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Auction: 26003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 101

(x) The Newfoundland Volunteer War Service Medal awarded to Sergeant G. Rees, Royal Canadian Air Force late Gunner Newfoundland Heavy Battery, Royal Artillery

Newfoundland Volunteer War Service Medal 1939-45 (2161), in its distressed Royal Mint case of issue, nearly extremely fine

Gerald Hampden Rees was born at Lance Cove, Bell Island, Newfoundland on 7 March 1912, the son of Ananias and Gertrude Rees. He is believed to be able to trace his lineage back to the historic Rhys family descended from Rhys ap Thomas, a supporter of Henry Tudor and lord of Picton Castle.

Working as a submarine miner when the war began Rees enlisted in the Newfoundland Militia Force early in the conflict and was allocated as Gunner with the Newfoundland Heavy Battery, Royal Artillery one of four such units posted to defend Britain's coastline. They went on to see overseas service in North Africa and Europe - however Rees was not to be with them.

Transferring from the artillery he was posted to R.A.F. Uxbridge on 23 October 1940 as Aircraftman Class II with the service number 339846. Posted to No.125 Squadron as a fitter he served with them in Southern and Western England. They operated as a night fighter unit, flying Boulton Paul Defiants, Beaufighters and finally Mosquitos, and hunting bombers and V-1 flying bombs.

Interestingly, despite the squadron's title relatively few members of the ground and aircrews were native to Newfoundland - in fact Rees was one of just 45 of the 200 ground crew to be from the region.

An article in the Legion magazine entitled The Flying Newfoundlanders states:

'There never was a Royal Newfoundland Air Force, but the Newfoundlanders who served with the RAF in two world wars were the closest approximation of such a body.'

This article gives an approximate figure of 815 Newfoundland members of the Royal Air Force. Rees was to serve in several places notably R.A.F. Ballyhalbert, while the Squadron conducted coastal operations over the Irish Sea. The end of the war saw them disbanded on 20 November 1945, with Rees posted briefly to No. 264 Squadron and was discharged on 21 September 1946.

Returning to Bell Island he married Denise Hatton in 1956, a London-born former member of the W.A.A.F. who had moved to the island as a teacher three years earlier. She was to go on to become the first woman to join a vestry on Bell Island and had a distinguished career with the church and local area.

Rees died at St. John's Newfoundland on 7 March 1992 and is buried with his wife at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada; sold together with copied research.

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

Estimate
£800 to £1,200

Starting price
£600