Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 20003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 304

A very fine Great War A.F.C. group of four awarded to Major H. E. Crawfurd, Royal Air Force, late Flight Commander, No. 13 Kite Balloon Section, Royal Naval Air Service, later a Liberal Party Member of Parliament

Air Force Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (Flt. S. Lt. H. E. Crawfurd. R.N.A.S.); British War and Victory Medals (Major H. E. Crawfurd. R.A.F.), mounted as worn by A. H. Baldwin & Sons, good very fine (4)

A.F.C. London Gazette 3 June 1919.

Horace Evelyn Crawfurd was born on 13 January 1881 and had been selected in 1913 as the Liberal candidate for Southport in the upcoming General Election which was eventually postponed by the onset of the Great War. Crawfurd enlisted in the Royal Naval Air Service and was commissioned Flight Sub-Lieutenant on 17 May 1915, initially training and serving at home on Kite Balloons. Promoted Flight Lieutenant on 1 October 1916, he went with No. 13 Kite Balloon Section to Malta via Marseilles on 13 October. Travelling onwards to Aden on the S.S. Manora on 29 November, he saw varied active serivce during the next two years and was promoted Flight Commander on 30 June 1917. Transferred to the Royal Air Force, he finished the War as an Acting Major.

Returned to his political career, Crawfurd contensted six elections for the Liberals and was elected Member of Parliament for Walthamstow West in 1924, beating Valentine McEntee on a margin of 470. McEntee handed defeat to Crawfurd in 1929 and took up work in publicity with Glyn Limited, promoting their two movies, Knowing Men (1930) and The Price of Things (1931), besides running the personal publicity for Elinor Glyn. A published author and Lecturer at the University of Liverpool, Crawfurd died on 14 March 1958; sold with copied research.

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£1,700

Starting price
£900