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Auction: 19003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 215

Four: Corporal H. N. C. Jay, Royal Air Force, late Royal Flying Corps

1914-15 Star (3555 2.A.M. H. N. C. Jay, R.F.C.); British War and Victory Medals (3555. 1.A.M. H. N. C. Jay. R.F.C.); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1920 (3555 Cpl. H. N. C. Jay. R.A.F.), good very fine and scarce (4)

Harold Neville Caxton Jay was born on 11 November 1896 at Nottingham, the son of Harry Alfred Caxton Jay. A shop assistant and later ironmonger by profession, he attested for the Royal Flying Corps on 6 February 1915 as Air Mechanic 2nd Class, and witnessed service in France from 14 March 1915. His service record notes admittance to various military hospitals around Rouen and St. Omer in 1916, the result of influenza. Steady promotion followed from Air Mechanic 1st Class to Corporal, Corporal Mechanic and Corporal Rigger Aero on 1 January 1919, and he saw service with No. 79, 206 and 56 Squadron.

On 8 July 1920 Jay was posted to No. 53 Squadron as part of 'Q Force' and has the rare award of the clasp 'Somaliland 1920', for operations against the Mullah. However his health continued to cause concern and following a spell at the Citadel Military Hospital at Suez, Jay was discharged from the Royal Air Force on 17 February 1921 suffering from dysentery caused by service. He returned home to live with his father at Birk Crag, Parkstone, Dorset, and died on 20 March 1972 at Luton, Bedfordshire; sold with copied service record and MIC.


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Sold for
£1,100

Starting price
£320