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Auction: 24002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 119

The very rare Great War Ace's Belgian Decoration Militaire group of three awarded to Sergeant J. H. Hall, No. 22 Squadron, Royal Air Force, late Royal Flying Corps; officially recorded as having notched up five 'kills', his final tally - as documented by the Squadron Records - was in fact greater

British War and Victory Medals (93513 Sgt, J. H. Hall, R.A.F.); Belgium, Kingdom, Decoration Militaire, gilt, good very fine

Approximately 20 Belgium Decoration Militaire's awarded to the Flying services during the Great War.

Belgian Decoration Militaire London Gazette 8 February 1919. The original citation states:

'This N.C.O. Observer has shown a fine spirit of determination and devotion to duty. He has taken part in numerous Offensive Patrols, Escorts etc., and on all occasions has shown keenness and the real offensive spirit. By his skill and tenacity he has given confidence to his Pilot and has set a fine example to other Observers in the Squadron. On 5 June 1918, in a general engagement with Albatros Scouts in the vicinity of Laventie, he fired 50 rounds into one E.A. from close range. The enemy machine stalled and went down completely out of control emitting volumes of smoke.'

His combat victories, all on Bristol Fighters of No. 22 Squadron were:

1)
5 June 1918, 10.30am, Albatros D.V., Out of Control, South of Laventie. Combat Report states:

'While on Offensive Patrol the leader dived on an E.A. two seater. My Pilot dived but C.C. gear did not function. Meanwhile a formation of E.A. Albatros Scouts came up and we engaged them. I fired half a drum into one of them at 100 yards range and it stalled for about five seconds and then dived 4,000ft. With clouds of smoke coming from it. When last seen near the ground it was still diving completely Out of Control.'

His Pilot, Lieut. J. E. Gurdon states:

'While on O.P. In the neighbourhood of LAVENTIE the leader dived on an E.A. two-seater. We were thereupon attacked by several other E.A. owing to a break in the C.C. gear my front gun was useless, but my Observer put some good bursts into E.A. and one machine into which he had fired 50 rounds at a range of from 150 to 100 yards. I observed to stall and dive vertically Out of Control. When last seen it was very low, still diving, with smoke issuing from it.'

2)
5 June 1918, 7.15pm, Pfalz D.III, Destroyed (flames), Fromilly, N.E. of La Bassee. The Combat Report states:

'During an Offensive Patrol N.W. Of LA BASSEE, we were attacked by eight Pfalz Scouts. One of these E.A. dived past me and I followed it down, firing some 20 rounds into it at close range. It went down in flames, and was seen by my Observer and Lieut. Gibbons, who was also on the patrol. At the end of this dive we were under 10,000ft. and we followed the E.A. down to 8,000ft. near ARMENTIERES. On climbing back to the fight, we were attacked from behind by an E.A. and I turned so as to get the front gun on it. The gun fired two shots when the cartridge belt broke. Collision with the E.A. was narrowly avoided and we were attacked again from behind by another E.A. This machine shot away the bracing wires from the fin, wounded my Observer in the foot and pierced the rear petrol tank. The remainder of our machines now having finished the combat, we proceeded home. After the fight I observed two E.A. Flying East.'

Hall was wounded in this action, whilst Gurdon was awarded the D.F.C.

This German victory claimed North of VIOLAINES by Leutnant Kurt Monnington of Jasta 18, an 8-kill Ace.

This not listed in Above the Trenches but Squadron individual record for Hall gives one Albatros Scout 19 June 1918 Out of Control (Pilot G. E. Gurdon) and individual record for Capt. J. E. Gurdon on 19 June 1918 give two Pfalz Scouts crashed and one Albatros Scout Out of Control (by Obs. Sgt. Hall) E.A. collided in air (the 2 E.A.).

3)
9 July 1918, 11.00am, Albatros D.V., Destroyed, North of La Bassee.

4)
9 July 1918, 11.30am, Albatros D.V., Captured, West of Steenwerck. The Combat Report states:

'While on patrol I sighted an Albatros Scout near STEENWERCK. The top planes of the E.A. were painted white. Diving on the E.A. I fired a long burst at it between the top planes. The E.A. dived steeply and I followed firing. The E.A. finally went down in a long flat turn and was seen to crash near some shell holes West of Steenwerck by the flight leader Lieut. Gurdon.'

