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Auction: 21002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 153

A well-documented campaign group of four awarded to Flight Lieutenant H. Fisher, Royal Air Force, a skilled Beaufighter pilot whose Flight notched up two 'kills' over Burma which No. 176 Squadron in April 1944 - it is no surprise for his Log Books includes the signatures of two legends of aviation, no less than Wing Commander Guy Gibson, V.C., D.S.O. & Bar, D.F.C. & Bar, who instructed Fisher at 51 OTU and Group Captain J. 'Cat's Eyes' Cunningham, C.B.E., D.S.O. & Two Bars, D.F.C. & Bar, who twice took Fisher up with him and gave instruction whilst he was with No. 604 Squadron

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Burma Star; War Medal 1939-45, with Air Council enclosure, ticker tape confirming awards and '146124 Flt. Lt.', in their named card box of issue with postage for December 1953, addressed to 'Flt. Lt. H. Fisher, Crabtree Lane, Bodmin, Cornwall.', nearly extremely fine (4)

Harry Fisher joined the Royal Air Force in January 1941 at Stratford-upon-Avon, before joining No. 4 Elementary FTS, Brough, No. 15 FTS, Kidlington and 51 OTU at Cranfield, when he would first cross paths with greatness, in the form of Guy Gibson. Fisher first flew at 51 OTU on 15 October 1941, with Gibson on a rest having freshly added a Second Award Bar to his Distinguished Flying Cross. Fisher' period of 7 October 1941-6 January 1942 totalled 4hrs of Dual flying, 32hrs45mins Day flying and 24hrs35mins Night flying and being rated 'Average' as a Pilot by Gibson.

Fisher then joined No. 64 Squadron, which would see him rub shoulders with 'Cat's Eyes' Cunningham soon after. Cunningham commanded No. 604 Squadron and took Fisher, Flying Officer Rawnsley and Sergeant Naylor up in Beaufighter T4625 for a Practice Flight on 17 January, with another flight on 6 February noted. Fisher was then let loose himself as Pilot from 7 February. Cunningham signed off his Log Book for April 1942 and also signed off his Flying Assessment, noting 46hrs55mins of Day flying and 16hrs15mins of Night flying.

Passed fit for active flying, Fisher was shipped off to RAF Takoradi in British West Africa in July 1942 and joined No. 46 Squadron later that month. He flew his first patrol sortie on 7 August and his first 'scramble' on 12 August. By November, Fisher took part in a multi-stage flight, via Gambut, to Luqa, Malta, in order to deliver a 'rhubarb' on Sicily on 19 November in Beaufighter X7708.

Transferred to No. 89 Squadron in December, he closed the year with some 414hrs in his Log Book. January 1943 saw Fisher again transferred, this time a flight of note, from West Africa to the Indian theatre, by way of air fields in Palestine, Iraq, Muharak Island, Oman, Karachi, Jodhpur, Allahabad and eventually finishing in Dum Dum, for his most notable posting with No. 176 Squadron, which would last until April 1944.

Over the coming years, Fisher would notch up a most impressive score of Ops in all weathers and over all terrain. He found himself running patrols, co-ops with a miriad of units and scrambles when required. On 8 June 1943, a hair-raising flight earnt him a Commendation from his Wing Commander:

'On June 8th 1943, Pilot Officer (then Sergeant) H. Fisher, had the starboard engine of his Beaufighter fail completely, as a result of a connecting rod failure. He executed a single engine landing without damage.'

At the start 1944, he flew no less than 4 times on 10 February:

'Scramble - Ops Room Panic.
NFT.
Patrol. NAF Peninsula.
Scramble. Visuals on 2 Bogeys. Both Dakotas at 120mph at 2,000!'

On 13 February he flew a 'rhubarb' on Mandalay, Anisakan and a scramble, but 'bandit, too far away' on Valentine's Day - clearly no love lost with the enemy. In April, young Fisher was given Command of a Detached Flight from his Squadron, which gained praise from Air Vice-Marshal S. F. Vincent, from HQ 221 Group, RAF India. Vincent was the only Pilot to have shot down an enemy aircraft in both World Wars and wrote to Fisher on 4 April 1944:

'Congratulations on the very satisfactory results obtained by shooting down the two Japs last night.

I am particularly pleased that this has happened after the moving of the G.C.I. to what was expected to be not so good a site as before. This, however, is apparently good enough for you to get such a good night's score.'

A telegram followed from Group Captain Boyd, the OC of No. 176 Squadron:

'CONGRATULATIONS KEEP IT UP.'

Fisher departed India on 6 June 1944, reaching home on 7 July, in order to go up to No. 3 Flying Instructor School and thence 54 OTU, Charterhall, Berwickshire. He passed on his skills and assessed the next generation of Pilots from September 1944-June 1945, being demobilised on 5 March 1946.

Sold together with his two Flying Log Books, Form 414, covering 20 May 1941-23 February 1944 and Air Force (India) Form 414, covering 1 March 1944-15 September 1945, totalling 887hrs0mins. The first Log Book includes the autographs aforementioned, all clear, in ink and in the correct position for the form on which they were required. Also offered together with a good file of research, which includes a plethora of original photographs, letters - one charming letter on A4 in pencil from his 'obedient servant' Kwame Anto - telegrams etc, a number of which are annotated with the individuals photographed.

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Estimate
£3,000 to £3,500

Starting price
£3000