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Auction: 23002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 131

(x) A 1944 A.F.C. group of seven attributed to Squadron Leader J. A. R. King, Royal Air Force, who by repute was personal Pilot to Marshal of the Royal Air Force Tedder; post-War, he established the Kenya Meat Commission and was elected to the Legislative Council

Air Force Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated '1944', on its investiture pin; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, the first with traces of adhesive to reverse, very fine (7)

A.F.C. London Gazette 1 January 1944.

John Alwyne Richard King was born in 1907. During the Second World War he was commissioned into the Royal Air Force and added the A.F.C. to his laurels in the process. In 1946 he married a sister of Lady Jane Stevens of Hill Farm, Thursley. A letter from her gives further detail:

'His Air Force career started by his flying a single engine aircraft from Tanzania to Cairo where he enlisted with the RAF to serve in WW2. I think his main area of action was North Africa. However he must have shone as a Pilot as he was called to be Tedder's personal Pilot for the remainder of the War.

After the War he left the Air Force, married Mrs King & set up the Kenya Meat Commission, just outside Nairobi. He made a great success of exporting Kenyan meat, even managing to sell bovine gallstones to the Chinese as aphrodisiacs....after Kenya became self-governing he left the country.'

King had been nominated to the Legislative Council of Kenya in December 1958. He died at Salisbury on 23 June 1973; sold together with letter from Lady Stevens, Ministry of Defence letters to her, photograph of King and his ribands from uniform.

For his miniature dress medals, please see Lot 139.

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

Sold for
£1,000

Starting price
£600