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Auction: 22103 - Orders, Decorations and Medals VII - e-Auction
Lot: 288

An Old Stonyhurst's Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque issued in memory of Flight Lieutenant O. N. Walmseley, Royal Naval Air Service, who was killed instantly when his seaplane crashed into the mast and wireless apparatus of a destroyer during a rough take off

Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque (Oswald Noel Walmesley), polished, nearly very heavy

Oswald Noel Walmesley was born on at Wimbledon 24 December 1894, the son of Oswald and Emily Walmesley. His father worked as a Solicitor and his uncle, Father Herman Walmesley was rector of Stonyhurst. Walmesley himself studied there along with his own older brother Herman who was commissioned Lieutenant with the 37th Dogras, later serving in Mesopotamia. Leaving Stonyhurst he entered Faraday House in January 1912 to study electrical engineering. In his final year Walmesley was commissioned Flight Sub-Lieutenant on 23 November 1914 but still managed to complete his diploma.

Trained to fly at the Grahame-White School, Hendon during which time he flew with Flight Commander C. Grahame-White on experimental flights over the channel. Walmesley was awarded with Aero Club membership number 1067. Posted to the Isle of Grain on 1 January 1916 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant he was one of those R.N.A.S. pilots whose role it was to raid the German held coastlines and patrol the channel. In fulfilling this role he was part of a raid on Schleswig on 4 May 1916 by the Light Cruiser Squadron. Taking off from the Seaplane vessel Vindex he managed to stay above the rough water but clipped the mast of the Goshawk and was killed in the resulting crash. He is commemorated upon the Chatham Naval Memorial; sold together with copied research including service records, a biographical tribute and census data as well as medal rolls, M.I.C. and extracts from Sopwith Baby, Tondern and The Royal Aero Club Official notices.

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Sold for
£240

Starting price
£30