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Auction: 22003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 320

(x) A well-documented group of four awarded to Flight Sergeant (Air Bomber) R. E. North, Royal Air Force, who was killed in action on a low-level Special Op Raid on 28 August 1944 to assist the gallant participants of the Warsaw Uprising - his previous Op had been of the same nature some days, when their Liberator came down to 500ft to deliver their vital supplies

1939-45 Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, nearly extremely fine (4)

Robert Edgar North was born on 22 December 1919 at North Camberwell and, having enlisted in the Royal Air Force, gained his first flying experience on 17 February 1943. He qualified as an Air Bomber on 18 June 1943 and, having been married on 4 March 1944, joined 'A' Flight, No. 142 Squadron later that month. He flew his first Op in Wellington 'R' LN700 as Bomb Aimer on 3 April 1944, dropping incendiaries on Budapest from 12,000ft, with Sergeant Ansell at the controls. Further raids on Varse, San Stefano, La Spezia and Alessandria (Italy) followed into May, when he flew his 10th Op on the Avisio Viaduct on 14 May 1944.

North was sent to the Heavy Conversion Unit and joined No. 178 Squadron at Amendola, near Foggia, sharing an airfield with Americans and their B-17s. Life at that place was far removed from the relative luxuries of home airfields, with the airmen living in tents on self-fashioned beds, digging their own latrines. They also missed out on the traditional 'flying breakfast' of bacon and eggs, for they were served up canned meat and vegetables. August 1944 saw North fly six more Ops, these including targets such as Szombathely, Ploesti and a 'Special Op' flown at 500ft on Warsaw on 14 August. This Op was in support of the Warsaw Uprising, which had started in earnest on 1 August. His Squadron was one of just two Royal Air Force units which took part, together with 568th Polish Special Duties Flight of the Polish Air Force and two South African Air Force units. Coming in so low to drop supplies required remarkable skill and bravery of those involved in order to assist the gallant Polish Resistance who took the fight to the enemy in grave conditions.

North was flying on his second Op to assist those inside Warsaw on 28 August when he was shot down: his body was recovered from the Danube on 1 September and he was initially buried in the Veliki Gradiste Civil Cemetery, latterly being moved to the British Military Cemetery at Belgrade. His was one of nine crews shot down in the space of little more than two weeks.

Sold together with the following original archive:

(i)
His Observer's and Air Gunner's Flying Log Book (D.D. 461 A.), with 'Death Presumed' inscribed in ink and named RAF forwarding letter.

(ii)
His Buckingham Palace Memorial Scroll, folded and a little torn in places.

(iii)
A selection of related telegrams and letters of condolence.

(iv)
His wife's sweetheart brooch, that of a Bomber's Brevet, silver and enamel, with wooden clogs affixed by string.

(v)
His pocket diary for 1940 and leather wallet.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£520

Starting price
£270