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Auction: 5005 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals and Militaria
Lot: 181

Four; Attributed to Flying Officer H. Watkinson, Royal Air Force 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals, extremely fine, mounted as worn, with Observer´s and Air Gunner´s Flying Log Book for the period 19.5.1943 to 22.6.1945 (4) Estimate £ 300-400 Flying Officer H Watkinson qualified as LAC Air Navigator with effect from 20.8.1943 and was appointed Pilot Officer with war substantive rank of Flying Officer, 21.1.1944. He commenced flying with 617 Squadron at Woodhall Spa 21.8.1944, and as navigator of Lancaster NF992B (pilot Flight Lieutenant Goodman) Watkinson took part in the second attack by the Squadron on the German battleship Tirpitz in Tromso Fjord 29.10.1944, and returned in the third and final attack in Lancaster DV380P (Flying Officer Lee) 12.11.1944 (Log Book states SUNK). Subsequent operations included Urft Dam, E-Boat Pens at Ijmuiden and Rotterdam, midget U-boat pens at Pootershaven, the Oil Factory at Politz, and the viaducts at Nienburg and Bielefeld; it was against the last target, on 14.3.1944, that 617 Squadron dropped the first 22,000lb Grand Slam bomb. This was successful and a week later, on 19.3.1945, Watkinson notes in his Log Book ´ops Arnsberg Viaduct 1-22,000 bomb´. His last operations, in April 1945, were operation ´Lutzow´ to Sweinemunde on 13 April, and finally to Berchtesgaden, Hitler´s famous mountain retreat, on 25 April, the last wartime operational mission flown by the Squadron. Flying Officer Watkinson flew a total of 28 sorties, all with 617 Squadron.

Sold for
£750