deck landings reached to 200 mark. In fact, with further seagoing duty back on the Furious in the interim, he raised this tally to the 300 mark in November 1938.

By the eve of hostilities, he was serving in No. 15 Group, Coastal Command, in which capacity he gained experience in Blenheims.

Let hostilities commence - the Hornum Raid - D.F.C.

Following the outbreak of war in September 1939, Sutcliffe was posted to No. 6 Group at Abingdon but was attached to No.101 Squadron at Raynham from October 1939, operating in Blenheim IV aircraft. Having then attended Blind Approach Course at Bocombe Down, he re-joined No. 101 at the end of the year.

As it transpired, however, it would not be until March 1940 that he first saw action - as C.O. of another Blenheim unit, No. 82 Squadron. As cited above in the recommendation for his D.F.C., he undertook a perilous reconnaissance flight on the 20th, in the immediate wake of the Hornum Raid, the first direct H.E. bomb attack on German soil in the 1939-45 War. A contemporary report states:

'On the night of 19-20 March 1940, a Bomber Command force of Whitleys and Hampdens was ordered to make the first H.E. bomb attack against a target on German soil. The target was a Luftwaffe air base at Hornum on the Island of Sylt. The attack was duly carried out and when the crews returned to their bases they reported many fires and great destruction. Prime Minister Winston Churchill was informed and H.M. The King George and of course the press were also informed about the magnificent results of this raid. At 06.00 on 20 March two Blenheim Mk.IVs took off from R.A.F. Station Watton to carry out a photo-reconnaissance of Hornum in order that the damage caused by this raid could be assessed. Blenheim P.6895 manned by Squadron Leader W.P. Sutcliffe, with Sergeant Phillipson as navigator and Leading Aircraftman G. Whithead as Wireless Operator / Air Gunner, was accompanied by another Blenheim piloted by Sergeant Newbatt. Squadron Leader Sutcliffe was to take vertical line-overlaps and Sergeant Newbatt was to take obliques from the eastern side of the Island. The two aircraft flew to Denmark making a land fall at Esbjerg, turned south and made their approach to the Island of Sylt. As they approached German anti-aircraft from the Northern tip of Sylt opened fire, inaccurate at first but becoming increasingly accurate and intense. By this time cameras were started and kept going until the aircraft had passed over the island. Because of cloud both aircraft flew at an altitude of 6000 feet. The main opposition was from Anti-Aircraft fire which was very accurate. P.6895 was rocked violently by the burst of black puffs of exploding shells all the way down the Island. The exploding shells made loud bangs which were quite frightening. Two M.E.109 fighter aircraft passed the wing tip of P.6895 on a reciprocal course but made no attack. On completion of the photographic run, the aircraft pulled up into cloud and the crew relaxed. Seconds later, there was a violent explosion accompanied by a large black puff right in front of the aircraft's nose. However, that was the last and the crew had a comfortable ride back to Watton. After landing the two aircraft were debriefed and the photo film processed. The prints showed no damage at Hornum base and caused consternation at Group and Command Headquarters and later at 10 Downing Street. The previous communique was abandoned and a press release said because of the poor quality of the photographs no damage could be seen.'

It was not until November 1957 that an article in the Sunday Times on Photo Reconnaissance work during the Second World War contained a reference to the results of this photographic mission over Hornum and for the first time publicly acknowledged that there was no damage to the air base at Hornum. The same article stated that this news was deliberately kept from the public, who was led to believe that the raid was a successful one. None of this detracted from the gallantry shown by Sutcliffe and his crew, who completed their mission successfully in the face of heavy opposition, his flying log book entry noting:

'Vertical and Obliques of Sylt to determine results of raid by Hampdens and Whitleys. Photos taken. A.A. fire intense.'

During March 1940, Sutcliffe had taken part in an earlier recce of Sylt, as well as observed the 'submarine salvage operations off Heligoland' and been engaged by a Flak ship, though his aircraft managed to drop one 250lb. bomb on the target. He was awarded the D.F.C.

Blitzkrieg - May 1940 - massacre of the Blenheims

Sutcliffe went on to witness extensive action following the German invasion of the Low Countries and France in May 1940, a period well-known for the decimation of our Fairey Battle and Blenheim units. That story - and his - is retold in the pages of Valiant Wings by Norman Franks.

