Lot

103

An outstanding Second War Coastal Command Immediate D.F.M. group of four awarded to Flight...

In Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

This auction is live! You need to be registered and approved to bid at this auction.
You have been outbid. For the best chance of winning, increase your maximum bid.
Your bid or registration is pending approval with the auctioneer. Please check your email account for more details.
Unfortunately, your registration has been declined by the auctioneer. You can contact the auctioneer on +44 (0) 20 7016 1700 for more information.
You are the current highest bidder! To be sure to win, log in for the live auction broadcast on or increase your max bid.
Leave a bid now! Your registration has been successful.
Sorry, bidding has ended on this item. We have thousands of new lots everyday, start a new search.
Bidding on this auction has not started. Please register now so you are approved to bid when auction starts.
An outstanding Second War Coastal Command Immediate D.F.M. group of four awarded to Flight...
Interested in the price of this lot?
Subscribe to the price guide
London
An outstanding Second War Coastal Command Immediate D.F.M. group of four awarded to Flight Sergeant J. S. ‘Jack’ Garnett, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve As Second Pilot to Flying Officer J. A. Cruickshank in a Catalina of 210 Squadron on 17 July 1944, Garnett’s name is indelibly linked to one of the finest Victoria Cross actions of the war: but for his own stoicism in facing off his wounds and taking over the controls, none of his crew would have reached safety Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1390283 F/Sgt. J. S. Garnett. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, mounted for wearing, nearly extremely fine (4) £14,000-£18,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- D.F.M. London Gazette 29 September 1944. The original recommendation states: ‘This N.C.O. was the Second Pilot of a Catalina aircraft which sighted and attacked a fully surfaced U-boat on the 19 July 1944. The attack was pressed home at a very low altitude by the Captain in the face of heavy and intense flak which killed the navigator/bomb aimer outright, severely wounded the Captain and front gunner as well as slightly wounding Flight Sergeant Garnett. Immediately after the attack the Captain collapsed in his seat. Flight Sergeant Garnett, promptly took over the controls, righted the aircraft and climbed into a fog patch ahead of him. From then on Flight Sergeant Garnett assumed the captaincy of the damaged aircraft and organised the crew for the homeward journey of five hours. Although not qualified as a First Pilot on Catalinas he brought the damaged aircraft safely back to base and successfully landed it in difficult water conditions (glassy calm) in the half light of early morning. Owing to the damage sustained to the hull, it was necessary to effect an immediate beaching, which operation he conducted with conspicuous success and beach it finally in an extremely well chosen spot. From the moment he took charge he handled the situation in the manner of an experienced First Pilot. By his prompt action immediately after the attack, his skill in flying the aircraft back to base without a navigator, his successful landing and well-judged beaching he undoubtedly saved the lives of his crew and was responsible for the safe return of his aircraft.’ John Stanley Garnett was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire on 4 November 1911. Joining the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, he was selected for pilot training and qualified for his ‘Wings’ in Canada, in addition to attending a navigation course at Pensacola, Florida. He subsequently joined the strength of Coastal Command’s 210 Squadron in early 1944 and, by the time of the above related action, had completed about 100 hours of operational flying. And that action is best summarised in Chaz Bowyer’s For Valour – The Air VCs: ‘ … At 1.45 p.m. Cruickshank got airborne from the Sollom Voe base to start a patrol calculated to last at least 14 hours. For the next eight hours the Catalina swept its patrol area, seeing little of importance, and its crew were reaching the point of thinking ahead to the return to base at the end of yet another monotonous sortie. Then, at 9.45 p.m. the radar showed a contact at 6821N, 0556E, - a surface vessel some 43 miles ahead. The flying boat at that moment was flying at 2000 feet above the ocean and Cruickshank’s immediate reaction to the sighting report was to approach the unidentified ‘contact’. Further on he suddenly saw the vessel - a submarine, doing approximately 14 knots on the surface. At first the crew thought it must be a ‘friendly’ sub, but Cruickshank ordered a recognition cartridge to be fired and the code letter of the day to be flashed to the submarine to ensure identification. His answer was an immediate heavy box barrage of flak - it was a German U-boat. Cruickshank’s response was to pull the Catalina into a complete circuit around the U-boat and begin his first run-in, descending from 1,000 feet to 50 feet as he nosed towards his target. At 1,000 yards’ range the Catalina’s front gunner commenced firing to make the German gunners take cover, and his tracers splashed around the submarine’s conning tower and ricocheted away in crazy parabolas; then the waist blister guns joined in the attack. Roaring over the U-boat the Catalina’s depth charges failed to release, so Cruickshank turned to port, climbing to 800 feet and continuing his turn to begin a second attack. Shouting to his crew “Everybody ready?” Cruickshank paused to hear the responses and then yelled, “In we go again.” The U-boat was now nearly stationary, giving its gunners a more stable platform as they prepared for the Catalina’s second attack. Flak shells began to slash along the flanks of the flying boat as it bore in; then as the U-boat came directly under Cruickshank’s vision, one shell exploded inside the Catalina, creating havoc. The navigator, Dickson, was killed instantly, Appleton [an Air Guner] was hit in the head by shrapnel, and Harbison [the Flight Engineer] wounded in both legs. In front of Garnett’s second pilot seat the windscreen shattered, and further inside a fire broke out. Cruickshank received wounds in both legs and his chest, but gave no indication of his injuries, intent as he was on completing his attack. From 50 feet above the U-boat Cruickshank personally released a stick of six depth charges in a perfect straddle of the submarine, then pulled up into the clouds of sea fog ahead of him. The aircraft crew saw no more of their target, but behind them the U-347, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Johnann de Bugr, was rapidly sinking - Cruickshank’s aim had been true. U-347 had been one of an Arctic flotilla, and this was only her second patrol. In the Catalina, the crew took stock of the damage and crew injuries. The hull was riddled with flak damage, with a foot-long gash along the waterline. The aircraft radar set was out of commission, and one of the main petrol lines was leaking fuel steadily. The latter was particularly worrying; in their immediate location, 190-degrees west of the Lofoten Isles, north-west of Norway, the crew realised that it was at least five hours’ flying back to base at Sullum Voe. The various holes in the main hull were stuffed with various canvas engine covers and ‘Mae West’ preserver life jackets by various crew members; while up front Garnett took over the controls from Cruickshank and told Appleton to come and tend to the skipper’s wounds. Appleton began to cut away the legs of Cruickshank’s uniform trousers to staunch the obvious flow of blood, and then Cruickshank’s face went white and he fainted. Garnett and Appleton managed to lower the unconscious pilot from his seat and carried him aft to the only remaining unburned rest bunk; then Garnett returned to his forward seat. Appleton began to dress Cruickshank’s leg wounds and only then discovered the several chest wounds suffered by his captain - Cruickshank had not said anything about these. As the pilot regained consciousness soon after, he immediately made a move to go forward to his seat at the controls, being anxious about the fuel state, but Appleton restrained him gently, explaining that Garnett had everything under control there. Cruickshank’s next thought was for his navigator, but from the look on Appleton’s face, realised that Dickson must be dead already; indeed, he must have unconsciously known this after the explosion in the aircraft during the second ...
