A fine Great War 1918 'French theatre' S.E.5a fighter Ace's D.F.C. group of eight awarded...

A fine Great War 1918 ‘French theatre’ S.E.5a fighter Ace’s D.F.C. group of eight awarded to Lieutenant, later Group Captain, G. R. ‘Bill’ Hicks, 74 (Tiger) Squadron, Royal Air Force, late 28th (County of London) Battalion, (Artist’s Rifles), London Regiment. Hicks’ final tally amounted to 8, accounting for 2 enemy aircraft in one day on two separate occasions. Amongst that number was one of the rare Siemens Schuckert DIV’s. Hicks was wounded in action, 2 October 1918, and after the war raced aircraft at Hendon Distinguished Flying Cross, G.V.R., reverse engraved ‘Lieut. G. R. Hicks R.A.F.’; British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. G. R. Hicks. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal; Coronation 1937, unnamed as issued, pre-WW2 awards mounted for wear, generally good very fine (lot) £5,000-£6,000 --- D.F.C. London Gazette 3 June 1919 (France). George Rensburg ‘Bill’ Hicks was born in Woodford, London in January 1899. He was the son of a former soldier and Police Inspector, and was educated at St. Peter’s National School, Chingford. Hicks enlisted as a Private in the 2/28th (County of London) Battalion (Artist’s Rifles), London Regiment, 14 August 1915. He transferred as to the Royal Flying Corps in November 1917, and after initial training as a pilot was posted for operational flying to 74 Squadron (S.E.5a’s) in France. The Squadron, under the command of the Major K. L. Caldwell, and initially with Flight Commanders of the calibre of ‘Mick’ Mannock, V.C., were posted overseas in March 1918. The flew their first offensive patrol on 12 April 1918, with Hicks racking up the following score between 15 July - 26 September 1918: 15 July: Fokker DVII, S. E. Roulers, Forced Down Out of Control. 24 July: DFW.C, Lestrem, Destroyed in Flames. 19 August: DFW.C, Ploegsteert Wood, Destroyed (Shared with Lieutenant H. G. Shoemaker, Air Service, United States Army, attached R.A.F., and an ‘Ace’) 5 September: Fokker DVII, S. Cambrai, Destroyed. 5 September: Fokker DVII, W. Lille, Forced Down Out of Control. 24 September: SSDIV, 3m E. Armentieres, Forced Down Out of Control. 24 September: Rumpler C, Capinghem, Destroyed (Shared with Captain B. ‘Dad’ Roxburgh-Smith, D.F.C. and Bar, 22 Victory ‘Ace’, who had flown with Mannock and was Hicks’ flight commander). 26 September: DFW.C, 3m S. E. Armentieres, Destroyed (Shared with Roxburgh-Smith). Hicks’ final tally amounted to 8, accounting for 2 aircraft in one day on two separate occasions. Amongst that number was one of the rare Siemens Schuckert DIV’s. Hicks was wounded in action whilst flying an offensive patrol over Vlamertinghe, 2 October 1918. In July 1919, Hicks competed at the London Aerodrome, Hendon, in a 20 mile cross-country handicap race for the Hendon Trophy and £30. He flew a Grahame-White biplane, and came in 4th. After the war he transferred to the R.A.F. Reserve of Officers and advanced to Squadron Leader by 1939. Hicks re-engaged for service during the Second World War and advanced to Group Captain. In later life he resided at 28 Mostyn Avenue, West Kirby, Cheshire and was still employed by the Air Ministry at the time of his death in November 1951. Sold with Second War campaign medal enclosure, and a number of photographs of recipient - including seated in the cockpit of his S.E.5a in France.