Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 4004 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 24

A Rare Great War A.F.C. Group of Five to Home-Defence Pilot, Wing Commander A.B. Fanstone, Royal Air Force, Late Captain, Royal Flying Corps, Commanded the First Operational Flight from Biggin Hill a) Air Force Cross, G.V.R., in Pinches, London case of issue, with original 'horizontal' riband b) British War Medal (Capt. A.B. Fanstone R.A.F.), 'R.A.F.' officially corrected c) Victory Medal (Capt. A.B. Fanstone. R.A.F.) e) Defence and War Medals, extremely fine f) Royal Life Saving Society bronze Medal (A.B. Fanstone Aug. 1928), in case of issue f) Royal Life Saving Society silver Award of Merit (A.B. Fanstone 1928), in case of issue The Fanstone 'Archive' of Flying Memorabilia g) A Scarce Leather Flying Helmet, cowl type, full length, with straps but lacking the sheepskin lining, covered with signatures of Pilots and Ground Crew, including F Sowery V.C. h) Wooden Control Column or 'joystick', salvaged from the wreckage of B.E. 2d (serial no. 5832), which was responsible for the fatal crash of 6.12.1916 (see below) i) Wooded Control Column or 'joystick', of modified design, with metal base and retaining pin j) The Fanstone Photograph and Document Archive, a photograph album including -- Royal Aero Club reciept no. 2131 dated 26.5.16 'Received from 2nd Lieut A.B. Fanstone the sum of One Pound, One Shilling being fee for Aviator's Certificate' -- Royal Flying Corps (Officers) Graduation Certificate No. 1481, from Central Flying School, Upavon, dated 19 June 1916 -- British Empire Aviator's Certificate Book, no. 3031, dated 19 May 1916, complete with signed photograph of Fanshaw -- Typed delivery notice dated 10 Nov 1916, for delivery of B.E. 2E no. 7207 from South Farnborough to No. 1 Aircraft Depot, St Omer -- Medical Case Sheet listing injuries sustained as a result of the crash of 6.12.1916 'fell from height of 500 feet. Slightly concussed- no apparant gross injury to head. Sprain of left wrist. General condition good.' -- Telegram 9.12.1916, to Fanstone's parents at Hassocks, Sussex, 'Regret to inform you that 2/Lt A.B. Fanstone R.F.C. Report wounded Dec 6th. Further details sent when received' -- 'Approximate Results' daily record sheet for 5/6th November 1917 -- Typed letter from Lt Col. R.G. Cherry, Commanding 49 Wing, R.F.C., dated 13 December 1917, 'Please forward the following instructions from me to Captain Fanstone, at Biggin Hill, by cyclist Orderly, as soon as possible. "You will instal the Officers' Quarters and Officers' Mess in the four 60' Armstrong Huts already completed by the contractor. I have frequently visited the tents in the Bessenneau Hangar, and find that they are much too damp and cold for use in the winter..."', and a second typed letter dated the next day from Major C.R. Rowden, Commanding 78 Squadron at Hornchurch, to Fanstone, Officer Commanding 'D' Flight, 78 Squadron at Biggin Hill, 'Reference attached copy of Wing letter 83/16 dated 14.12.17 will you please carry out immediately the instructions contained therein.' -- twelve page letter from Fanstone to his father, from 37 Home Defence Squadron, Stow Maries, Essex, dated 9.3.1918 (Fanstone took over 'B' Flight 37 Squadron from Fred Sowery V.C. in January 1918) -- Letters of recommendation from Lt. Col. J.C. Halahan O.C. Home Defence Wing R.A.F. dated 2.9.1919, and from Major J. Walshe, R.A.F., dated 10.9.1919 -- Telegram from Lord Chamberlain's Office, Buckingham Palace, to Captain Fanstone, R.A.F. Driffield, Yorks, dated 14.7.1919 -- Printed Form, Air Ministry Ref. P.4.F., dated 3 Feb 1920, notifying Captain Fanstone that he is placed on the Unemployed List of the Royal Air Force with effect from 24.9.19, retaining the rank of Captain -- Cambridge University Royal Air Force Dinner, 19.2.1920, menu card with nine signatures, including 'Albert' (later King George VI) and 'Trenchard' (later Major General Sir Hugh 'Boom' Trenchard) -- Fourteen original photographs, many showing Home Defence Crews and aircraft at Kirton and Elsham k) '12 Squadron B.E.F. France 1916', a small photograph album containing 41 original photographs of Crew and Aircraft l) 'Elsham', a second small photograph album containing 50 original photographs, most of Crew and Aircraft m) An Ordnance Survey 1:100,000 scale map of Northern France, sheet 11 (Lens), 2nd edition, covering Lens, Arras, Doullens and Bapaume n) Six French printed postcards, postmarked July and August 1916, sent to Mr and Mrs Fanstone, announcing 'all O.K.' o) A quantity of German Great War printed propaganda p) A French silver 1-Franc piece, the reverse engraved 'A.B. Fanstone Capt. R.F.C.' around a wreath, '1917' in the centre, with silver chain Estimate £ 2,000-3,000 A.F.C. London Gazette 3.6.1919 Captain Fanstone, Albert Baird Wing Commander Albert Baird Fanstone, A.F.C., R.A.F., was granted Aero Certificate 3031 on 19.5.1916, and graduated from the Central Flying School at Upavon, one month later; posted to 12 Squadron (BE2ds and BE2es), Avesnes-le-Comte, June to December 1916; he was wounded, 6.12.1916, whilst flying a dual-control BE2d with Captain L.O. Crowther. Fanstone, in the Pilot's seat, took the aircraft up, and Crowther, in the Observer's front seat, took over control of the aircraft in mid-flight, using the detachable wooden control column. This column became detached, and Crowther lost control of the aircraft which crashed. Crowther was killed and is buried at Avesnes-Le-Comte; Fanstone was only slightly injured, and returned to England for convalescence; rejoined 12 Squadron, April-May 1917 and then, promoted to Captain, moved to 8 Squadron, also in France, until October 1917; later that year Fanstone was employed in the Air Defence of Great Britain as a night pilot, flying BE 12s with 39 and 78 Squadron, based at Sutton's Farm, Hornchurch; on 1 December 1917 Captain Fanstone commanded 'D' Flight of 78 Squadron at Biggin Hill, the first Operational Unit to operate from what was to become one of the most famous R.A.F. airfields; in early 1918 transferred to 37 Squadron, Stow Maries, and Commanded 'B' Flight from 21January to 31 March, and later moved to 33 Squadron, Elsham, where he Commanded 'C' Flight, April 1918 to April 1919; their targets included Gotha and Giant aircraft as well as the infamous Zepplin and Schütte-Lanz airships; Captain R.A.F., 1.4.1918; at the close of the Great War Fanshaw was flying Bristol Fighters with 33 Squadron, Elsham, and on the night of 5/6 August he took part in operations against the last Zeppelin raid of the war; Captain Fanstone left the R.A.F. in 1920 to take up a place at Cambridge University; Grade III Education Officer at the School of Technical Training (Boys) Halton; Squadron Leader 18.10.1942, Administrative and Special Duties Branch. A full account of Captain Fanstone's Great War career is given in the 17 page article 'Fanstone of the B.E.'s' by R. Bateman and L.A. Quinlan, in Cross and Cocade (Spring 1972).

Sold for
£5,500