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Auction: 20001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - conducted behind closed doors
Lot: 749

'Soon after attacking motor transport on the morning of April 19th, Squadron Leader Smith and Flying Officer Wilmer ran into some concentrated flak near Ferrara. Flight Lieutenant Beaumont, who was in the same area, at once called up and asked if they were alright, receiving the answer "Yes." Half a minute later, however, Squadron Leader Smith called to say "Hank has baled out," and repeated the message at Flight Lieutenant Beaumont's request.

A recce aircraft has photographed the crashed Mosquito, which lies just off a road about one mile S.E. of Ferrara. The wings are detatched and the fuselage appears to be burnt out.

The chances are that both members of the crew are alive. Unfortunately the area was at that time infested with Huns and it must be considered unlikely that they could evade capture.

There was no more popular crew in the Squadron than George and Hank, and their loss - if it is indeed so - is one that we can ill afford. We miss George's chuckle and Hank's cheery morning cry of "Periscope Up." '

Front page news in The Clot's Own, No. 256 Squadron's weekly bulletin, dated 28 April 1945.

An outstanding Second World War nightfighter operations D.F.M. group of five awarded to Flying Officer H. J. 'Hank' Wilmer, Royal Air Force

A long-served Radio / Observer, he shared in no less than 5 confirmed 'kills' in partnership with his Canadian pilot, Squadron Leader A. G. "Art" Lawrence, D.F.C., A.F.C.

They first went into action in Beaufighters of No. 406 'City of Saskatoon' Squadron (R.C.A.F.) in early 1942 and, having completed a successful first tour, returned to the fray in Mosquitos of No. 410 Squadron in the following year

Then in the summer of 1944, Wilmer set forth for the Italian front, flying numerous sorties in Beaufighters of No. 600 'City of London' Squadron, with Wing Commander L. H. Styles, D.F.C., as his pilot, the pair of them claiming two further 'kills'

Next posted to No. 256 Squadron at Foggia in January 1945, he flew as Navigator to Squadron Leader G. M. Smith, D.F.C., the pair of them undertaking a spate of intruder sorties in the unit's Mosquitos. But tragedy struck in mid-April when their aircraft was shot down by flak and Smith killed

Wilmer escaped the doomed Mosquito by parachute at 3,000 feet and ended the war at Dulag 339 in Austria

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1386251 F./S. H. J. Wilmer, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine (5)

D.F.M. London Gazette 27 April 1943. The original recommendation states:

'Flight Sergeant Wilmer started flying operationally in this squadron in March 1942, since when he has flown continually with and assisted his pilot, Flying Officer Lawrence, in the destruction of three enemy aircraft by night. His skilful operation of his A.I equipment in pursuit of these enemy aircraft has been an essential factor in the success of his pilot. He shows the highest devotion to duty and is a source of inspiration to his fellow operators. I recommend him for the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.'

Harry John Wilmer attended No. 3 Radio School at R.A.F. Prestwick and qualified as an Observer (Radio) at No. 54 O.T.U. in December 1941.

Posted to No. 406 'City of Saskatoon' Squadron (R.C.A.F.) in January 1942, he teamed up with Pilot Officer A. G. 'Art' Lawrence and flew his first nightfighter sortie in one of the unit's Beaufighters just a few weeks later.

First blood

On the night of 28-29 April 1942, pilot and Observer were vectored onto an enemy aircraft 70-80 miles off Whitby. Wilmer guided Lawrence into the attack, which was opened at 300 feet from slightly below the now identified Ju. 88:

'The E/A was flying straight and level and a 6-second burst was given, the closing range being 250 feet, when our aircraft was deflected by slip stream. Immediately after the first attack, the fuselage was seen to be on fire and the starboard engine was belching orange flames and smoke and the E/A was turning over on its starboard wing.

Our aircraft straightened course and made a second attack, stern to quarter, giving a 3-second burst at an opening range of 150 feet and a height of 3,000 feet, closing at 50 feet and passing at 50 feet over the tail of the E/A. On the second attack strikes were seen all along the fuselage and the E/A went straight down burning fiercely … '

It was the beginning of a memorable partnership.

