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Auction: 22002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 229

'Should you ever find yourself alone in a fight, turn straight at the nearest enemy and fly for a collision...and never give way!'

Stirring words of advice from Major 'Bunny' Vaucour to new Pilots joining his Squadron

The rare, emotive and well-documented Great War M.C. and Bar, D.F.C. group of seven awarded to Major A. M. 'Bunny' Vaucour, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, late Royal Field Artillery

'Bunny' notched up no less than 7 Aerial Victories as a Pilot and Squadron Commander and besides these three decorations he earned the Italian Al Valore Militare and the Italian Air League Gold Medal; he had the record of also being the first Victory of a Jasta unit in history when shot down by Leopold Reimann on 24 August 1916 and was tragically killed in a 'Blue-on-Blue' over the Italian Front on 16 July 1918

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued, with Second Award Bar; Distinguished Flying Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (2 Lieut. A.M. Vaucour, R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Major A.M. Vaucour. R.A.F.); Italy, Kingdom, Al Valore Militare, silver, reverse engraved 'Piave-Trentino-Inverno 1917-18: Vaucour, Awdry Morris'; Lega Aerea Nazionale, Gold Medal, with enamelled decoration, reverse inscribed, 'Al Major, R.F.C., Awdry M. Vaucour, Valoroso Difensore Del Cielo D'Italia, 1918', this last extremely rare, nearly extremely fine (7)

Provenance:
The Aviation Collection, Spink, May 1998 & November 2012.

M.C. London Gazette 4 November 1915:

'For conspicuous gallantry and skill on 28 September 1915, when, accompanied by Captain Rabagliati, they carried out a reconnaissance over Valenciennes and Douai. They had to fly in thick cloud for nearly the whole distance, and several times their aeroplane got into a "spin". The Pilot, however, succeeded each time in righting his machine, and they reached their objective and carried out the reconnaissance at 2800 feet under very heavy fire.'

Second Award Bar to M.C. London Gazette 25 November 1916:

'For conspicuous gallantry in action. He attacked ten hostile machines and completely scattered their formation. Previously, while returning with a perforated petrol tank, he shot down an enemy machine. Later, he shot down a hostile machine, being engaged with eight altogether. On another occasion he and his Observer shot down two hostile machines.'

D.F.C. London Gazette 3 June 1918.

M.I.D. London Gazette 1 January 1916 & 30 May 1918.

Ace's of the Great War suggests just 7 such awards in Silver were made to Allied Ace's.

Italian Al Valore Militare London Gazette 2 November 1918. A citation via https://www.guerra-allorizzonte.it/Piloti/vaucour.html states:

'The devotion to duty and the magnificent example of this Officer contributed greatly to maintaining a very high fighting spirit in his Squadron. The successes obtained by him in aerial combat can be attributed directly to his teaching methods and aerial tactics. Piave-Trentino. Winter 1917-18.'

Awdry Morris Vaucour - or Bunny to his friends and comrades - was born at Topcliffe, North Yorkshire on 8 March 1890, a clergyman's son. Living at Upper Norwood, he was educated at Dulwich College and thence served in the University of London Officers' Training Corps. He was nominated for a Regular Commission in the Royal Artillery by Sir Douglas Haig on 1 September 1914, as a Lieutenant, when 24 years old. He served with the Artillery at home for some ten months before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps. He was posted after less than four weeks training as an Observer to No. 10 Squadron in August 1915. Three months later he was awarded his first M.C. for his gallantry whilst flying with Cuthbert Euan Charles Rabagliati. Rabagliati had taken Aero Certificate No. 779, was a pre-War racing driver and during the Second World War ran MI6's Dutch section. Vaucour was given a period of rest at home.

Vaucour took Aero Certificate No. 2765 on a Maurice Farman Biplane at the Military School, Catterick Bridge on 16 April 1916. He was posted as a Pilot and Flight Commander to No. 70 Squadron - flying Sopwith Strutters - and on 24 August flew a particularly eventful Offensive Patrol with his Observer, Lieutenant Bott, South-West of Cambrai:

'Lieutenant Bott discovered that the fuselage was on fire as a result of an A.A. shell which had fallen inside the fuselage and was lying on top of a longeron. He immediately tore off the surrounding canvas and beat out the flames with his hands. Just previously the machine had been hit by machine-gun fire in a combat, and the engine was firing in eight cylinders only, and the pressure pump propeller had one blade broken off When near Baupaume Lieutenant Vaucour fired a white light, and turned west as the engine was missing badly. East of Le Sars he saw and dived at two enemy machines, engaging them and driving them off. He now discovered that the petrol pressure piping had been shot through. He glided over the lines, crossing them at 1,500 feet and landed one mile south of Carnoy.'

It was Leopold Reimann - 5-kill ace of Jasta 1 - who they had engaged in the air. That would be the first ever claim in the history of the Jagdstaffel. Next morning Vaucour was joined at the scene of the forced landing by First Air Mechanic Wanninger who carried out the necessary repairs and then hitched a ride with Vaucour to the aerodrome:

'About three miles South-West of Albert they were attacked by three E.A., one attacking from the front and two from the rear. During the combat, Lieutenant Vaucour's machine was hit by high explosive, presumably from A.A. guns, and 1 A.M. Wanninger was seriously wounded. The machine became uncontrollable for a time, the petrol tank being pierced and the engine stopped, but it was eventually safely landed.'

Wanninger, who 'behaved with great pluck in an unfamiliar predicament', died of his wounds the same evening.

