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Auction: 23113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 526

A poignant collection to a father and son

Three: Sergeant (Pilot) E. A. Yates, 50 Squadron, Royal Air Force, who was killed in action when his Lancaster was shot down over Nürnberg on 26 February 1943

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal 1939-45, all privately engraved '1132141 Sgt. E. A. Yates. R.A.F.', sold together with their box of issue named to 'Mrs. E. A. Yates', good very fine

Pair: Staff Sergeant W. Yates, Army Ordnance Corps

British War and Victory Medals (T-803 S.Sjt. W. Yates. A.O.C.), sold together with their named box of issue, good very fine (Lot)

Eric Ashley Yates was born at Stockport, Cheshire in August 1920, the son of William and Ethel Ashley Yates of Disley, Cheshire. Joining the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve he was mobilised for service during the Second World War, being posted to No 9 Conversion Flight. Finishing his conversion to Lancaster bombers on 9 November 1942 he joined No. 50 Squadron at Skellingthorpe.

His first raid with the unit was a failure as the intercom broke before they could reach the target, forcing a return to base. The next attack, over Munich on 21-22 December, was a success with four large fires observed burning. Another attack on Milan on 14-15 February 1943 was also a success followed by one on Bremen on 21-22 February. This raid marked a change in the unit's fortunes as they encountered heavy and well-positioned Flak defences.

Yates' next mission was only a few days later (on the night of 25-26 February) over Nuremberg. They took off late on 25 February and reached the city safely, dropping their bombs in the target zone. However as they turned to leave their Lancaster, ED387, was caught in searchlights and hit by Flak. The crew were ordered to bail out although both Sergeant McBay and Flying Officer Jervis were killed when their parachutes failed to open; the aircraft crashed into the railway tracks near Roth Cemetery, Nurnberg. Yates is reported to have been killed by shrapnel although some reports state a bullet wound; the last member of the crew, Sergeant (Wireless Operator) Peel, died in captivity on a forced march. Yates is buried at Durnbach War Cemetery; sold together with copied research including Commonwealth War Graves Certificate, census data, transcribed Squadron records and a Bomber Command loss database entry.

William Yates was born in Lancashire in 1889 and married Ethel Ashley Vernon in August 1915. He served in the Army Ordnance Corps as a Staff-Sergeant, entering the war in France at some stage after 1916.

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Sold for
£380

Starting price
£170