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Auction: 22001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 526

'These air duels are very thrilling, the sky is thick with bursting shell and amidst the roar of our machine guns you can hear the zip of the Hun's bullet's when they get pretty close, and all the time the two machines are circling about, dropping and climbing, each trying to get the other at a disadvantage.

We have got a most splendid lot of fellows in the R.F.C., and I am serenely happy amongst them, although I get very depressed at time the way one after another of them disappears. It is so rotten to see a vacant chair at the Mess Table every now and again and to have to go and pack up some unfortunate chap's belongings is positively horrible.'

Major Learmount on life in the Royal Flying Corps, 1916.

An outstanding Squadron Commander’s D.S.O., M.C. group of seven awarded to Major L. W. Learmount, Commanding No. 22 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, late Malay Straits Volunteer Rifles

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver and enamel, top riband bar adapted for mounting; Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (2.Lieut. L. W. Learmount. R.F.C.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Major L. W. Learmount. R.F.C.); Colonial Auxiliary Forces L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (Pte. Leonard W Learmount, D.S.O., M.C., M.S.V.R.); France, Republic, Croix de Guerre, the reverse dated '1914-1917', with Palme upon riband, mounted court-style as worn, good very fine (7)

D.S.O. London Gazette 18 July 1917:

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has shown great skill and determination when on photographic reconnaissances. Despite continuous fire from the ground and attack from hostile aircraft, he has repeatedly effected a safe landing after completing his task.'

This award was for gallantry over the Hindenburg Line and the original recommendation, dated 21 May 1917, not only gives further detail but also demonstrates the power of the censor’s pen:

'On 10/5/1917 when he had just completed the oblique photographs of the Hindenburg Line opposite the Fourth Army front (having made six flights for this purpose during a period of seven weeks and being exposed each time to severe machine gun fire from the ground) he was hit by a machine gun or rifle bullet and, although he was faint and sick, he succeeded in bringing his machine, observer and exposed photographic plates safely back to his aerodrome. On nearly all the other occasions on which this officer took oblique photographs his machine was literally shot to pieces and his escape from injury really miraculous.

This officer as a Squadron Commander sets a splendid example to his Squadron, leading them on patrols, bomb raids and reconnaissances and instilling in them that fearlessness with which he himself is imbued.'

M.C. London Gazette 3 June 1916.

M.I.D. London Gazette 11 December 1917.

Croix de Guerre London Gazette 14 July 1917.

Leonard Wright Learmount was born on 21 October 1889 at Gosforth, Newcastle-on-Tyne. Before the Great War he worked in the Far East with the merchants Patterson, Simons & Company. Upon the outbreak of the Great War as commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps, Special Reserve on 2 April 1915 having taken Aero Certificate No. 1146 at Brooklands on a Maurice Farman biplane - which noted his profession as a Gentleman.

He joined No. 7 Squadron in France from June 1915 and was engaged in reconnaissance, photography, artillery co-operation and bombing. He was flying on the same day - 31 July 1915 - that Captain U. A. Liddell of the same squadron won the Victoria Cross for bringing back his badly damaged R.E.5 despite serious wounds of which he later died. Learmount had taken to a Voisin with 2nd Lieutenant Watkins and encountered two German tractor biplanes with covered-in fuselages. He closed for a scrap on both occasions but the enemy did not seem keen to get stuck in.

He was further engaged on 26 September 1916, when flying a BE2c fitted with two Lewis guns, was attacked by a German LVG. With the enemy behind him and firing, Learmount turned towards him and dived, firing one drum as he went. The German dived also and disappeared below some clouds. He then went onto see the Lille Valenciennes train line and was responsible for observing a train attacked by Lieutenant Symington and confirming it was stopped, having been wrecked. He was duly awarded the Military Cross in June 1916, probably for his work with No. 7 Squadron and, in February 1917, assumed command of No. 22 Squadron.

Equipped with F.E.2Bs. - 'Pi in the Sky - and later Bristol Fighters, he led his Squadron, very much from the front, during the battles of the Hindenburg Line, Arras, Messines, Ypres and Cambrai. The Wing Photographic Officer, Captain B. F. Crane, shares a few more stories:

'A second recce, the formation being led by the same Pilot (Captain Clement) with the Squadron Commander (Learmount) also flying, was undertaken later in better conditions. On this occasion the photos obtained formed practically a complete mosaic of the Hindenburg Line...

[March 1917] Major Learmount related one amusing incident during this period. He was flying low looking for parties of the enemy when he espied a German cyclist riding along a road. He flew in pursuit, when the cyclist who was peddling for all he was worth, suddenly crashed straight into a house...

A day or two later another flight was made to obtain further photos at a height of 600 feet and some two or three miles over enemy territory...intense MG fire was again experienced...Major L said he was afraid he missed a few photos in consequence...the machine left and within an hour returned. Major Learmount had been wounded but he had succeeded in completing his self-imposed task.'

That was leadership and setting an example to one's men. He was twice wounded in the air, firstly as described above in the citation and, secondly on 9 March, 1918, when he attempted to drive off a German machine which was spotting for the artillery all too successfully. Learmount, however, was severely wounded in the attempt and landed back faint from the loss of blood. The Squadron never saw their brave and steadfast commander again for, after recovery, he was sent back to England on promotion.

He later went into shipping and was based in Kuala Lumpur. Joining the local Volunteers as a Private, he earned his L.S. & G.C. Medal in 1931, this being presented by the Governor-General. Learmount also founded a Flying Club at Selangor and played a part in the fundraising for a similar Club at Seletar. Retiring home, Learmount purchased a poultry farm to keep his mind busy and kept a small yacht at Lymington, being elected Commodore of the Royal Yacht Club there. He died in a sailing accident in 1957, being washed overboard in a storm whilst sailing home from Cherbourg, his body being recovered south of Portland.

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Sold for
£6,500

Starting price
£5800

Sale 22001 Notices
Please see https://davidlearmount.com/2021/03/10/leonards-war-episode-1-if-you-can-walk-away-from-it-youre-ready/ for further family references.