Some extracts and dates from Lieut. W. T. Martin's Log Book (in private hands) copy in file and the Squadron Record Book at The National Archives (TNA):

'9 July 1918 Eight in patrol at 18,000 feet. One D.F.W. And 3 Albatros Scouts attacked near LAVENTIE. The two-seater was shot down in flames. One Albatros Scout was crashed and another was sent Out of Control. At 11.15am 3 L.V.G.s were seen near LA BASSEE and at 11.30 two Fokker Biplanes noted East of ARRAS.'

The captured Albatros was Ltn. Heinrich Sattler, K.I.A. 9 July 1918 from MFJ III in British hands became 'G/1/10.'

25 July 1918 '14 in patrol led by Lieut. Harris. At 9.00am, the patrol attacked 8 Fokker Triplanes over LAVENTIE and one was sent down Out of Control. Six 112 lb bombs were dropped on suitable targets.'

28 July 1918 '9 in patrol led by Lieut. Thompson. The patrol dropped its bombs on suitable targets. No enemy aircraft were seen.'

8 Aug. 1918 '12 in patrol led by Lieut. Thompson. They attacked 10-13 Fokker Biplanes, Pfalz and Triplanes over VITRY and DOUAI. The flight sent two down in flames, one Destroyed in the air. 3 Crashed and 3 were sent down Out of Control.'

10 Aug. 1918. 14.15pm. '9 in patrol led by Lieut. Thompson. They attacked 5 Fokker Biplanes and drove them East of PERONNE.'

10 Aug. 1918. 17.00pm. '7 in patrol led by Lieut. Stanton. At 18.10pm, 12 Fokker Biplanes were attacked South-West of PERONNE. Four were crashed and the remainder driven off. No A.A. noted.'

12 Aug. 1918 'Patrol met two 2-seaters East of Arras which went East when approached. 5 Fokker Biplanes dived on two of the Bristols and escaped East at 10.30.'

13 Aug. 1918 '14 in patrol led by Lieut. King. They attacked an enemy formation and sent 6 aircraft down Out of Control. Crashed 4 and shot one down in Flames. They also noted 2 Triplanes and 5 Pfalz Scouts flying out of LA BRALIE aerodrome.'
14 Aug. 1918 '14 in patrol led by Lieut. Thompson. Two aircraft returned early with engine and rigging problems. One enemy 2-seater attacked East of LILLE and sent Out of Control.'

16 Aug. 1918 '9 in patrol attacked two formations of 3 and 6 Scouts South East of LILLE and crashed 3 and sent 1 Out of Control. Two enemy 2-seaters followed the patrol back across the lines and were attacked - one crashed near FRESNOY. Martin returned early with engine trouble and switched aircraft then rejoined the patrol. Harvey ("Pi in the Sky" by Harvey) writes B flight 20 miles over the lines attacked 7 Pfalz acting as bait for two other formations seen to be waiting in the sun by the Bristol Flight leader. Two quick attacks were made on the bait and the flight reformed on a light signal just before the arrival of the ambush huns. Three of the Pfalz were seen crashed on LOUVIL WOOD as the formation returned to our side harried by enemy machines, who, however, dared not come close to close quarters of the rear gunners concentrated fire.'

5)
27 Aug. 1918 Fokker D.VII, Out of Control, Senlemont.
Total 2 Destroyed, 2 Out of Control, 1 Captured = 5 Victories.

If you count Sgt. Hall's 'two Pfalz Scouts crashed (collided in air) and one Albatros Scout Out of Control' on the 16 Aug. 1918 in the Squadron records at T.N.A. & not rely on surviving Combat Reports this makes his total 6 or 8 victories.
His Pilots were Lieut. J.E. Gurdon a 28 Victory Ace (first two) and T.W. Martin, a 6 Victory Ace (last three).

A number of other patrol dates in Martins Log Book are not listed here, the last being 23 Oct. 1918.

John Herbert D. Hall was born on 2 July 1899 at Starbeck, Harrogate, Yorkshire and was educated at Stamford and Leeds Central High Schools. Lived on Woodhouse Lane, Leeds and worked as apprentice motor fitter at Woods Imperial Garage Ltd., before joining the Royal Flying Corps as a volunteer Observer on 3 September 1917. Hall was advanced Sergeant Mechanic on 17 May 1918, went to France on 26 May 1918 and served in No. 22 Squadron (Bristol Fighters). Having notched up 'Ace' status, he returned to England in March 1919 and was placed on the Reserve on 14 May 1919. He died in his native Yorkshire in July 1978; sold together with a good file of copied research.


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Sold for
£1,700

Starting price
£1500