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Auction: 23001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 163

The General Service Medal & Queen's Commendation for Valuable Services in the Air awarded to Squadron Leader J. W. A. Elias, A.F.C., Royal Air Force, who earned a Commendation for his cool courage in effecting a safe landing when his Shackleton malfunctioned - this was an aircraft of which he was rightly considered a 'Master', notching up over 14,500hrs on that type alone

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya (Flt. Lt. J. W. A. Elias. R.A.F.), together with blue riband with M.I.D. oak leaf denoting his Q.C.V.S.A., edge bruise, very fine (2)

A.F.C. London Gazette 1 January 1971 (Flight Lieutenant).

Q.C.V.S.A. London Gazette 9 January 1979;

'For his cool appreciation of a dangerous situation and his exceptional judgment and pilot ability when, as captain and pilot of a Shackleton aircraft on 22nd August 1978, he effected a safe landing despite control malfunction and saved his crew and his aircraft.'

John William Arnold Elias was appointed Flying Officer in November 1950 (service to count from June 1949) and advanced Flight Lieutenant in August 1955, he soon after served in Malaya (Medal & clasp).

He soon made a name for himself. On 1 March 1960 TG579 took off from Katunayake at dawn to make a round trip to Royal Air Force Station Gan, the Southernmost island in the Maldives chain, part of Addu Atoll which lies almost exactly 41 miles due south of the equator. As recalled by John Cooper:

'John Elias started up the four Griffon engines of his aircraft and was instructed to taxi from the dispersal area to the Channel End of the runway and to shine the powerful lights of his aircraft to look for the ditched Hastings, the crew and its passengers. As recalled by Don Ellis, John thought if he had to do this he might as well get airborne, which he did probably about 20 minutes after the initial crash, no one is certain of this time but this time is within reason.

It is worth recalling that this aircraft took off in what was described at that time as the worst storm the island had encountered from those stationed on Gan, and that this aircraft took off in conditions identical to those which Flight Lieutenant Scott was trying to land his Hastings in! I understand from conversations with members of the current Shackleton Association that John Elias ended his flying career with an astonishing 14,500 flying hours on Shackleton type alone. His co-pilot David Parry-Evans (now Air Chief Marshal Sir David Parry-Evans GCB CBE) and John must have been dispatched by someone above to have achieved this miracle of airmanship!'

It was in November 1970, whilst flying with No. 201 Squadron, that he flew on the first search and rescue Op flown by the Nimrod, the aircraft that the unit had recently converted to.

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Sold for
£800

Starting price
£110

Sale 23001 Notices
'This Medal his original issue with engraved naming. A replacement group comprising Air Force Cross, General Service Medal and 1977 Jubilee was sold at Morton & Eden in November 2010, with that G.S.M. marked as such. Elias was also awarded another Q.C.V.S.A. in the London Gazette of 1 January 1959.'