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Auction: 7012 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 534

The Historically Important Second War K.B.E., C.B. Group of Thirteen to Air Vice-Marshal Sir V.H. Tait, Royal Air Force, late Royal Canadian Engineers and Royal Flying Corps, Director General of Signals (Intelligence) and of Radar/ Radio Direction Finding; He was Responsible for the Operational Deployment of All Types of Radar and Communications Equipment; He Played a Critical Role in Countering the Freya and Other Enemy Radar Systems Thereby Contributing Immeasurably to the Success of Allied Aerial Warfare; His Final and Most Fitting Accolade Was a Knighthood "In Recognition of Services in Planning the Landings in Normandy" a) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 2nd type, Military Division, Knight Commander´s (K.B.E.) set of Insignia, neck Badge, 80mm including Crown suspension x 63mm, silver-gilt and enamel, with neck riband; Star, 80mm, silver and enamel, in Garrard, London, case of issue b) The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Military Division, Companion´s (C.B.) neck Badge, 50mm, silver-gilt and enamel, with neck riband, in Garrard, London, case of issue c) 1914-15 Star (5470 Spr: V.H. Tait. Can: Eng:) d) British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. V.H. Tait.) e) 1939-1945 Star f) Defence and War Medals g) Jubilee 1935 h) Coronation 1937 i) Egypt, Kingdom, Order of the Nile, Commander´s neck Badge, 63mm, silver, silver-gilt, and enamel, silver marks and maker´s name on reverse, with neck riband, in Lattes, Cairo, case of issue j) United States of America, Legion of Merit, Commander´s neck Badge, 57mm, metal-gilt and enamel, suspension loop numbered ´710´, in case of issue k) United States of America, Legion of Merit, Officer´s breast Badge, 47mm, metal-gilt and enamel, suspension pin numbered ´3501´, with emblem on riband, in case of issue, minor enamel damage, good very fine or better The group together with the following official documents &c.: - Commission appointing Victor Hubert Tait Flying Officer, Royal Air Force, dated 2.8.1919 and signed by "Boom" Trenchard - Two Bestowal Documents for the Order of the British Empire, K.B.E., dated 19.9.1944; O.B.E., dated 9.6.1938, with the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood Enclosure for the former - Two Bestowal Documents for the Egyptian Order of the Nile, in their original Envelopes - Two Bestowal Documents for the American Legion of Merit, Commander, undated; Officer, dated 3.5.1945, together with the accompanying citations, signed by President Truman - F.S.F. Certification of Appreciation for Outstanding Service to Aviation Safety, dated 7.5.1969 - Two Winter Olympics 1928 Diplomas - Three photographs of the recipient (14) Estimate £ 3,000-3,500 K.B.E. London Gazette 19.9.1944 Air Vice-Marshal Victor Hubert Tait, C.B., O.B.E., Royal Air Force. C.B. London Gazette 2.6.1943 Air Vice-Marshal Victor Hubert Tait, O.B.E. The Recommendation states: ´For services as Deputy-Director of Signals (Intelligence), Air Ministry, from April 1939; Director of Radio, Air Ministry, from May 1941; Director-General of Signals, Air Ministry, from August 1942; and special duty in America, October 1942.´ O.B.E. London Gazette 9.6.1938 Wing Commander Victor Hubert Tait, Royal Air Force. U.S.A. Legion of Merit, Commander (not Gazetted). The Recommendation states: ´Air Vice-Marshal Sir Victor Tait, C.B., O.B.E. (sic), Royal Air Force, performed exceptionally meritorious service from July 1942 to May 1945, as Director-General of Signals in the British Air Ministry. He was responsible for the operational employment by the Royal Air Force of all types of radar, radar counter-measures and communications equipment. He was especially effective in promoting Allied co-operation with the Eighth Air Force. Through his early appreciation of the possibilities of electronic devices and his co-operative efforts, Air Vice-Marshal Tait contributed immeasurably to the field of scientific research and development and the success of Allied Aerial Warfare.´ U.S.A. Legion of Merit, Officer London Gazette 1.1.1946 Air Vice-Marshal Sir Victor Hubert Tait, K.B.E., C.B., R.A.F. The Recommendation states: ´Air Vice Marshal Victor Hubert Tait, C.B., O.B.E., Royal Air Force. For exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service from 1 July 1942 to 1 January 1944. Marshal Tait, as Director-General of Signals at the Air Ministry, has been of inestimable value in the furtherance of many communications problems of the American Air Force in the United Kingdom. Through his efforts contacts were made for the VIII Air Force Service Command Signal Section with various Divisions of the Air Ministry and the Ministry of Aircraft Production, all of which resulted in the excellent and continuous cooperation between the Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Forces. He arranged for the procurement of many supplies and equipments at a time when they were invaluable to the Eighth Air Force. Through his efforts, manufacturing assistance and technical advice was given which resulted in furthering the successful carrying out of the Eighth Air Force´s mission in this theater (sic). Marshal Tait, by his personal interest and technical ability, and through his exceptional qualities of initiative and cooperation, has been an outstanding and distinguished service to the United States Army Air Forces during their combat operations in this theater (sic).´ Air Vice-Marshal Sir Victor Hubert Tait, K.B.E., C.B., born Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, July 1892 and educated at Manitoba University, where he read Electrical Engineering. He joined the Royal Canadian Engineers, September 1914, crossed the Atlantic to England, and embarked for France, February 1915. Commissioned Lieutenant in the 8th (City of London) Battalion, London Regiment, January 1916. He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps the following year and was granted a permanent commission in the newly formed Royal Air Force at the end of hostilities. Although a pilot, his chosen vocation was the then new science of radar and air navigation and, having dealt with a brief post-war trouble spot in Gallipoli, he returned to the R.A.F. Signals Branch at the Air Ministry, where, over the next decade, he was heavily involved in establishing many of the navigational aids and air defence systems that where to prove so important during the Second World War. In 1928 Tait represented Great Britain in the II Winter Olympics, held in St. Moritz, Switzerland, competing in the ice-hockey tournament: the team eventually finished fourth, just missing out on the Bronze Medal. Tait´s next posting was to the R.A.F.s Middle East Headquarters at Cairo, where he was promoted Squadron Leader, July 1930, and Wing Commander, July 1936. From 1933-39 he was seconded to the Egyptian Army Air Force, during which period he became the Egyptian Government´s adviser on military aviation. Tait returned to the Air Ministry shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, as a Deputy-Director of Signals (Intelligence), becoming the R.A.F.s first Director of Radio/ Radar Direction Finding in May 1941. He was promoted temporary Group Captain in the New Year´s Honours list, 1940; to Air Commodore in July 1941; and to Air Vice-Marshal in 1942. Tait subsequently played a critical role in countering enemy radar systems, in addition to developing blind bombing aids, which latter contribution enabled Bomber Command - and the Eighth U.S. Air Force - to mount much larger initiatives and increase the chance of getting home, regardless of weather conditions. From August 1943 he was involved in the planning for the forthcoming invasion of France, and in particular mastering the ability to counter the German´s Freya system; his success in this led to the Allies´ element of surprise on D-Day, and he was knighted for his part in the Normandy operations. He retired at the end of the War, and went onto a career in civil aviation as Operations Director at B.O.A.C. Air Vice-Marshal Sir Victor Tait died on 27 November 1988, aged 96.

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£3,000