WORLD WAR II - GUY GIBSON AND PHOTOGRAPHY GIBSON (GUY) Typed memorandum signed ('Guy Gibson'), a...

WORLD WAR II - GUY GIBSON AND PHOTOGRAPHY GIBSON (GUY) Typed memorandum signed ('Guy Gibson'), as Wing Commander Commanding No. 106 Squadron, R.A.F.) addressed to the 'N.C.O. i/c Photo Section, No. 106 Squadron', praising his squadron 'for the most successful week any squadron could ever have enjoyed', in the aftermath of a daylight bombing of Le Creusot and destruction of 'the Italian Port of Genoa, and we have made the Italians think in Milan', and extolling the 'excellent spirit, the excellent co-operation, and the excellent understanding between the aircrews and the ground crews', noting in particular that 'Practically all the photographs of these great raids show that each pilot individually bombed the right target...', one page, printed in red, ink name of 'Sgt. Appleby' upper right, 8vo, 26 October 1942; pasted into a scrap album belonging to, and relating to the career of, John A. Appleby, who served in the R.A.F. Photo Unit attached to No. 106 Squadron during the war. Other items pasted in the album include: A printed memorandum from the Electrical Officer of No. 106 Squadron, authorising Appleby to 'operate the Ground Flight Switch after aircraft have been bombed, for the purpose of testing the camera equipment...', 30 July 1943 Approximately 20 gelatin silver photographs, including 5 aerial photos of England (presumably taken for training purposes), and many of Appleby, several in uniform during his training and in service with the R.A.F. Newspaper cuttings with images of Appleby's prize winning photographs (mostly of bathing scenes), ephemera and correspondence relating to his work for Agfa Photo Ltd., and, after the war, Kodak Ltd., and various personal items mostly pasted in, some photos and correspondence loose, album sheets frayed, original upper wrapper loose, lower missing, folio, c.1936-1947 Footnotes: 'THIS LAST WEEK HAS BEEN THE MOST SUCCESSFUL WEEK ANY SQUADRON COULD EVER HAVE ENJOYED... The Aircrafts Fly, and the Fly Well.... The Ground Crews Have Surpassed all Expectations in their Superhuman Job' - a memorandum of gratitude and praise signed Guy Gibson, as Wing Commander of No. 106 Squadron, addressed to Sergeant Appleby, as the Squadron's 'N.C.O., i/c Photo Section', stating 'I want to make it quite clear that the only persons who know how hard you have worked are myself and my aircrews' and that he is 'very proud that we all serve together with the same crack team'. In April 1942 Gibson, aged just 23 and already a veteran of over 40 operations, assumed command of 106 Squadron with the rank of Wing Commander, and with his 'energy and, on occasion, ruthlessness quickly lifted the performance of the squadron..., and within months 106 Squadron was regarded as the top-performing 5 group squadron, on the evidence of target photographs' (ODNB). His memorandum makes note of the squadron's successful bombing of the Schneider Steel Works at Le Creusot on 17 October, the bombing of Genoa on 22 October, and two days later a further raid on Milan 'without the loss of a single crew'. Following the end of his tour with 106 Squadron in March 1943, Gibson was recruited to lead the 'Dambusters' raid on 16 May, for which he won the Victoria Cross and attained his legendary status. The album was compiled by John A. Appleby, who served with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve as a photographer from April 1939 to September 1945, and was cited twice in Despatches 'for distinguished service'. The album provides a record of his fascinating journey from pre-war days as a jobbing photographer (in an article on 'Bathing-pool Photography' he prefigures his later role as aerial photographer suggesting his female bathers 'provide the high-speed worker with an ideal subject in securing diving shots'), gaining a position at Agfa Photo in Ltd. in 1938 (during which time he was sent for training in Berlin) to his wartime role, and subsequent employment with Kodak which he joined 2 months after leaving the R.A.F. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing