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Auction: 25002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 48

Sold by Order of the Estate

The well-documented campaign group of four awarded to Squadron Leader V.C. Simmonds, Royal Air Force, a veteran of the Battle of Britain who claimed four 'kills' in the Hurricanes of No. 238 Squadron

1939-45 Star, with copy clasp Battle of Britain; Air Crew Europe Star copy; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted court-style as worn, very fine (4)

Vernon Churchill Simmonds was born on 11 June 1919 and was educated at the Xaverian College, Manchester and graduated in 1938. He joined the Royal Air Force on a short service commission in June 1939. Simmons did his elementary flying training at 12 E & RFTS at Prestwick and then went to 9 FTS, Hullavington and completed his course at 15 FTS based at Lossiemouth. Simmonds was then selected for a specialist course on Armaments at R.A.F. Manby, Lincolnshire and finished third in his course out of thirty three candidates. In early July 1940 Simmonds went to 7 OTU at Hawarden and after converting to Hurricanes joined No.238 Squadron based at R.A.F. Middle Wallop on 29 July.

With the Battle of Britain in full swing Simmonds was quickly in the action and claimed a Bf 110 as destroyed on 11 August followed by an He111 on 15 September and another on 25 September. He destroyed another Bf110 on 26 September and landed at Andover on 28 September, having run out of fuel expended during combat over the Isle of Wight but crashed whilst attempting to take off.

His letter to Flight Lieutenant S. H. Skinner dated 24 November 1940 elaborates:

'I have the honour to report that subsequent to a prolonged patrol in which we were engaged with an enemy fighter sweep, I landed at Andover Aerodrome to ascertain my position and refuel. Visibility at that time was 1 1/2 - 2 miles. I was unable to obtain any 100 Octane fuel, and as base was only 4 miles distant away by air I took off again. My engine cut when just clear of the ground, I throttled back and landed, attempting to swing the aircraft to the right. I was unsuccessful and crashed through the hedge on the far boundary. A private car travelling along the highway on the other side of the hedge hit my port main plane and swung the aircraft round in the path of another private car.'

Two days later he baled out of his Hurricane N2474 after colliding with Pilot Officer R. A. Kings, his aircraft crashed near Shaftesbury. On 4 January 1941 he mistakenly shot at a Glenn Martin Maryland A.R.703, inflicting 25 hits to the fuselage and tail, but no casualties were reported. He was charged but was acquitted given the evidence and circumstances surrounding the incident.

In May 1941 he joined No.118 Squadron based at Ibsley, Hampshire, as 'B' Flight Commander. Simmonds then went to 10 BGS, Warmwell in November for gunnery training and in December was appointed OC Gunnery Training Flight at 52 OTU, Aston Down. In 1942 Simmonds became the Chief Gunnery Instructor at the Fighter Gunnery Instructors Wing at CGS, Sutton Bridge, Lincolshire. In April 1943 he was requested to return to operational flying, firstly with 118 Squadron flying Spitfires at Coltishall and later with 333 Squadron at Ludham and later based at Tangmere, however this tour terminated as a result of a compound fracture to his leg.

In August 1943 he was appointed by the Air Ministry for the post of Armament Liaison officer at Washington D.C. however due to complications with the fractured leg he was unable to carry out this posting. In November 1943 he was appointed Armament Training Staff Officer at Fighter Command Headquarters, his duties included advising Air Staff on all aspects of Gunnery, Bombing and Rocket training, liaison with the U.S.A.A.F., supervising and providing the facilities for training throughout the Command. In May 1945 Simmonds was appointed by the Ministry of Aircraft Production for the post of Experimental Gunnery Officer at the Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment based at R.A.F. Boscombe Down. He was demobilised in December 1945 and after some study in Economics joined Pan American World Airways. He died on 23 February 2005 and during the internment of his ashes a Spitfire flown by Carolyn Grace performed a flypast.

Sold together with the following archive:

i)
A copy of the letter concerning his crash on 28 November 1940.

ii)
A copy of the full report on the friendly fire incident on 4 January 1941, with various witness statements.

iii)
An invitation named to him for the World premiere of "The First of the Few", on 20 August 1942. His girlfriend Shirley Faulkner-Horn, who was later to be his wife, starred in the film alongside Leslie Howard and David Niven.

iv)
Officially taken Gunnery Course photographs 1-21 over the period 15 April 1942 - 25 February 1943.

v)
Royal Air Force Note Book for Workshop & Laboratory Records, one named to him and another to P/O D. R. West.

vi)
An Information Book named to him covering everything from Bomb Sights to Bombing Procedure.

vii)
Copy of a letter he wrote to Air Commodore Fraser, O.B.E., A.F.C. who was A.O.C., Boscombe Down, rejecting his claim for the award of the Atlantic Star.

viii)
Royal Air Force Service and Release Book.

ix)
A handwritten resume of his education, R.A.F. service and career up to October 1947, signed by him.

x)
A further handwritten resume of the various courses and posting he served at or went on.

xi)
Letter dated 30 July 1948 confirming his status as transfer to Class "A".

xii)
Two miniature portraits of him in uniform and his wife.

xiii)
Invitation from the Corporation of London for a reception at the Guildhall in celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

xiv)
Invitation from the Corporation of London for a reception at the Guildhall for the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, addressed to him Simmonds and his Wife.

xv)
Invitation from Wing Commander Paddy Barthropp for an Anniversary Dinner and Dance at the Savoy Hotel on 14 September 1990.

xvi)
Invitation for the Battle of Britain 50th Anniversary Parade and Flypast on 15 September 1990 where the veterans watched the flypast from the grounds of Buckingham Palace.

xvii)
Invitation from the Air Force Board for a Reception in Westminster Abbey Gardens on 16 September 1990.

xviii)
A large quantity of both Service and Civilian photographs, comprising both official and unofficial issues.

xix)
A copy of Men of the Battle of Britain by K. G. Wynn.

xx)
A photo album entitled 'The Battle of Britain "The Few"', sent to him as a gift in appreciation of his efforts in the air.

xxi)
A framed portrait picture of him in later life by C. Hawkins (29.5cm x 23.5cm).

xxii)
A service booklet for 'The Dedication of a Window in Memory of V. C. Simmonds' dated 26 May 2006.

xxiii)
Various letters from Mary Soames (daughter of Sir Winston Churchill) to his widow over the period 2006-2010.

For the recipient's dress miniatures see Lot 222.

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Estimate
£2,000 to £3,000

Starting price
£1600