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Auction: 23001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 481

The impressive mounted D.F.C. and South Russia Bar, A.F.C. group of eight miniature dress medals worn by Air Commodore O. R. Gayford, Royal Air Force, late Royal Naval Air Service, one of the early pioneers of flying who in addition to his decorations was awarded the Royal Aeronautical Society's Silver Medal for British aviation

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar; Air Force Cross, G.V.R.; 1914 Star; British War Medal 1914-20, 3 clasps, North Sea 1915, North Sea 1916, Minesweeping; Victory Medal 1914-19; Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1920; Russia, Imperial, Order of St Anne, Military Division with Swords; Iraq, Active Service Medal, mounted as worn, very fine, in their fitted case of issue by Baldwin & Sons, London, the lid embossed 'O.R.G.' (8)

Exhibited:
1918-2018: A centenary exhibition of the Royal Air Force, Spink.

C.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1941.

D.F.C. London Gazette 21 September 1918:

'Captain John William Boldero Grigson. Lieut. Oswald Robert Gayford (Observer) (Sea Patrol). These two officers have flown together for a period of twelve months, during which time they participated in a number of bombing raids, carried out a large number of valuable reconnaissance patrols and escort flights in all weathers, by day and night, during the performance of which duties they have brought down hostile aircraft on several occasions. No task is too difficult for these officers'

Second Award Bar to D.F.C. London Gazette 22 December 1919 (South Russia).

A.F.C. London Gazette 24 February 1933:

'The King has been graciously pleased to approve of the undermentioned rewards to the Officers named in recognition of their achievement in establishing a world's long-distance record by their non-stop flight from Cranwell to Walvis Bay, a distance of 5340 miles, on 6th to 8th February, 1933'

M.I.D. London Gazette 31 March 1920 & 1 January 1943.

Oswald Robert Gayford was born at Hadleigh, Suffolk on 18 May 1893, into the family of one of Hadleigh's two main employers, Gayford's corn merchants. Educated at Bishop Stortford school, young Gayford initially joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve as a seaman but transferred to the Royal Naval Air Service.

Commissioned in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in September 1916, he served in 'C' Squadron, No. 2 Wing from 1917-18 and 221 Squadron, Royal Air Force in South Russia.

Involved in the operations in Somaliland 1919-20 where he was 'mentioned', he received a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force in 1920. His next posting was Iraq (1924-26); postings that followed saw him in Sudan and Egypt, where he organised and led the third return flight from Cairo to Cape Town. Gayford spent the inter-War years taking part in numerous long-distance flights - not only were records broken but he was rewarded with an A.F.C and the Royal Aeronautical Society's Silver Medal for British aviation, cementing his pioneering achievements.

In 1933 he flew non-stop from Lincolnshire to South Africa in the British experimental long-range, mono-aircraft built by the Fairey Aviation Company. The flight covered a distance of 5,340-mile in a Fairey long range Mono-Plane. This feat was front page news in the Daily Sketch and the Daily Mirror and a Pathe newsreel report stated:

'Just think of those two flying for two and a half days and nights through all kinds of weather over land and sea…once again showed what British Engineering, brains and pluck could do'.

Returning to his hometown of Hadleigh on his 40th birthday, the whole town turned out to cheer him, attaching ropes to his open-topped car, turning off the engine and towing him to his mother's home. Five years later in 1938, his unit made an even longer flight, from Egypt to Australia, winning the Britannia Challenge trophy. He then commanded the Long-Range Development Unit, winning the World's Long-Distance Record by flying 7,162 miles in 52 hours. Posted to R.A.F. Wattisham from 1939-41, he duly added the C.B.E. and another 'mention' to his laurels before being retired in 1944.

On his retirement he was appointed regional controller for the Eastern Region of the Ministry of Fuel and Power but was only in the job for a short before dying unexpectedly on 10 August 1945 at Naughton Hall, Nedging Tye in Suffolk. His final resting place, marked by a Commonwealth War Graves stone, is in the Naughton (St Mary) Churchyard, Suffolk; sold together with a significant quantity of copied research including a CD containing press clippings and newspaper references to Gayford, the service experiences compiled by Gayford covering the period from the outbreak of war to May 1917, a copy of his service certificate with the R.N.V.R. and copied extracts from Flight.

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Sold for
£750

Starting price
£300