On 2 September Vaucour and Bott destroyed two Fokker Es on the same patrol near Cambrai, one being destroyed with the rear-gun and one being sent down out of control with the front-gun. A fortnight later he secured his third and final victory in France, again with Bott when the pair:

'...engaged and drove off a hostile machine. During the engagement they lost their formation, and were later attacked by three machines, two of which attacked from below, the third from above. The latter was fired at by Lieutenant Bott, whereupon the enemy lost height and tried to get under the Sopwith. In endeavouring to do so, he collided with one of the other Germans, who crashed to earth. The two remaining machines, one of which was damaged, then left them. Shortly afterwards Vaucour was attacked by several Germans one of which he drove down.'

After further fierce but inconclusive combats, Vaucour was posted home in January 1917 to command `B' Flight at the Central Flying School as a Captain, but a short time later was promoted Major and given command of No. 45 Squadron - flying Sopwith Camels - in France, in spite of the fact he had never attended machine-gun or wireless courses. He joined No. 45 Squadron on 22 August 1917, and by this time severe restrictions had been placed on operational Squadron Commanders:

'...who as a breed during that period of growth of R.F.C. Squadrons were relatively scarce and too valuable to be needlessly exposed to the risk of loss'.

Vaucour felt that this was a serious imposition, but on the Squadron's removal to the Italian Front felt less restrained. Here, whilst still under orders not to cross the lines in search of battle, he flew regularly with the excuse of 'inspecting patrols'. But as patrols ranged deep into enemy territory it was obvious that his intentions were otherwise. On 27 February flying alone at 15,000 feet in Camel B. 6354 from Istrana he saw three Albatros D.IIIs diving to attack three Camels, belonging to No. 28 Squadron, flying along the Piave River at about 3,000 feet. He dived straight at them giving the Leader a burst of 200 rounds before breaking off at ten yards range, and turning to inject several good bursts into one of the others, sent it earthwards after its Leader. Vaucour's next success came nearly three months later when 'inspecting patrols' on 25 June 1918 he spotted an aircraft crossing the lines from the direction of Conegliano at 17,000 feet:

'He was uncertain of its identity or intent from his own height of 14,000, so for the next ten minutes he watched it while he climbed to 18,000. He then saw that it was an enemy two-seater...he dived at it and opened fire at 50 yards range. After about 50 rounds the E.A. went down with its engine revving and Vaucour saw pieces falling off it in all directions. The Pilot and Observer, after holding on to a machine-gun, fell out.'

Later, when he went to inspect the wreckage on the ground, Vaucour found the King of Italy's Personal Guard standing over it. Retrieving a revolver and an air speed indicator he handed them to the Officer in Charge as souvenirs for Vittorio Emmanuele.

At 0900hrs on 16 July 1918 'Bunny' Vaucour's luck ran out. News reached the Italian Pilots that a British Camel had been obtained by the Germans in order to carry out reconnaissance flights without been chased in action. It was thus agreed that identification veins should be placed on the wings of friendly aircraft in order that the imposter could be found - but few British Squadrons took up the invention. Thus Lieutenant Alberto Moresco, who was piloting an H.D. of the 78th Squadron, was patrolling the Piave area when he saw approaching a machine of a foreign make slightly above him. The sun was in his eyes and '...he imagined he could distinctly see a black cross painted on the aircraft which appeared to have a yellow transparency'. Believing he had encountered the enemy he flew over it, made a right hand turn, came down within 60m of its tail and fired off five rounds, killing Vaucour outright. Then as the aircraft made an immediate loop, he realised his fatal mistake. Moresco reported the dreadful error as soon as he landed, whereupon the Italian Command extended its genuine regret at the death of this well known British Pilot. In No. 45 Squadron a different version of events was discussed and there was talk of 'reprisals', but in the end good sense prevailed due chiefly to the sensitive cooling of the 'hot-heads' by Joubert and the C.- in-C., Lord Cavan. The facts of Vaucour's death as a tragic accident were communicated throughout the Royal Air Force in Italy and vendetta avoided. The Times commented:

'His Squadron almost worshipped him, everybody in the Wing liked him...his loss is irreparable, but...he died doing the work which always kept him happy and without which he was miserable'.

Vaucour, who was just 28 years of age, was buried in the Montecchio Precalino Communal Cemetery Extension. He is further commemorated upon the Upper Norwood Memorial and later in 1918 his family had a memorial stained glass window installed in the north transept of Virgo Fidelis Church. The inscription at its base originally read ‘Pray for the soul of Major Awdry Morris Vaucour, RA, RAF, MC, DFC, killed in action in Italy 16 July 1918, aged 28 years.’ Unfortunately the window was damaged during the Blitz and a repaired version remains today.

Sold together with a superb and most complete photograph and 'In Memoriam' album containing the following, amongst others:

(i)
Two Mentioned in Despatches Certificates, dated 30 November 1915 and 18 April 1918.

(ii)
Contemporary newspaper cuttings regarding his awards and death.

(iii)
Assorted printed or old copy Royal Flying Corps Communiques, these rare survivors.

(iv)
Correspondence regarding the recipient's tragic death in a friendly fire incident with the Italian Pilot.

(v)
An impressive selection of wartime photographs, together with copy of a letter sent by Vaucour regarding his M.C.-winning exploits and dinner menu from the presentation of his Italian Air League, signed by a number of the attendees, dated 23 March 1918.

(vi)
The recipient's Training Badge transfer card, O.T.C. Record of Service, War Office Letter of Appointment to the R.F.A., and similar documentation for R.F.C. Orders and Postings.

(vii)
A number of Telegrams, including those for Investitures and death in Italy.

(viii)
Copy Letters of Condolence.

(ix)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission correspondence and photographs.

(x)
Various other letters and ephemera which relate to his career, besides a quantity of copied research.

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Sold for
£20,000

Starting price
£24000