Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 22133 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 992

A well-documented 'Licensed Bandits' group of four awarded to First Officer R. G. Elliott, Air Transport Auxiliary, who flew over 60 aircraft with 800 hours experience during the Second World War alongside such characters as Stanley Orton Bradshaw, John Cobb and Jim Mollison

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, together with Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, 10 Years Long Service Medal, with clasps for ‘1938’, ‘1939’, ‘1940’ and ‘1941’, the reverse inscribed ‘R. G. Elliott’, sold together with a named and addressed OHMS envelope of issue, extremely fine and rare (5)

Rowland George Elliott was born in London on 10 February 1909 and work as an Omnibus Driver prior to the war. While living at 177 Cavendish Avenue, Ealing. Learning to fly at Broxbourne, Hertfordshire with London Transport (C.B) Sport Association he was issued with his Aero Certificate on 11 February 1939.

Joining the Civil Air Guard Elliott was posted to the Air Transport Auxiliary during the war, qualifying with a rating of 4-plus which allowed him to fly with a wide range of aircraft. In this capacity he was to fly as a Ferry Pilot from June 1942, during which time he met a number of famous pilots including Jim Mollison, whose record breaking 1936 flight from New York to London was achieved in only 19 hours. When asked what he felt like by a reporter he was famously to respond 'A scotch and soda'. Notably Elliot was also acquainted with Stanley Orton Bradshaw, whose work as an aviation journalist and later paintings still survive today.

Unlike many civilian pilots he was selected to fly aircraft over North-West Europe during the Allied campaign there with his first flight being to Brussels on 27 September 1944 flying freight for Transport Command. He continued to make such flights often delivering replacement aircraft including, in January 1945, Mosquito and a Spitfire to Ameins and Brussels respectively. As the armies advanced so did Elliot's range and by April 1945 he was making deliveries as far as Holland. By the closing of hostilities his flying hours came to over 800.

With the closure of the A.T.A. in 1945 he was one of those chosen to keep flying with No. 41 Group as a continuity pilot, with his flying hours by the end of his career apparently reaching 2,000. Elliot notably had 61 different types of aircraft under his belt including a Vampire jet which he delivered to No. 247 Squadron on 21 March 1946. A great many of his flights included aircraft which he had no prior experience with across an astonishing range from single engine fighter to multi-engine bombers.

Sold together with an archive of original and copied research including:

(i)
The recipient's R.A.F. Pilot's Flying Log Books (2), covering the periods June 1942-June 1944, and June 1944-March 1946, the latter with pasted down A.T.A. endorsement, and both with a fascinating array of identified and coded aircraft types with their respective destinations and squadron allocation.

(ii)
A copy of Aircraft in the Air with around fifty signatures including those of Bradshaw, Cobb and Mollison.

(iii)
A First Officer's Epaulette, A.T.A. 'Wings' and aviator's sunglasses in their officially marked case.

(iv)
Named and addressed Ministry of Supply forwarding letter for the recipient's awards.

(v)
typed list of the aircraft flown by the recipient.

(vi)
Collection of maps and technical leaflets.

(vii)
An article on flying passengers with a forwarding note attached.

(viii)
Application for a fuel course in the recipient's name.

(ix)
A copy of the recipient's Aero Certificate and extracts from a typed summary which includes information on the recipient's time with the A.T.A.

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£500

Starting price
£320