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Auction: 6025 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 303

Family Group: Three: Private J. Whittle, West Yorkshire Regiment British War and Victory Medals (58313 Pte. J. Whittle. W. York. R.); Territorial Force War Medal (58313 Pte. J. Whittle. W. York. R.), attempted erasure to rank and regiment to all medals, otherwise very fine; together with Mercantile Marine Medal (Alexander Lindell), nearly extremely fine A Second World War Group of Five to Blenheim Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, Later Flight Lieutenant K.V. Whittle, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 1939-1945 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, with France and Germany Bar; Defence and War Medals; Zimbabwe Independence Medal 1980, edge impressed ´40919´, very fine; with original copies of 139 Squadron Battle Orders, British Air Force of Occupation Movement Order, dated 12.8.1945; Officers´ Mess Bill, dated August 1945; an album of photographs taken during recipent´s War service; newspaper cuttings, copies from recipient´s Log Book, and a signed copy of the recipient´s book An Electrician Goes To War, with a foreword by Air Marshal Sir Ivor Broom (lot) Estimate £ 250-350Flight Lieutenant Ken Verdun Whittle, born Hull, Yorkshire, 1916; enlisted Aircraftman Second Class Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 24.11.1939; Temporary Sergeant 17 O.T.U., 27.7.1940; posted 139 (Jamaica) Squadron, Horsham St. Faith, Norfolk (Blenheims), 27.10.1940; during the Second World War Whittle flew in 71 operational sorties including the following with 139 Squadron: 20.12.1940. ´Night-Bomber Docks Ostend´; 21.12.1940, ´Night. Oil storage tanks, Rotterdam, bomber 6000´; 31.12.1940, ´Target, Railway Junction Ruhr, No Cover - tried Channel Ports - No cover - tried to Bomb Haamstede Drome chased out by two M/E 109´s´; 4.1.1941, ´Oil storage tanks bombed Hamburg´; 27.1.1941, ´Weather recco. Bad icing. W/T Ariel broken by ice. JU 88 sighted fired 2 bursts, hits observed by pilot´; 2.2.1941, ´Boulogne fighter escort. attacked by M/E 109´s Heavy Flak´; 5.2.1941, ´Formation - 12 Aircraft, with fighter escort - Target St. Omer A/Drome. Direct hits´; 25.5.1941, ´Shipping sweep Ymuiden Area. Bombed 4000ton ship. Intense light flak. Partner A/Craft (Sgt. A. Bye) shot.´ (Log Book refers). Attacking shipping in the dated Blenheims was considered virtually a suicide mission, ´Our technique is best described as a large letter ´S´ approach, weaving our way in........ attacks on shipping from a height of 50 feet....... flew below the level of decks of the ship...... released bombs into the side of ship... pulled up over the masts, and immediately pushed down again to wavetop height´ (An Electrician Goes To War, Ken Whittle, refers); posted 13 O.T.U. 29.5.1941; Temporary Flight Sergeant 1.6.1941; Flying Officer 1.10.1942; posted 180 Squadron, Dunsfold, Surrey (Mitchells), 12.2.1944; Flight Lieutenant 19.3.1944; posted 98 Squadron, Achmer, Germany (Mitchells), 13.6.1945. After the War he followed to he followed business opportunities in Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Sold for
£550