Baldwin & Sons
Auction 98 3 May 2016
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MILITARY MEDALS, Awards for Gallantry and Distinguished Service, A Second World War "Philips Works" Eindhoven Attack Distinguished Flying Cross to a Navigator of 107 Squadron Who Participated in The Dieppe Raid awarded to Flight Lieutenant H.L. Besford, 107 Squadron RAF, Distinguished Flying Cross contemporarily mounted in glazed frame with a Polish Observers Flying Badge and a letter in Polish dated 18 Listop 1944, "From the Polish Air Forces in recognition of all you have done for us, we award you, Sir, the Honary Medal of the Polish Observers". Good very fine.
Distinguished Flying Cross London Gazette, 20 April 1943
Sold with Flight Lieutenant Besford's Observer's And Air Gunner's Flying Log Book (Form 1767) covering his Flying Training commencing 2 June 1941 to his last flight on 20 March 1945.
Extracts from Log BooK
107 SquadroN
25th July 1942 Operation low-level to Sluiskill – 50ft, target located and bombed
19th August 1942 Operation Ford- Dieppe – Gun Positions to assist withdrawal of Raiding Force
22nd September 1942 Operation Sequedein-Lille Low-Level Air craft badly damaged by FLAK at Nieuport, abandoned raid - bombs jettisoned
6th December 1942 Operation Philips Works Eindhoven 4- 500 GP Target bombed 15.00 Nose damaged crossing Dutch coast on inward journey. Intercepted and attacked by FW190's 3 A/C (Boston's) Shot Down, Leading Bomb Aimer/Navigator for 10 Bostsons.
"Over the Colinjnaplaat two seagulls came through the nose of Flying Officer Philp Burley's aircraft injuring the Navigator Flying Officer Herbert l. Besford in the legs whilst at the same time the draught whisked his maps away. Besford directed his pilot form then on by memory. Twenty minutes later their Ventura was attacked by a BF109 when over Oost at 50feet. The enemy fighter made four separate attacks form the stern but no strikes were scored and the BF 109 was claimed as damaged by a five second burst from Flight Sergeant T. Smith, the rear ginner at 400 yards range." (Extract - The Reich Intruders by Martin W. Bowman page 140)
Sold with a copy of The Reich Intruders by Martin W. Bowman, RAF tie, anti-glare glasses in original Air Ministry case; a copy of the Complete Air Navigator by D.C.T. Bennett, named Besford to inside cover; Air Ministry Publication Meteorological Handbook for Navigators dated 1944; Meteorological Organisation, Reports, codes and weather maps for the RAF dated 1940 and Air Navigation Volume 1 RAF dated 1944. A pocket compass and copied London Gazette entries.
Estimate: £1500-1800
Distinguished Flying Cross London Gazette, 20 April 1943
Sold with Flight Lieutenant Besford's Observer's And Air Gunner's Flying Log Book (Form 1767) covering his Flying Training commencing 2 June 1941 to his last flight on 20 March 1945.
Extracts from Log BooK
107 SquadroN
25th July 1942 Operation low-level to Sluiskill – 50ft, target located and bombed
19th August 1942 Operation Ford- Dieppe – Gun Positions to assist withdrawal of Raiding Force
22nd September 1942 Operation Sequedein-Lille Low-Level Air craft badly damaged by FLAK at Nieuport, abandoned raid - bombs jettisoned
6th December 1942 Operation Philips Works Eindhoven 4- 500 GP Target bombed 15.00 Nose damaged crossing Dutch coast on inward journey. Intercepted and attacked by FW190's 3 A/C (Boston's) Shot Down, Leading Bomb Aimer/Navigator for 10 Bostsons.
"Over the Colinjnaplaat two seagulls came through the nose of Flying Officer Philp Burley's aircraft injuring the Navigator Flying Officer Herbert l. Besford in the legs whilst at the same time the draught whisked his maps away. Besford directed his pilot form then on by memory. Twenty minutes later their Ventura was attacked by a BF109 when over Oost at 50feet. The enemy fighter made four separate attacks form the stern but no strikes were scored and the BF 109 was claimed as damaged by a five second burst from Flight Sergeant T. Smith, the rear ginner at 400 yards range." (Extract - The Reich Intruders by Martin W. Bowman page 140)
Sold with a copy of The Reich Intruders by Martin W. Bowman, RAF tie, anti-glare glasses in original Air Ministry case; a copy of the Complete Air Navigator by D.C.T. Bennett, named Besford to inside cover; Air Ministry Publication Meteorological Handbook for Navigators dated 1944; Meteorological Organisation, Reports, codes and weather maps for the RAF dated 1940 and Air Navigation Volume 1 RAF dated 1944. A pocket compass and copied London Gazette entries.
Estimate: £1500-1800