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Auction: 22001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 530

An outstanding Great War ace's M.C. group of five awarded to Lieutenant H. J. Walkerdine, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, who notched up no less than 7 'kills', six of these in the space of twelve days in March 1918 - besides being wounded in aerial combat - whilst flying with No. 56 Squadron, his comrades and friends included the legendary McCudden V.C., Walkerdine scored his first victory on 29 November 1917, little more than five minutes after McCudden had scored his 22nd

Military Cross, G.V.R., the reverse contemporarily engraved 'For Bravery in the Air Lieut. H. J. Walkerdine. R.F.C. March 29. 1918'; British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. H. J. Walkerdine. R.A.F.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45, good very fine (5)

M.C. London Gazette 13 May 1918:

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Whilst escorting machines of another squadron, who were engaged on low bombing work, he encountered ten hostile scouts, two of which he succeeded in crashing to earth. He has at all times, by his conspicuous skill and gallantry, set an excellent example to his Squadron.'

Harold John Walkerdine - or Jackie to his friends and comrades - was born on 13 July 1899 at Derby, the eldest of six children. Commissioned into the Royal Flying Corps in June 1917, he was appointed Flying Officer on 31 August 1917.

Walkerdine joined No. 56 Squadron, which operated on the S.E.5s single-seater fighter. He was indeed in good company, for the Squadron did shoot down and kill Richthofen's nearest 1917 rival Leutnant Werner Voss in an epic dogfight on 23 September 1917. Lieutenant Arthur Rhys-Davids took the laurels on that day.

Walkerdine got himself his first 'kill' on 29 November 1917 at 1320hrs at Neuvireuil, when he destroyed at DFW two-seater. He clearly made an impression on McCudden - who had himself scored his 22nd just five minutes prior - for this victory was mentioned in Flying Fury, who noted that he had Walkerdine as a 'wingman' on that day and that both their scores had been confirmed. McCudden recorded that his DFW '...literally fell to a thousand pieces'.

After the winter, Walkerdine got back to winning ways in March 1918. From 15-27 March, he scored no less than 6 victories, including 2 in one early-morning combat on 18 March, with two Pfalz D.III's. This action saw Walkerdine tear into 10 enemy Scouts which took him some miles over enemy lines and forced at times to drop as low as 1000ft to drive home his attack. With his score now at 7, Walkerdine was wounded in action on 11 April 1918, with his richly-deserved M.C. following soonafter. Upon returning home to Derby, he was given a the heores welcome he deserved. Retiring his commission in April 1919, Walkerdine was commissioned Pilot Officer in March 1941 and resigned his commission on 22 August 1945. He died at Derby on 18 June 1966; sold together with copied research.

For the Medals of Walkerdine's comrade Group Captain Jarvis, please see Lot 227.

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Sold for
£6,500

Starting price
£4000