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Auction: 19003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 396

An outstanding and very complete Great War M.C. group of three awarded to Captain D. G. B. Jardine, Highland Light Infantry, attached Royal Flying Corps and later Royal Air Force, a 'Brilliant Pilot and Very Fine Leader' who downed 3 enemy machines in fine style with No. 25 Squadron over the Western Front
Having racked up an impressive 60 missions, his promise was lost in vain when Jardine went forth whilst outnumbered once again, being killed, presumed drowned, attempting to stave off an aerial armada of five Zeppelins off the coast of Great Yarmouth, his body was found washed up on a beach in Denmark some three weeks later

Military Cross. G.V.R., contemporarily engraved to the reverse, 'Captain D. G. B. Jardine Royal Air Force'; British War and Victory Medals (Capt. D. G. B. Jardine R.A.F.), together with his Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque (Douglas Graeme Burness Jardine), and Memorial Scroll dedicated to 'Capt. Douglas Graeme Burness Jardine, Royal Air Force', nearly extremely fine (3)

M.C. London Gazette 22 April 1918:

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in France on 14 August, 1917 to 29th January 1918. On two occasions when his formation was attacked by larger bodies of enemy scouts, he and his Observer sent one of the enemies down in flames and two others completely out of control. During a period of three months he carried out two exceptionally long reconnaissances, during which he took a large number of photographs containing most valuable information. His personal efforts and example are of the greatest value to the other Pilots of the Squadron.'

Douglas Graeme Burness Jardine was born on 9 July 1894 at Tamboers Kloof, Cape Town, South Africa, the eldest son of Major William Jardine - a founder member of the Cape Town Highlanders - and his wife, Mary Nott Burness. Aside from his voluntary military service, his father worked as a third-generation Trader and became a pioneer in the collection and study of Africana, especially books. A well-known bibliophile and antiquarian, he amassed three outstanding literary collections, portions of which may been seen today in the Library of Parliament and the William Fehr Collection which is held at The Castle, Cape Town.

Educated at the South African College School, Jardine lived at the family farmstead known as Brink's Inn, located in Sir Lowry's Pass, where he was surrounded by the 'finest early Cape furniture and paintings' (The Jardine Collection of Africana, Strauss & Co., 2014, refers). However, rather than further the family passion for collecting, Jardine was promoted Sergeant in the School Cadet Corps in 1912 and decided upon leaving school to sail for England to take up a Cadetship at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. It was here that he recorded his first flight on 5 December 1915 - rising to an altitude of 700 feet in 11 minutes, flying in a Maurice Farman Longhorn MF.7 biplane at Farnborough Aerodrome.

Jardine graduated from Sandhurst on 8 February 1916, being commissioned 2nd Lieutenant and posted to the Highland Light Infantry soon thereafter. He immediately applied for transfer to the Royal Flying Corps and began training as a Pilot, being awarded Aviator Certificate No. 2551 on 9 March 1916 after just 6 hours and 30 minutes flying experience. Two weeks later he was sent to the Central Flying School at Upavon where he gained his R.F.C. Certificate (No. 1255) on 18 May 1916 after a total of 22 hours of solo flying, being posted soon thereafter to No. 54 Training Squadron, Royal Flying Corps.

On 27 May 1916, Jardine made his first cross-Channel crossing flying in a B.E.2d from Farnborough to St. Omer. Like the majority of new pilots at this time, he spent a number of months flying new and repaired aircraft to France, and damaged aircraft back to England. It was considered an effective way to learn control of the aircraft in varying conditions and to become familiar with the network of trenches that weaved their way north-west towards the English Channel. However, like many others, he was not exempt from accidents and severe weather; on 14 June 1916 his aircraft 'dived on landing and crashed' at Godstone, Surrey (Log Book, refers), and on 26 August 1916 he was forced to land in a field near Leigh, Kent, when his engine cut out.
As the winter of 1916 loomed large, the bouts of inclement weather began to play their part in further accidents; on a planned flight from Peaslake to Farnborough on 18 November 1916, Jardine was forced to return to base owing to snowfall. Suffering from 'petrol trouble', he crash landed an R.E.8 on Christmas Eve and was forced to make a brisk landing in a B.E.12 with a 'dud engine' after a 5 minute flight on 23 January 1917 (ibid). Mechanical fragility manifested itself again on 18 April 1917 and 22 April 1917, on both occasions engine trouble forcing a return to base at Lympne and Farnborough.