An outstanding Second War Coastal Command Immediate D.F.M. group of four awarded to Flight Sergeant J. S. ‘Jack’ Garnett, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve As Second Pilot to Flying Officer J. A. Cruickshank in a Catalina of 210 Squadron on 17 July 1944, Garnett’s name is indelibly linked to one of the finest Victoria Cross actions of the war: but for his own stoicism in facing off his wounds and taking over the controls, none of his crew would have reached safety Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1390283 F/Sgt. J. S. Garnett. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, mounted for wearing, nearly extremely fine (4) £14,000-£18,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- D.F.M. London Gazette 29 September 1944. The original recommendation states: ‘This N.C.O. was the Second Pilot of a Catalina aircraft which sighted and attacked a fully surfaced U-boat on the 19 July 1944. The attack was pressed home at a very low altitude by the Captain in the face of heavy and intense flak which killed the navigator/bomb aimer outright, severely wounded the Captain and front gunner as well as slightly wounding Flight Sergeant Garnett. Immediately after the attack the Captain collapsed in his seat. Flight Sergeant Garnett, promptly took over the controls, righted the aircraft and climbed into a fog patch ahead of him. From then on Flight Sergeant Garnett assumed the captaincy of the damaged aircraft and organised the crew for the homeward journey of five hours. Although not qualified as a First Pilot on Catalinas he brought the damaged aircraft safely back to base and successfully landed it in difficult water conditions (glassy calm) in the half light of early morning. Owing to the damage sustained to the hull, it was necessary to effect an immediate beaching, which operation he conducted with conspicuous success and beach it finally in an extremely well chosen spot. From the moment he took charge he handled the situation in the manner of an experienced First Pilot. By his prompt action immediately after the attack, his skill in flying the aircraft back to base without a navigator, his successful landing and well-judged beaching he undoubtedly saved the lives of his crew and was responsible for the safe return of his aircraft.’ John Stanley Garnett was born in Barnet, Hertfordshire on 4 November 1911. Joining the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, he was selected for pilot training and qualified for his ‘Wings’ in Canada, in addition to attending a navigation course at Pensacola, Florida. He subsequently joined the strength of Coastal Command’s 210 Squadron in early 1944 and, by the time of the above related action, had completed about 100 hours of operational flying. And that action is best summarised in Chaz Bowyer’s For Valour – The Air VCs: ‘ … At 1.45 p.m. Cruickshank got airborne from the Sollom Voe base to start a patrol calculated to last at least 14 hours. For the next eight hours the Catalina swept its patrol area, seeing little of importance, and its crew were reaching the point of thinking ahead to the return to base at the end of yet another monotonous sortie. Then, at 9.45 p.m. the radar showed a contact at 6821N, 0556E, - a surface vessel some 43 miles ahead. The flying boat at that moment was flying at 2000 feet above the ocean and Cruickshank’s immediate reaction to the sighting report was to approach the unidentified ‘contact’. Further on he suddenly saw the vessel - a submarine, doing approximately 14 knots on the surface. At first the crew thought it must be a ‘friendly’ sub, but Cruickshank ordered a recognition cartridge to be fired and the code letter of the day to be flashed to the submarine to ensure identification. His answer was an immediate heavy box barrage of flak - it was a German U-boat. Cruickshank’s response was to pull the Catalina into a complete circuit around the U-boat and begin his first run-in, descending from 1,000 feet to 50 feet as he nosed towards his target. At 1,000 yards’ range the Catalina’s front gunner commenced firing to make the German gunners take cover, and his tracers splashed around the submarine’s conning tower and ricocheted away in crazy parabolas; then the waist blister guns joined in the attack. Roaring over the U-boat the Catalina’s depth charges failed to release, so Cruickshank turned to port, climbing to 800 feet and continuing his turn to begin a second attack. Shouting to his crew “Everybody ready?” Cruickshank paused to hear the responses and then yelled, “In we go again.” The U-boat was now nearly stationary, giving its gunners a more stable platform as they prepared for the Catalina’s second attack. Flak shells began to slash along the flanks of the flying boat as it bore in; then as the U-boat came directly under Cruickshank’s vision, one shell exploded inside the Catalina, creating havoc. The navigator, Dickson, was killed instantly, Appleton [an Air Guner] was hit in the head by shrapnel, and Harbison [the Flight Engineer] wounded in both legs. In front of Garnett’s second pilot seat the windscreen shattered, and further inside a fire broke out. Cruickshank received wounds in both legs and his chest, but gave no indication of his injuries, intent as he was on completing his attack. From 50 feet above the U-boat Cruickshank personally released a stick of six depth charges in a perfect straddle of the submarine, then pulled up into the clouds of sea fog ahead of him. The aircraft crew saw no more of their target, but behind them the U-347, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Johnann de Bugr, was rapidly sinking - Cruickshank’s aim had been true. U-347 had been one of an Arctic flotilla, and this was only her second patrol. In the Catalina, the crew took stock of the damage and crew injuries. The hull was riddled with flak damage, with a foot-long gash along the waterline. The aircraft radar set was out of commission, and one of the main petrol lines was leaking fuel steadily. The latter was particularly worrying; in their immediate location, 190-degrees west of the Lofoten Isles, north-west of Norway, the crew realised that it was at least five hours’ flying back to base at Sullum Voe. The various holes in the main hull were stuffed with various canvas engine covers and ‘Mae West’ preserver life jackets by various crew members; while up front Garnett took over the controls from Cruickshank and told Appleton to come and tend to the skipper’s wounds. Appleton began to cut away the legs of Cruickshank’s uniform trousers to staunch the obvious flow of blood, and then Cruickshank’s face went white and he fainted. Garnett and Appleton managed to lower the unconscious pilot from his seat and carried him aft to the only remaining unburned rest bunk; then Garnett returned to his forward seat. Appleton began to dress Cruickshank’s leg wounds and only then discovered the several chest wounds suffered by his captain - Cruickshank had not said anything about these. As the pilot regained consciousness soon after, he immediately made a move to go forward to his seat at the controls, being anxious about the fuel state, but Appleton restrained him gently, explaining that Garnett had everything under control there. Cruickshank’s next thought was for his navigator, but from the look on Appleton’s face, realised that Dickson must be dead already; indeed, he must have unconsciously known this after the explosion in the aircraft during the second ...

