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Auction: 6007 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 375

A Rare Second War Bomber Command D.F.M., A.F.M. Group of Seven to Manchester and Lancaster Air Gunner/ Wireless Operator Flight Sergeant later Flight Lieutenant E. Preston, No. 97 Squadron, Who Took Part in the 1st (Cologne), the 2nd (Essen), and the 3rd (Bremen) 1000 Bomber Raids; the Trondheim Fjord Low Level Attack on the Tirpitz and Other Warships 1942; and Anti-Terrorist Sorties over Malaya Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R., 1st ´Ind: Imp:´ type (1057166. (Sic.) F/Sgt. E. Preston. R.A.F.); Air Force Medal, G.VI.R., 1st ´Ind: Imp:´ type (1057466. F/Sgt. E. Preston. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals; General Service Medal 1918-62, G.VI.R., one clasp, Malaya (Fg. Off. E. Preston. R.A.F.), very fine and extremely rare, one of only seventeen D.F.M., A.F.M. combinations ever awarded, with Letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Air Ministry, on occasion of the recipient´s retirement (dated 22.4.1963), photographs and newspaper cuttings (7) Estimate £ 4,500-5,000 D.F.M. London Gazette 11.6.1943 1057466 Flight Sergeant Ewart Preston 97 Squadron. The Recommendation, dated 15.4.1943, states ´This N.C.O. has taken part as a Wireless Operator/ Air Gunner in many successful attacks on the most heavily defended German towns and on Italian and other objectives. On one occasion, he also attacked Brest in daylight. Flight Sergeant Preston´s coolness and courage have been an inspiration to all.´ A.F.M. London Gazette 1.1.1944 105466 Flight Sergeant Ewart Preston, D.F.M., No. 29 O.T.U. The Recommendation states: ´This airman is an instructor in the Conversion Flight and has worked hard and set an example of outstanding devotion to duty at all times, and his keenness and enthusiasm are most praiseworthy. He is a Wireless Operator/ Air Gunner Instructor of first class ability who has been engaged on this work for over a year. Much of his flying has been spent instructing in circuits and landings and, for certain periods, he has been intensively employed on this important work. It is considered that this airman is most worthy of an award of the Air Force Medal for the contribution he has made in the training of new crews to continue the war effort.´ Flight Lieutenant Ewart Preston, D.F.M., A.F.M., born Nelson, 1915; native of Morecombe; enlisted Royal Air Force 1940; posted 97 (Straits Settlements) Squadron, Waddington, Lincolnshire (Manchesters), 1941, and converted to Lancasters with them when they moved to Coningsby, Lincolnshire; took part in 38 operational sorties with the squadron including: 27/28.4.1942 when 31 Halifaxes and 12 Lancasters attacked the Tirpitz and other German warships in Trondheim Fjord, each aircraft had to singley enter the narrow fjord, and once they had negotiated the gun emplacements, drop to 200 feet before releasing their cargo of specially adapted mines. Five aircraft were lost in the raid (The Bomber Command War Diaries, refer); 30/31.5.1942, participated in the first ´Thousand Bomber Raid´, Cologne and in the second (Essen, 1/2.6.1942) and third (Bremen 25/26.6.1942) respectively. For the remainder of the war Preston served as an Instructor, No. 29 O.T.U.; after the Second War he served two operational tours in Malaya (1949-51 and 1955-57), during which he flew on anti-terrorist sorties (Lincolns) and on Army supply drops (Valettas); Flight Lieutenant Preston retired in 1963.

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£7,200