From 28 June 1917, Jardine took part in a Fighting Course at Spitalgate in Lincolnshire led by Captain Leslie Peech Aizlewood, M.C., A.F.C., who had successfully 'bagged' 4 victories whilst serving with No. 32 Squadron, but whose service on the Western Front had been put on hold when shot down and wounded for a second time by German ace Werner Voss. Fortunately the gunshot wound to his right shoulder was not serious, but nevertheless, Aizlewood returned to England and was appointed Flying Instructor, tasked with undertaking a review of aerial tactics with a greater emphasis upon gunnery skills. According to Jardine, he conducted five separate flights on 1 July 1917 with Aizlewood, each concerning fighting practice, 'looping and spinning etc', before taking his Aerial Fighting Certificate, his total flying time being 197 Hours and 52 minutes.

Into the cauldron - power of three

On 10 July 1917, Jardine's desire to see front line action was granted when he was posted to a 'Fighting' Wing at Auchel in the Pas-de-Calais. No. 25 Squadron operated as a fighter-reconnaissance unit and had gathered considerable press coverage and acclaim when two Pilots from the Squadron, Corporal James Henry Waller and 2nd Lieutenant George Reynolds McCubbin shot down the German fighter 'ace' Max Immelmann in June 1916; at 2,000 feet the German's tail was seen to break away from the rest of his Fokker aircraft, likely the result of structural failure caused by bullet strikes to the propeller and fuselage and excessive subsequent vibration.

The following day Jardine conducted a circuit over Bethune at 6,200 feet in a D.H.4 with Lieutenant Bedford, and on 12 July 1917 he flew D.H.4 'Mars' on patrol, noting 'first time over the lines'. On 20 July 1917, whilst conducting a 2 hour long bombing sortie with Lieutenant Bliss, Jardine witnessed at 14,500 feet his first German patrol:

'Encountered about 6 enemy machines, chased 3 alone - but gun jammed at close quarters. Dived to 8,000 feet.'
Thereafter followed a series of bombing and line patrols, including a 'strafe and joy ride' on 22 July 1917 and an attack on Aubers from 8,000 feet amidst anti-aircraft fire. On 14 August 1917, Jardine and his Observer, 2nd Lieutenant G. Bliss, attacked the German aerodrome at Dorignies in D.H.4 A7405. The circumstances are described in detail by Major C. S. Duffus, M.C., Commanding No. 25 Squadron, R.F.C.:

'After bombing Doregnies (sic) Aerodrome, formation of five D.H.4's encountered 20 Albatross Scouts, on their way back to the lines. A general running fight ensued, during which five enemy machines dived on Lieut. Jardine, while another attacked from underneath. 2/Lt. Bliss, his observer, by bursts of fire, kept off the hostile machines diving on the D.H.4, and was able to put a drum at close range, into the aircraft attacking from underneath. This machine immediately burst into flames and fell, spinning, southeast of Hénin-Liétard. The remaining machines followed the D.H.4 to the lines, firing the whole time.

2/Lt. Libby saw a machine going down emitting a quantity of white smoke, but was unable to watch same owing to attack by other enemy machines.'

Less than a month later on 4 September 1917, Jardine and his Observer faced a similar scrap at 15,000 feet just to the south of the commune of La Bassée in the Hauts-de-France region:

'When on patrol over La Bassée, a formation of 3 D.H.4's was attacked by 12 Albatross Scouts. Capt. Jardine dived on a hostile Scout which was attacking another of our machines. He fired 100 rounds into it at very close range and the Scout went down completely out of control. Meanwhile, Capt. Jardine's Observer was engaging an enemy Scout who had dived on their tail and after firing about 80 rounds into it, the machine took a steep dive, spun, and went down completely out of control. Three sections of 1st A.A. Group saw the combat and confirm one hostile machine fell completely out of control, in flames, at that time.'

On 8 October 1917, Jardine flew over Passchendaele, festooned in mud and the detritus of war. He simply noted, 'going over new line'. Two days later he conducted a late afternoon bombing mission deploying two 112lb bombs and landing in darkness 'by flares'. On 24 October 1917, Jardine, by now an experienced Pilot, took a 'new' Observer, Lieutenant Critchley, over the line on a 75 minute sortie at 7,000 feet. It was the first of many training flights which caught the eye of Major Duffus and contributed to his recommendation of Jardine for the M.C:

'Captain Douglas Graeme Burness Jardine.
No. 25 Squadron, R.F.C.