On 12 May 1940, he participated in a strike on the Hasselt Bridges, leading a formation of nine aircraft down to 3,000 feet in the face of much flak. Three days later, he carried out an attack on enemy troops and armour at Sedan, leading the second wave of six aircraft.

On 17 May he was detailed to undertake a special mission, leading the way for 12 Hurricanes from Manston to Merville, six of them from No. 601 Squadron and the other six from No. 213 Squadron. He then picked up two downed airmen from Lille, prior to landing back at Watton. As cited above, the rest of the Squadron had attempted an unescorted sortie to Gembloux, Belgium, in which 11 out of its 12 aircraft were lost to enemy fighters.

On the 21 May he led nine aircraft from 82 and 18 Squadrons - which were tasked to cooperate with 110 Squadron - and then flew with a fighter escort in a low-level strike on the roads leading out of Boulogne, where he discovered good targets and dropped 2 x 250lb. and 4 x 40 lb. bombs. During this sortie a 'friendly fire' incident occurred in which one aircraft from 18 Squadron was reported as missing, believed shot down by a Hurricane.

On the 24 May Sutcliffe participated in a strike on 200 tanks and armoured fighting vehicles in the Boulogne to Calais area, his bombs being dropped on tanks sheltering in a village and hits observed. The following day he was back in the thick of it with an attack on pontoon bridges near Menin.

Having then received his D.F.C. from H.M. King George VI in a ceremony at R.A.F. Feltwell on the 25th, he flew straight back to Watton in readiness for another strike on enemy armour the following day, this time in the vicinity of St. Omer. He gained direct hits but not before mixing in with some Me. 110s and Ju. 88s.

On the 29th, Sutcliffe led nine Blenheims of 82 Squadron on a strike in the Dixmude area, himself bombing a column of enemy vehicles in a village. He hit as house which fell across the road, blocking it.

On the 30th he flew in a Spitfire courtesy of No. 66 Squadron, describing his experience as 'very nice' but the Spit was 'very light on elevators.' Back in action on the 29th, he was involved in yet another strike on enemy armour, this time on the outskirts of Reige, whilst on the last day of the month he led nine aircraft on an attack on the Nieuport bridges.

June 1940 - Air to Air Combats

June 1940 saw Sutcliffe continue his relentless flurry of sorties against enemy armour. A close encounter of the hair-raising kind occurred on the 7th, when, south of Le Treport, his formation of three Blenheims was jumped out of the sun by a brace of Me. 109s. He takes up the story in Valiant Wings:

'This pair made four or five attacks, opening fire each time. Every time they attacked, they opened fire and Whitehead called up on the intercom and I turned the three Blenheims towards the direction of the attack. After the last attack they departed. Our three gunners had a field day. The three Blenheims crossed the Channel at sea level.'

On 10 June, in an attack on enemy troops and armour at Fleury, Sutcliffe brought his front guns into action with good effect; he did likewise in strikes on the roasd south of Rouen on the 15th and on enemy columns south of Cherbourg on the 18th - 'hits on head of column - front and rear machine gun attacks.'

Valiant Wings recounts another combat that occurred on Saturday, 8 June:

'Squadron Leader Sutcliffe, who had led 82 Squadron's formation, spotted a German Henschel 126 over the front line, and attacked it. They were quick, nimble little observation machines, difficult to hit, but Sutcliffe and his crew felt certain they had shot it down.'

Sutcliffe was back in action on the 10th, attacking enemy armoured vehicles in Fleury village, using front and rear machine-guns, in addition to bombs.

The so-called 'Battle of France' was over and the R.A.F.'s Fairey Battle and Blenheim units had much to mourn: according to one casualty list, no less than 321 pilots and 359 aircrew had paid the ultimate price.

Sutcliffe's final sortie with 82 Squadron took place on the 21st, a sortie not without interest since it was the first of its kind - a daylight strike on a German industrial target. The operation was intended to permit photography of the previous night's strike and to extend the disruption caused by it. Not so attractive to the ten Blenheim crews assigned the task was the fact they were to draw away enemy day-fighter resources from the Channel coast. As it transpired, the cloud cover proved over-whelming but Sutcliffe's aircraft was one of two to find a target, in his case the aerodrome at Hamsteed.

He was grounded.

Film Star?

