British Groups

Lot 4908    Session 15 ( 7.30pm Thursday 20th November)    British Groups

Estimate $1,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $3,500

AFC GROUP OF SIX: Air Force Cross (GVR); 1914 Star, - clasp - 5th Aug.-22nd Nov.1914 (Mons clasp); British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19 with MID; Coronation Medal 1937; Iraq Active Service Medal, - clasp - 1930-31. Captain C.A.Wilcock on first medal, 1596 Pte C.A.B.B. Wilcock, 14/Lond:R on second medal, Capt. C.A.B.B.Wilcock, R.A.F. on third and fourth medals, the last two medals unnamed. The first medal engraved, the other named medals impressed. Very fine.

Together with embroidered RAF pilot wings (KC).

Ex J. and J. Edwards Collection.

AFC: Supplement to LG 3/6/1919, p7034, to Lt (A/Capt.) Clifford Arthur Bernard Bowman Wilcock (R.W. Surrey. R).

MID: no confirmation.

Born in Luton, Bedfordshire, Wilcock was educated at St Dunstan's College in Catford. He had joined the 14th London Regiment (London Scottish) in 1912 and served with them in the First World War, later transferring to the Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment. Wounded at Ypres, he was seconded into the Royal Flying Corps in June 1917 on his recovery, and he became a founding member of the Royal Air Force. He was awarded the Air Force Cross in 1919.

At the end of the war Wilcock studied engineering at the University of Edinburgh before rejoining the RAF with 208 Squadron in Egypt and Constantinople from 1921 to 1923. He alternated between home postings dealing with administration, and engineering work on RAF bases (including in Iraq until 1932). Among his posts was assisting at the Experimental Establishment in Felixstowe. From July 1935 he was on administrative duties at Ruislip, where he founded one of the first Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve Squadrons in 1937.

Retiring in September 1938 with the rank of Group Captain, he became a broker and underwriter at Lloyds of London. He was a Freeman of the City of London. On the outbreak of the Second World War he offered his services and was made an Air Ministry civil servant (Deputy Director of Manning), and ultimately rose to Senior Personnel Officer for RAF Transport Command. He was awarded the OBE in 1944.

A member of the Labor Party and the Fabian Society since 1921, Wilcock was chosen in February 1945 as one of the Labor candidates for Derby, a two-member constituency. He and his fellow candidate Philip Noel-Baker won the seat in the 1945 general election with majorities over 20,000. After the Boundary Commission split Derby into two single-member seats, Wilcock was elected for Derby North from 1950.

He specialised in aviation issues, and was Chairman of a departmental committee on training and recruitment for civil aviation from 1946 to 1949. He was also made a Director of several aviation companies, including Derby Aviation. Moderate in his politics, Wilcock was not a frequent speaker in the House of Commons, but he was respected for his knowledge of his subject. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and also developed an interest in health, being a member of the Medical Research Council and a Governor of Westminster Hospital. He died at Westminster on 14 January 1962.

With group photo and details and copy of gazette entry.