The particularly fine Second War immediate 'Augsburg Raid' D.F.C., D.F.M. group of seven...

The particularly fine Second War immediate ‘Augsburg Raid’ D.F.C., D.F.M. group of seven awarded to Hampden and Lancaster navigator, Warrant Officer F. S. Kirke, Royal New Zealand Air Force, a veteran of at least 41 operational sorties prior to taking part in the Augsburg Raid, including on one, 5 November 1941, when he suffered a fractured skull and severe burns. Kirke distinguished himself during the famous low-level unescorted daylight raid on the M.A.N. diesel factory at Augsburg, 17 April 1942, when in a Lancaster piloted by ‘Ginger’ Garwell. Their Lancaster was the only one of 44 Squadron to reach the target - other than the one flown by Squadron Leader J. D. Nettleton, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for the raid. Garwell’s ‘aircraft was hit badly in the fuselage as it ran in towards the target, but Kirke, lying face down over the bomb sight in the nose, cooly directed his pilot. The aircraft lifted as its bombs went but it was streaming fire and doomed. A couple of miles out of the city Garwell found an open field and accomplished a masterly crash-landing. Four of the stunned and shaken crew, Kirke among them, stumbled from the blazing wreck. The other three died. The survivors were captured.’ Kirke was taken prisoner of war, and interned at the infamous Stalag Luft III, Sagan. He became, ‘the first member of the RNZAF to wear the dual ribbons of the D.F.C. and D.F.M...’ Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1942’, and reverse additionally engraved ‘N.Z.39864 Sgt. F. S. Kirke RNZAF’; Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (N.Z.39864. Sgt. F. S. Kirke. R.N.Z.A.F.) suspension claw re-pinned, and loose; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; New Zealand War Service Medal, mounted as worn - the DFM in reverse, cleaned, generally nearly very fine or better (lot) £4,000-£6,000 --- D.F.C. London Gazette 5 June 1942. Jointly listed with Flying Officer 65503 A. J. Garwell, D.F.M. (for the award of the DFC), and Sergeants 778173 L. L. Dando and 999625 J. Watson (both for the award of the D.F..M.): ‘On 17th April, 1942, Flying Officer Garwell, Warrant Officer Kirke and Sergeants Dando and Watson were members of the crew of a Lancaster aircraft which took part in the daring daylight attack on Augsburg, involving a flight of some 1,000 miles across enemy territory. Soon after crossing the enemy's coast their aircraft was damaged in a running fight with 25 to 30 enemy fighters. Despite this they pressed on until the target area was reached. In the face off fierce and accurate anti-aircraft fire which further damaged the bomber and set it on fire the bombs were released on the objective. The task accomplished, it was necessary to make a forced landing in a field some 2 miles from the target. In the most harassing circumstances this very gallant crew displayed great fortitude and skill which has set a magnificent example.’ D.F.M. London Gazette 6 June 1941. The original recommendation states: ‘This N.C.O. has carried out a total of 24 operations against the enemy during the course of which he has completed 172 hours flying as Navigator. He has always shown the greatest keenness at his work. His navigation in all kinds of weather has been of the very highest order. Throughout all these operations, he has shown outstanding ability, determination and devotion to duty.’ Frank Skipworth Kirke was born in Wellington, New Zealand in March 1917, and was educated at Marlborough College, Blenheim. He enlisted in the Royal New Zealand Air Force at Ohakea as a Leading Aircraftman in October 1939, advanced to Temporary Sergeant, and embarked for the UK in April 1940. Kirke was posted for training as a Navigator to No. 12 O.T.U. in June 1940, before briefly being posted to 106 Squadron in September 1940. He was posted for operational flying to 83 Squadron, 6 October 1940, and then on to 61 Squadron, 17 March 1941. Kirke was awarded the D.F.M. for his service with 83 Squadron, and the following is given in Night After Night: New Zealanders in Bomber Command by M. Lambert: ‘On the otherhand, Kirke, 25, was vastly experienced [by the time he joined 44 Squadron - February 1942] and held the D.F.M. He’d enlisted in the RNZAF in October 1939, and by May 1941 had flown 34 ops on Hampdens, 25 with 83 Squadron, the rest with 61 Squadron. He’d been decorated after all that, the citation saying his navigation ‘has been of the very highest order’. After five months instructing he was posted to 455 Squadron, RAAF, also on Hampdens. He did four trips with 455 before surviving a nasty crash on Guy Fawkes Day 1941, which left him with a fractured skull and burns. Recovered after four months, he joined 44, completing three ops on Lancasters before the Augsburg raid.’ Kirke wrote to his sister about his investiture at Buckingham Palace, 5 October 1941: ‘There was nothing in it really. I just staggered up to the King, he stuck the medal on my chest and away I went... There was the usual crowd of sightseers floating around outside the main gates so I sailed passed in lordly disdain inside the taxi... Naturally all the women were staring at the heroes and all the fellows were wish it was over so they could go and have a beer.... All the crowd cheered and created hell so I sneaked smartly into the nearest pub and did a spot of steady drinking....’ Kirke had advanced to Flight Sergeant in September 1941, and to Warrant Officer in April 1942. He served as an instructor at No. 25 O.T.U., Finningley, at the same time as A. J. Garwell [whose D.F.C., D.F.M. group was sold as part of the Ron Penhall Collection, in these rooms in September 2006]- whom he was to be later crewed up with at 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron for the Augsburg Raid. In November 1941, Garwell joined the ‘Intensive Flying (Lancaster) Flight’ at Boscombe Down, at which establishment he flew on occasion as 2nd Pilot to Squadron Leader J. D. Nettleton, a timely encounter for before too long they would be flying alongside each other in the Lancasters of 44 Squadron and, more significantly, in the famous daylight raid on Augsburg. By that stage - April 1942 - the recently commissioned Garwell had flown two further sorties to Germany with his new unit and had very much become Nettleton’s right-hand man. On the way out to dispersal in a squadron truck for the Augsburg raid, the pair of them agreed that they would not take evasive action if attacked by fighters, but rather hold their course. As Garwell put it, “The only thing to do is press straight on and keep flat on the ground. If anyone gets crippled I suggest he throttles back and belly-lands straight ahead.” Kirke was one of two Kiwis to fly on the Augsburg Raid. The Augsburg Daylight Raid, 17 April 1942 No better account of this extremely gallant enterprise may be quoted than that written by Chaz Bowyer in For Valour, The Air VCs: ‘At 3.12 p.m. John Nettleton lifted Lancaster R5508 ‘B’ off the Waddington runway, followed by six other Lancasters from 44 Squadron. Once all were airborne and beginning to close up in tight formation, the last Lancaster to leave circled and returned to base, being simply a reserve machine to slot into any gap at the start of the sortie. The remaining six aircraft settled into two Vics of three as they drummed low across Lincolnshire heading southwards. In front Nettleton had Warrant Officer G. T. Rhodes in Lancaster L7536 ‘H’ to his left, and Flying Officer J. Garwell, D.F.M. in R5510 ‘A’ to starboard. The second Vic close behind was led by Flight Lieutenant N. Sandford in R5506 ‘P’...