Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 6007 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 385

A Good 1941 Bomber Command D.F.M. Group of Four with Two Gold Caterpillars to Sergeant Later Pilot Officer W.A. Fullerton, Nos. 58 and 104 Squadrons, Who Piloted Whitelys Over Some of the Most Heavily Defended German Targets; Whilst with 22 O.T.U. He Volunteered for the Famous Maixmum Effort 1000 Bomber Raid on Cologne and Piloting a Wellington was Killed in Action Enroute, 30.6.1942 Distinguished Flying Medal G.VI.R., 1st ´Ind: Imp:´ type (741865 Sgt. W.A. Fullerton. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal, nearly extremely fine, with Caterpillar Club Badges (2), in gold with ´ruby eyes´, both mounted on a gold brooch bar, with safety chain, the reverse of first engraved ´Sgt W. Fullerton´, the second unnamed but the gold wearing bar inscribed, ´P.O. W.A. Fullerton, R.A.F.V.R., D.F.M., Bomber Command´, with photographs of the recipient; together with father´s British War and Victory Medals (A-2502 S. Sjt. W. Fullerton . A.O.C.), extremely fine (6) Estimate £ 2,500-3,000 D.F.M. London Gazette 23.9.1941 741865 Sergeant William Arthur Fullerton, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, No.104 Squadron The Recommendation, dated 21.7.1941, states ´This N.C.O., since joining No. 104 Squadron, has completed 7 operational trips. Prior to joining the squadron from No. 58 Squadron, he completed 9 trips as Captain and 12 as second pilot, a total of 28. He has shown great determination and energy and has proved himself to be an efficient Captain. On one occasion, in spite of the fact that his aircraft was hit and damaged by anti-aircraft fire near Ostend on 9th May, 1941, he continued his flight to Ludwigshaven and carried out a successful attack. He has set a splendid example to other members of his flight which has undoubtedly had some bearing on the success which this squadron has achieved. He is very strongly recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.´ Pilot Officer William Arthur Fullerton, D.F.M., born St. John´s Wood, London 1916; enlisted Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 1938; posted 58 Squadron, Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire (Whitleys), October 1940, with which he flew 21 operational sorties including: Cologne (2); Stettin (2); enroute to Turin, 26.11.1940, ´Petrol gave out and aircraft was abandoned by parachute near Horsham St. Faith´ (Operations Records refer); Mannheim (2); Berlin (2); Brest (4), including 10.1.1941, when 12 Whitleys attacked a Warship in Brest harbour ´scored hits in the vicinity of Hipper Cruiser´ (Operations Records refer); Dunkirk; Bremen, 11.2.1941, ´Extractor trouble over North Sea an hour after take-off. Attacked by ME 109s over a period of 100 minutes. Shot 4 down-2 certain and confirmed. Baled out on return at Cranwell.´ For this raid The Bomber Command War Diaries give, ´79 Hampdens, Wellingtons and Whitleys but only 27 claimed to have bombed Bremen. No aircraft lost but 22-11 Wellingtons, 7 Hampdens-crashed in England when unexpected fog descended on most of the bases. Most of their crews parachuted safely but 5 men were killed´; Dusseldorf (2) and Lorient, 20.3.1941, bombed the U-boat base; posted 104 Squadron, Driffield, Yorkshire (Wellingtons), May 1941; operational sorties including: Ludwigshaven, 9.5.1941, ´Aircraft hit by A.A. fire on way to target´ (Operations Records refer); Hannover; Kiel (2); Cologne; Bremen, and Wilhelmshaven; posted 22 Operational Training Unit and whilst serving with this unit he volunteered for ´1000 Bomber Raid´ on Cologne, 30.6.1942; he piloted Wellington IC DV843 -Q, ´took off 2244 hours Wellesbourne Mountford. Crashed 2340 hours at Dinteloord (Nord Brabant), 6km NNE of Steenbergen, Holland. All buried in Bergen op Zoom War Cemetery.´ (RAF Bomber Command Losses, refers). The crew were all killed in action.

Sold for
£3,200