Sutcliffe was 'rested' as an instructor at No.17 Operational Training Unit, R.A.F. Upwood, where his extensive combat experience was doubtless much in demand.

Yet his skills were also in demand from a rather different audience, namely the production team filming an episode on the R.A.F. for 'March of Time', an American short film series sponsored by Time Inc. Hence a flight in an Anson with three cameramen embarked on 31 July 1940. The resultant episode may be viewed YouTube.

Second Tour - Blenheims and Bostons

In November 1940, Sutcliffe commenced a second operational tour with No. 110 Squadron, initially flying Blenheims but later Bostons. He was quickly back in action, three strikes against enemy aerodromes in France taking place before the month's end, in addition to a 'shaky trip' to Hamburg on the 16th and a dual strike against targets in Dortmund and Cologne on the 23rd.

Having then participated in a raid on Lille and Vendeville in early December, he ended the year with a strike on the oil refinery at Gelsenkirchen on the 22nd. It proved to be an eventful outing:

'Bombs on target area but no results observed - shot up searchlights at Ostend (height 300 on second circuit all light anti-aircraft and Pom Poms opened up and starboard wing was holed by a shell. Evasive action diving to ground level was successful.'

Despite the raid on the 22nd being his final operational sortie for 1940, he had a close call due to 'friendly fire' on the 30th, when flying from Ipswich to Wattisham. His aircraft was 'fired upon by AA defences - Observer's hatch came down preventing front wheel being levelled - landed on two main wheels and nose - aircraft was hit with Bofors and .303.'

The opening weeks of the new year saw operations curtailed by poor weather but on 13 March Sutcliffe led the Squadron on a strike against Hamburg; Wilhelmshaven - and accurate A.A. fire - followed on the 18th. Then in April, he participated in an attack on Bremerhaven on the 8th, his new Observer guiding their aircraft to the target 30 minutes ahead of the scheduled hour.

Equally unwelcome were low-level attacks carried out in the second half of the month, one of them - against Heligoland on the 16th - undertaken at 50 feet; another - a moonlight number - was against enemy shipping at Walcheren on the 18th. As recorded in his flying log book, 'one ship blew up as result of hits with 4 x 250 lb. and 4 x 40 lb. bombs dropped on searchlights.' This was followed by his final sortie on 3 May, when he led an attack on enemy shipping at Texel. It proved to be another good show, Sutcliffe getting in a hit on a 5,000-ton ship with 4 x 250 lb. armour-piercing bombs.

The latter years

He was once more grounded and rested, this time with a posting to Bomber Command H.Q. Appointments in the Middle East, India and Burma followed and he finally returned home in the rank of Group Captain in December 1945. He was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 1 January 1945, refers), in addition to being appointed an Officer of the American Legion of Merit. The citation for the latter distinction stated:

'Group Captain Walter P. Sutcliffe, Royal Air Force, performed outstanding services from December 1943 to May 1944 as Deputy Chief of Air Staff, Strategic Air Force, Eastern Air Command. He insured the utmost cooperation between the Intelligence and Operational Sections and coordinated the Royal Air Forces training programs in the theater.'

Sutcliffe was posted from 3rd Group Headquarters to the Air Ministry as Director of Training Operations in November 1948, prior to taking up an appointment to the Air War College at Memphis, U.S.A.; he passed out of the United States Air Force Air University Air War College Graduation Class of 1953.

From August 1953, Sutcliffe commanded R.A.F. Wittering, in which capacity he entered the jet age in Meteors. He was appointed C.B. in the summer of 1958 and was placed on the Retired List in 1961. The Air Commodore, who retired to Pluckley in Kent, died in October 1990.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, comprising:

(i)
A complete run of the recipient's R.A.F. Pilot's Flying Log Books (4), covering the periods 20 January 1930 to 11 December 1936, this privately bound with gilt titles; 15 December 1936 to 7 February 1939; 7 February 1939 to 29 June 1957, and 16 July 1957 to 21 November 1957, together with a final entry for a private balloon flight taken on 15 June 1985 ('Fantastic'); a quantity of qualification certificates have also been pasted into the logs.

(ii)
The recipient's copy of the Statutes of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, together with related Central Chancery correspondence and two copies of the London Gazette announcing the award of his C.B.

(iii)
Certificate of award for the recipient's American Legion of Merit (Officer), dated 21 August 1946.

(iv)
A small selection of career photographs.


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