Two up

On the night of 7-8 July 1942, Wilmer picked up a 'contact' at 10,000 feet in the vicinity of Hartlepool. Obtaining a visual of an He. 111, Lawrence delivered an attack from 300-400 feet, delivering a two short 1-second bursts, followed by another burst of 3-4 seconds. A flash was seen from the E/A's starboard engine and it went into a flat spin, straight down from 8,000 to 3,000 feet, when it was last seen entering cloud and still in a spin.

Three up

Just over a fortnight later, on the night of the 23rd-24th, the intrepid duo was vectored onto another enemy aircraft, at around 10,000 feet. On the conclusive evidence contained in their gun footage, they claimed a Ju. 88 destroyed. It blew up and fell flaming into the sea 30 miles off Flamborough Head after a characteristic close-range attack from 300 feet.

Four up

Following numerous outings in the interim, including operations over London, Lawrence and Wilmer gained their next 'kill' - a Dornier 217 - on the night of 9-10 March 1943. They delivered a devastating attack of 15-seconds' duration, the crippled enemy aircraft falling ablaze into the sea.

Five up

In June 1943, pilot and Observer were posted to No. 410 (R.C.A.F.) Squadron at Colby Grange, this time operating in Mosquitos.

They were quickly back in action and claimed another Do. 217 on the night of 12-13 July, having been vectored onto their 'bogey' off the Humber estuary at 10,000 feet. The E/A took violent evasive action and, as Lawrence moved in for the kill, he was blinded by our searchlights. Contact, however, was regained and the alerted E/A retaliated with return fire. But Lawrence's fire proved more telling, the Dornier crashing into the sea with a large flash.

Having both been decorated in the interim, Lawrence and Wilmer were rested in October 1943, the latter carrying out instructional duties in Ansons at No. 62 O.T.U.

Italy: six / seven up

But in May 1944, he joined No. 600 'City of London' Squadron in Italy, where he teamed-up as Navigator to Wing Commander L. H. Styles, D.F.C. The pair of them quickly embarked on a flurry of operational patrols in the unit's Beaufighters and appear to have been credited with the destruction of Ju. 87s on 28 August and 4 October 1944; Wilmer's flying log book, refers.

"For you, the war is over"

Then in January 1945, Wilmer transferred to No. 256 Squadron, a Mosquito unit, in which he teamed-up with Squadron Leader G. M. Smith, D.F.C; an early outing of interest proved to be acting as escort to Winston Churchill's aircraft in a flight from France to the U.K. on 19 February 1945, but pilot and Navigator were back on operations in Italy a few days later. They completed at least a dozen intruder sorties over the next eight weeks.

At 0520 hours on 19 April, Smith and Wilmer departed Forli on yet another dawn intruder sortie in Mosquito HK 508 A-Apple. Their aircraft - a Mk. XIII - was the only one of its type to have been fitted with wing bombs and both were keen to break the ice, having failed to do so the previous day. But in a subsequent attack on a target near Ferrara, their Mosquito was badly mauled by 40mm. flak. A glimpse of ensuing events is quoted above but sadly Smith did not survive. For his own part, Wilmer baled out at 3,000 feet but had no chance of evading capture, for the region was 'infested with Huns'.

He was taken to Dulag 339 in Austria, where he was liberated by American troops in early May 1945.

Sold with the following original documentation:

(i)
The recipient's R.A.F. Observer's and Air Gunner's Flying Log Book (Form 1767), with entries covering the period September 1941 to May 1945, when he was flown home in a Warwick after liberation; the opening page is endorsed 'Certified Log Book damaged by gale and rain at Follonica, Italy, 4.4.1944' but such 'water damage' is minimal and the flanking page is bears the signatures of nearly 20 members of No. 256 Squadron.

(ii)
A wartime copy of The Clot's Own, No. 256 Squadron's weekly bulletin, dated 28 April 1945, in which the recipient's loss in action is reported; as quoted above.

(iii)
Air Ministry letter addressed to the recipient's father, 'Mr. H. J. Wilmer, 221 Philmead Road, South Benfleet, Essex', dated 7 May 1945, in which the recipient's liberation and safety is confirmed.


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Sold for
£3,800

Starting price
£2200