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Auction: 21001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals (conducted behind closed doors)
Lot: 416

A Great War Egypt operations A.F.C. group of four awarded to Captain E. G. Bannister, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, late Royal Fusiliers, who was killed in a crash over Ramleh on Valentine's Day 1919

Air Force Cross, G.V.R., with its original pin; British War and Victory Medals (Capt. E. G. Bannister R.A.F.); Great War Memorial Plaque (Edward Gentleman Bannister), traces of adhesive from mounting to last, otherwise nearly extremely fine, together with the 'partridge-wood' frame in which the awards were lovingly retained by his family (4)

A.F.C. London Gazette 1 January 1919.

Edward Gentleman Bannister was born at Cork, Ireland on 15 June 1893. Young Bannister was educated at the Grammar School in Cork (1903-06) and St Albans School, Hertfordshire (1909-10), where he joined the Officer Training Corps. He joined the City and Guilds Technical College, Finsbury, for two years training in electrical engineering, intending to work for the British Thomson-Houston Company Ltd. However the day before he commenced his new job the Great War was declared and he responded at once to the call for volunteers. Initially joining the London O.T.C., he resigned from this unit after just a few weeks in order to join the Public Schools and Universities Battalion. Commissioned in December 1914, he served attached to the 29th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers and specialised in musketry where he distinguished himself and was employed for a short time as an Instructor. He tried from the outset to be attached to the Royal Flying Corps, in order to put his engineering skills to better use, but this was ignored by the authorities until 25 October 1916 when he was attached to No. 2 School of Aeronautics, Oxford. He was ordered to Egypt early in January 1917 to finish his training with No. 22 Training Squadron at Aboukir. As part of the 'Eastern Force' he was to prepare for the invasion of Palestine. He was given his 'Wings' on 1 May and appointed Flying Officer in the defence of Egypt. He was closely involved with the invasion and fought throughout the Middle East with various detachments. On 1 November, Palestine operations officially terminated and his Squadron was moved to el Qantara. Bannister continued his service with the Army Wing of the Palestine Brigade of the Royal Air Force and his Squadron was moved to Ramleh. He took off in a Bristol fighter on 14 February 1919, but the aircraft stalled in a turn near the ground and crashed, killing both Bannister and his Pilot, Captain Frank Jefcoate. Bannister, aged just 25, was buried in Ramleh War Cemetery; sold together with copied Service Record, research and photograph of the recipient.

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Sold for
£2,600

Starting price
£2000