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Sale Date(s)
Venue Address
16 Bolton Street
London
W1J 8BQ
United Kingdom

General delivery information available from the auctioneer

If you are successful in purchasing lot/s being auctioned by us and opt for the item/s to be sent to you, we will use the following methods of shipment:

Within the UK
If you live within the UK, items will be despatched using Royal Mail Special Delivery. This service provides parcel tracking (via the Royal Mail website) and next weekday delivery (betwen 9am and 1pm). Items delivered within the UK are covered by our insurance company. Heavy and bulky lots will be sent by courier, in discussion with the client.

Outside of the UK
If the item/s being sent are worth under £1000 in total they are sent using Royal Mail’s Signed For International service. This ensures the item must be signed for when it is delivered.
If the item/s being sent are valued at over £1000 in total they will be sent using FedEx. This service allows next day delivery to customers in many parts of the US and parcels are fully trackable using the FedEx website.

Shipping Exceptions
Certain lots such as those containing glass or sharp implements, etc., may not be suitable for in-house shipping within or outside of the UK. Please contact Noonans with any queries.

Important Information

Auctioneer's Buyers Premium: 24% (+VAT)

There is an additional charge of 4.95% (+VAT/sales tax) 

Terms & Conditions

See Full Terms And Conditions

Tags: Deutsch, Victoria Cross, Military Medal, Medal, Badges, Medals & Pins, Militaria, Military Patch, Military Patches, Military Uniform, projectile, Uniform, Bomb, Patch