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Auction: 20001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - conducted behind closed doors
Lot: 1031

(x) Pair: Lieutenant J. T. Hawkey, South African Air Force

War Medal 1939-45; Africa Service Medal 1939-45, both officially impressed '102443 J. T. Hawkey', nearly very fine (2)

John Thomas Hawkey was born on 24 June 1918 and trained as an Air Gunner at No. 4 Air School, at East London from 12 December 1940. Transferred from No. 43 Squadron to No. 11 Squadron on 10 May 1941, he departed Durban aboard the S.S. Sprathaird and travelled to Mombasa, Kenya. Appointed Air Sergeant and sent to No. 16 Squadron, he had a close shave on 14 June 1941 when a concentration of anti-aircraft fire exploded just below his aircraft's undercarriage in the skies above Uolchefit and Gondar, Italian East Africa. Despite his aircraft sustaining a damaged starboard inner aileron and being blown out of formation, his pilot, Lieutenant G. E. Abbott, attempted to continue his mission to knock out an enemy airfield:

'Still under control, Lt. Abbott dived to 30 feet over Azozo to attack the Caproni. He discovered that the one on the field, without propellers, was a decoy. He made another run at 15 feet off the runway and observed a hangar with a partly-concealed C.R.42. He had made four attacks on this, through heavy machine-gun fire, when he saw his port engine nacelle leaking oil. Speed fell to 70 m.p.h. and as he was losing height it was obvious that the aircraft would be unable to clear the mountains ahead. Lt. Abbott gave the crew of five permission to jump. They were Lt. D. R. Wood, Air Sergeant W. R. Wills, Air Sergeant P. F. Hanrahan, Air Sergeant E. G. Scherer and Air Sergeant J. T. Hawkey. All elected to take their chances with the aircraft. Lt. Abbott put it down on a ploughed field 3 miles from Bandina.' (A Gathering of Eagles, S.A.A.F. lose a bomber, refers)

The crew barely had enough time to strip their Ju-86Z of its moveable machine guns and to withdraw a little distance before native soldiers and Italian troops arrived and placed mines about the aircraft. The next day they began the long march over the mountains to Lake Tana, being brought safely to Debra Tabor by patriot forces and ferried the final few kilometres to their squadron by truck on 23 July 1941.

Appointed Observer on 27 June 1942, Hawkey later transferred to No. 22 Squadron at Durban on 4 June 1943, and was released from service on 7 December 1945; sold with copied service record and Certificate of Service dated 13 June 1973, confirming full entitlement.


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Sold for
£55

Starting price
£30