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Auction: 9033 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 206

1914 Star, and Bar (2-Lieut: C.W.E. Cole-Hamilton. R. Scots.), nearly extremely fine, with original named card box of issue, named transmittal slip and envelope addressed to ´Mrs. L.A. Cole-Hamilton, The Norfolk Hotel, South Kensington, SW7´ Estimate £ 240-280 Captain Con William Eric Cole-Hamilton, born 1894, educated at Cheltenham College; commissioned Second Lieutenant 2nd Battalion Royal Scots, 24.1.1914; Temporary Lieutenant 29.10.1914-3.12.1914; attached Royal Flying Corps, from 6.1.1916; Captain 7.8.1916; The Air Defence of Britain gives Cole-Hamilton as flying Bristol Fighters with 35 Training Squadron, Northolt, June 1917, ´35 Training Squadron at Northolt received the ´patrol´ order at 11.17hrs only 4 minutes before London was given the raid warning, and 2 Bristol Fighters were airborne within 2 minutes. Cole-Hamilton headed south of the Thames while Chapman kept to the north, and both reached about 10,000ft when they saw the enemy flying west over Hackney. However, even the excellent Bristol Fighter could not perform miracles, and the bombers had released their loads and were beyond Ilford on the return journey before the altitude gap had narrowed enough for combat. At this point Cole-Hamilton was closing on 3 Gothas behind a larger group and gradually got within 600 ft below the tail of the rearmost and fired 98 rounds from his Vickers. He turned away allowing [Captain C.H.] Keevil, his observer, to attack with the Lewis. Soon afterwards, when approaching Southen and concentrating on the same aircraft, they came under fire from one of the flanking machines which had dropped back. Keevil responded - although he fired 157 rounds - but was killed by a bullet through the neck. Cole-Hamilton then found that his own gun jammed, and he returned to Northolt´; he was killed whilst flying SPAD S7 A8965, 2.7.1917, whilst posted at 56 Training Squadron; Cole-Hamilton is buried in St. Albans Cemetery, Hertfordshire.

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£240