I wish to recommend the above-named Officer for the Military Cross for courage, skill and devotion to duty. This Officer has been flying in this Country for more than eight months, during which time he has completed 215 hours in the air and taken part in the following successful operations:-

30 Bomb Raids and Patrols.
30 Solo Photographic Reconnaissances.

Capt. Jardine is a brilliant pilot and a very fine leader. He has led with great judgement and skill the majority of the raids and patrols in which he has taken part and has carried out many fine long-distance reconnaissances.'

Major C. S. Duffus, M.C., went on to list the events already mentioned together with further sorties including a reconnaissance to Brussels and Namur on 29 January 1918 and a reconnaissance of the railway line between Anor-Hirson-Busigny, where 54 photographs were taken on 26 February 1918. He added:

'Capt. Jardine is a very gallant fighter and has done extremely well in aerial combat. He has destroyed 3 enemy machines.

He runs his Flight with the greatest success. He is very painstaking and energetic in the training of new Pilots and Observers in every branch of their work.'

Awarded the M.C., Jardine left France for the Home Establishment on 24 March 1918 and was granted 3 months' leave to return home to Cape Town. He returned to England in July, joining No. 6 T.D.S. at Boscombe Down on 4 July 1918. Transferred to R.A.F. Yarmouth on 16 July 1918, he carried out a coastal patrol on 29 July 1918 in search of enemy sea planes and another on 31 July 1918 in search of hostile aircraft.

Journey's end

On 5 August 1918, Jardine and his Observer, Lieutenant Edward Richard Munday, took off on a fighting reconnaissance on the occasion of an attempted Zeppelin Raid on England. That night, five enemy airship attempted to cross the North Sea, being intercepted by Royal Air Force aircraft who were working in close cooperation with the Royal Navy. A contemporary newspaper sets the scene:

'Thousands of visitors at a seaside resort on the East Coast saw Zeppelins on the skyline and a fleet of aeroplanes ascending to engage them.

On seeing the aeroplanes, the airships turned to the north, and endeavoured to evade the pursuers in smoke clouds. An hour after the raiders appeared, gunfire was heard nearly 100 miles from where the chase began, and a great flame was observed far out to sea.'

In total, three airships were engaged by the pilots, one being shot down in flames and another damaged but able to return to base. Captain Jardine's machine did not return and on 29 September 1918 his body was washed upon the beach at Vedersø on the Jutland Peninsula of Denmark. He was buried in the local churchyard the next day and it fell to his father to collect the M.C. decoration so well-earned at an investiture held at Government House, South Africa, on 26 March 1920. The body of his Canadian Observer was never found and he is commemorated on the Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton.

To be sold with an impressive original archive comprising:

(i)
The original Pilot's Flying Log Book, commencing with the 'bumpy' first flight at 700 feet on 5 December 1915 and concluding with the entry on 5 August 1918, in the hand of another person, noting 'D.H.9 D5802 Lt. Munday (Passenger), at 21.10 hrs, Anti-Zeppelin patrol. Failed to Return.'

A beautifully annotated Log Book detailing his full R.F.C. and R.A.F. service during the Great War, which includes to the reverse 3 handwritten pages of notes made by Jardine likely during his time with Captain Aizlewood, M.C., A.F.C. These include detailed notes on 'stunt flying' and 'Immelmann Turns', followed by 'Spinning' in a Nieuport Scout.

(ii)
A fine family photo album bearing photographs of children, the family home at Sir Lowry's Pass, Naval and Merchant vessels in harbour at Cape Town and early photographs of local airmen in a prototype 'hydro-aeroplane'. The album continues with photographs of the dreadnought H.M.S. New Zealand, before returning to portrait photographs of the recipient in both civilian and military attire. Approximately 50 photographs in good condition, the covers of the album - front and back - detached; further photographs of the recipient's father in South Africa, together with parades and the Roll of Honour Memorial for the Southern Cross Lodge, Cape Town, displaying the name of Major William Jardine, Cape Corps.

(iii)
A quantity of copied research, MIC, Recommendations and contemporary newspaper articles.


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Sold for
£5,200

Starting price
£2200