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Auction: 26003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 333

Sold by Order of a Direct Descendant

A most unusual 1946 A.F.C., German South-West Africa January 1915 D.C.M. group of eight awarded to Major B. B. Melvill, South African Air Force, late Graaf Reinet Commando & South African Engineers, for whom he drove Armoured Cars in German East Africa

Air Force Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated '1946', with its Royal Mint case of issue, together with insert in name of 'Major B. B. Melvill. A.F.C. D.C.M. 1946'; Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (Pte. B. B. Melvill. Graaf Reinet Commando.); 1914-15 Star (Pte B. B. Melvill Grff Reinet Cdo); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; War and Africa Service Medals 1939-45, these last five all officially impressed '202987 B. B. Melvill.', good very fine, together with his Zimbabwe Independence Medal (63968) and South African War Service Badge numbered '1400' (Lot)

A.F.C. London Gazette 1 January 1946 (Air Transport).

D.C.M. confirmed in the South-West African Force Despatch for August 1914-July 1915:

'I particularly wish to bring to your attention that at the fight at Upington on the 4th January, 1915, when Lieut Theron of the 20th M.R. was wounded he lay totally exposed to the fire of the enemy. One of my men, Brian Melville but 18 years [sic - actually 17] of age observed the condition of Lieut Theron and then went to him, picked him up under heavy fire of the enemy and carried him about 40 yards where there was shelter.'

Brian Bernard Melvill was born at Graaf Reinet on 18 August 1897 and served with the local Commando unit during the Great War. It was for the sharp action at Upington for which his first decoration came and it didn't take too long for word to get home of his bravery. A letter to his parents that accompanies the Lot states:

'...Good old Brian! By jove I felt proud when I read of his pluck. He should get the V.C. I can just imagine how proud you must feel of your son.'

Either way he had more than earned the D.C.M. which came down. Having played his part in the campaign in German South-West Africa, Melvill would then transfer over to the German East Africa theatre as a Mechanical Driver with the South African Engineers, operating 'Tin Lizzies'. It wasn't long before he had worked his way up the coast with the campaign and by the summer of 1918 was serving as Cadet (No. 176475) with 'A' Flight, No. 6 Squadron, Royal Air Force at Hastings. Despite all he had committed to the Great War, Melville was released and even failed to find a position with the Standard Bank of South Africa despite his services.

Clearly keen to go skyward, by the time of the Second World War he held a Civil 'B' Pilot's License and served in Air Transport for his fine work, besides being selected to fly important communications on behalf of Smuts to The Palace, Khartoum in August 1941. By the end of the conflict he was OC Flying for his Squadron of 92 Pilots, with nearly 2,000hrs to his name and was also employed as a VIP Pilot. Having retired Major in May 1946, his A.F.C. was presented by the Governor-General at Pretoria in November 1946 and he was invited by Field Marshal Smuts to observe The King Present Colours in March 1947. Melvill died at Chingola, Zambia on 26 October 1966.

Sold together with a most impressive original archive, including a detailed series of letters from the recipient covering the Great War, various official documents of appointment, besides letters of his services, together with a good selection of original photographs of the recipient, with his cloth Wings, Flying Club of Northern Rhodesia Badge, and riband bars.

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Estimate
£3,000 to £5,000

Starting price
£2600