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Auction: 26001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 274

An unusual D.F.C., A.F.M. group of six awarded to Flight Lieutenant C. G. K. Edlund, Royal Air Force, a Swede by birth who flew as a Pilot on the Lancasters of No. 100 & 550 Squadrons, Bomber Command and later shared in Operation Plainfare - the Berlin Airlift - as a civilian Pilot

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated '1945'; Air Force Medal, G.VI.R. (1127217 F/Sgt. C. G. K. Edlund. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, good very fine (6)

There were just 12 D.F.C. A.F.M. combinations awarded to the Royal Air Force in the 1939-45 War, and only 15 in total for all Allied Air Forces.

D.F.C. London Gazette 17 July 1945. The original recommendation states:

'This young Officer has completed 39 operational trips involving 245 hrs operational flying as a Pilot and Captain of a Lancaster bomber. Throughout his present tour of operations, Flt. Lt. Edlund has always been one of the keenest and ablest captains on the Squadron. He is always the first to volunteer for the most difficult of targets which have included attacks on the heavily defended centres of Merseburg, Munich and targets in the Ruhr. He has at all times carried out his duties with resource and initiative. His unfailing zest to operate against any target and all enemy opposition has been an example and inspiration. The fact that he has returned to Base several times on three engines and, on one occasion, hotly contested the barrage flak at Duisburg, in which the aircraft was badly damaged, has not in the least affected the coolness and tenacity of this young Pilot. He is an excellent Pilot who demands respect from all and has acquitted himself up to the finest traditions of the service. Such outstanding characteristics and consistent gallantry well merits the award of the D.F.C.'.

A.F.M. London Gazette 31 August 1943. The original recommendation states:

'This N.C.O.'s work as a Flying Instructor has been outstandingly good for twelve months, during which time he has completed 860 hrs flying. He carries out his duties with keenness and zeal and is worthy of commendation for his meritorious service. His work has been quite exceptional. I recommend him for the award of the Air Force Medal.'

Charles Geroge Kristian Edlund was born at Stockholm, Sweden on 2 November 1918 and was educated at Wintringham College, Grimsby, Lincolnshire. He joined the Grimsby Navigation School in 1935 and enlisted into the Royal Air Force in 1940. Edlund commenced his flying training on Tiger Moths from 7 July 1941 at the De Havilland School of Flying. Transferring to Oxfords on 30 September 1941, he qualified for the award of the Flying Badge on 18 December 1941, before going to No.5 F.I.S. at Perth in February 1942 where he flew a combination of Tiger Moth and Magister aircraft in an Instructor capacity passing his C.F.I. Test on 21 April 1942. In May 1942 Edlund went to No. 28 E.F.T.S. at Wolverhampton flying Tiger Moths and on 24 July 1942 transferred to No. 7 E.F.T.S. at Desford. Remaining at Desford until the end of November 1943, by this time he had amassed some 1,630 hours on his Log Books. He joined No.14 E.F.T.S. Elmdon on 16 December 1943, although on 24 December was part of the crew on a Sunderland of Coastal Command at Mount Batten carrying out bombing and firing practice. Edlund was commissioned Flying Officer on 28 February 1944 and transferred to No. 14 P.A.F.U. based at Dallachy from 5 March 1944 flying Oxfords and on 1 June, joining No. 83 O.T.U. at Peplow flying Wellingtons. He transferred to No.1667 Conversion Unit on 16 August 1944 this time flying Halifax aircraft before briefly transferring to No. 1 Lancaster Finishing School on 23 September 1944.

Edlund was posted to No.100 Squadron based at Grimsby at the end of September. His first Op was a daylight raid to Fort Hendrik on 11 October 1944 with Edlund being the Pilot. The exact same Op was repeated the next day and two days later another daylight raid was enacted over Duisberg. He returned to Duisberg the same evening this time as part of the crew and the night of 15 October his target is Wilhelmshaven and he is back as Pilot. Edlund had an Op to Stuttgart on the 19 October and to Essen on the 23rd, followed by daylight raids to Essen and Cologne on the 25th and 28th respectively. He had consecutive nighttime Ops to Eseen again on the 30th and 31st concluding his flying for October.

Edlund moved to No. 550 Squadron based at Killingholme in November 1944 and his first Op was to Aschaffensburg on 21st November and this is followed on the 27th with an Op to Freiberg and on the 29th he has his first daylight raid with the squadron to Dortmund. The next Op was on 3 December however this was abandoned due to total cloud cover over the target, this being the Urftt Dam, again a daylight raid. The following day saw him go to Karlsruhe, Merseberg on the 6th, Essen on the 12th, Ludwigshaven on the 15th and Ulm on the 17th which concluded his flying for 1944.

Edlund's next Op was to Hannover on 5th January followed by Munich on 7 January and a week later to Leuna (near Leipzig), he then went to Zeitz (near Leipzig) on the 16th January and to Sterkrade on 22nd January.

Edlund had a busy February with nine Ops firstly to Ludwighaven on the 1st, Bottrop on the 3rd and to Cleve on the 7th. The following day he went to Poilitz and on the 13th took part in the famous raid on Dresden this was followed by a raid on the 14th on Chemnitz. He then had an Op to Dortmund on 20th and Duisberg on 21st and finally Pforzheim on the 24th March 1945. His final few Ops were Kassel on the 8th, a daylight raid to Essen on the 11th, Dortmund on the 12th again a daylight Op and finally on the 15th a nighttime Op to Misberg.

Edlund transferred to No.1668 H.C.U. in April 1945, before then transferring to B.C.I.S. at Finningley in August 1945, he is promoted to Flight Lieutenant on 28 August 1945 and returned to 1666 H.C.U. in September 1945. He moved to Ossington in May 1946 and began flying Yorks. He was part of the crew on 25 July from Whitchurch (B.O.A.C.) to Brussels for a Cross Country. Before beginning his career as a Civil Pilot but was involved with the Berlin Airlift between May and July 1949 on Lancastrians flying between Tegel and Hamburg. The remainder of his entries in his log books relate to flying training in Tiger Moths, Ansons and Chipmunks, with his last entry on 18 October 1958. Edlund had over 3,000 hours by the time he had finished. He died at Exmouth on 8 August 1994.

Sold together with the following archive:

i)
His five Royal Air Force Pilot's Flying Log Books and two civilian Flying Log Books.

ii)
Royal Air Force Service and Release Book.

iii)
Royal Air Force Instrument Pilot Rating (Green) Licence (2).

iv)
An assortment of letters and recommendations of military and civilian capacity.

v)
Air Traffic Controller's licence.

vi)
A quantity of copied research Operations Record Book entries etc.

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Estimate
£3,000 to £5,000

Starting price
£2800