Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Lot 4995    Session 18 (2.30pm Friday)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Estimate $30,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $26,000

GROUP OF FIVE: Military Cross (GRI), with two Bars; British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45. First medal unnamed, Capt. A.K.Cowper. R.A.F. on second and third medals, 264491 A.K.Cowper. on last two medals. All named medals impressed. Mounted on display board, cleaned, very fine.

The as new timber and Perspex display frame featuring Capt Cowper's medals and a photo of him in his WWI uniform has been opened to enable viewing of naming details.

MC: LG 22/4/1918, p4825, posn 1, to T/2nd Lt Andrew King Cowper, Gen. List and R.F.C.

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Whilst leading a patrol of six machines he observed four hostile triplanes, one of which he attacked, succeeding in causing it to break up in the air. The remaining three enemy machines were destroyed by the rest of the patrol. On the return journey he encountered an enemy scout, and shepherding it by the most skilful piloting west of the lines, forced it to land undamaged on one of our aerodromes. On a later occasion, during three separate combats, he and his patrol brought down one machine completely out of control, and two others with their observers wounded, and later in the same day three other machines completely out of control. Previously to this he has assisted in destroying six other enemy scouts, displaying at all times the greatest courage and determination.

Bar to MC: LG 22/6/1918, p7397, to T/2nd Lt (T/Capt) Andrew King Cowper, MC, Gen. List and R.F.C.

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. Within a short period he has himself destroyed three enemy planes and has driven down four others completely out of control. During the recent operations he has further destroyed two hostile machines and has attacked in the most daring manner and with the greatest effect enemy troops and transport. On all occasions his gallantry and skill have been of the highest order. (MC gazetted 22 April 1918)

2nd Bar to MC: LG 22/6/1918, p7396, posn 1, to T/2nd Lt (T/Capt) Andrew King Cowper, MC, Gen. List and R.F.C.

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He bombed enemy troops who were entrenching, and caused great havoc and confusion. He made repeated and determined attacks, in spite of heavy hostile fire, and eventually forced the enemy to retire from their trench. He returned to his aerodrome for more bombs and ammunition, and, going out a second time, attacked enemy troops and transport and threw them into confusion. He went out on two other occasions on the same day with equal success. Later, while co-operating with an infantry attack, he obtained four direct hits with bombs on an encampment, and forced several parties of the enemy to retire from their front line. He showed magnificent dash and determination. (MC gazetted 22 April 1918; Bar to MC gazetted in this Gazette)

Andrew King Cowper, born 16Nov1898.

Appointments and Promotions - commissioned as Temp 2nd Lt on probation General List Royal Flying Corps 10May1917; Flg Off and confirmed in rank 12Aug1917; Temp Capt whilst so employed (Flight Commander) 24Mar1918; Lt (Temp Capt) 'Aeroplanes and Seaplanes' Royal Air Force 01Apr1918; relinquished acting rank of Capt on reduction of establishment 25Mar1919; Lt (Flying) transfer to Unemployed List 13Feb1920.

Record of Flying Action with No 24 Squadron, RAF

On D.H.5's

28Oct1917 1-D.III crashed (with 1 other pilot) (confirmed) at Ramscapelle.

09Nov1917 1-DIII out of control, at Beerst.

13Nov1917 1-DIII out of control. (2nd) 1-DIII out of control.

15Nov1917 1-DIII driven down.

06Dec1917 1 Alb.Scout driven down.

On S.E.5's

18Feb1918 D.F.W., Obs hit & driven down damaged, La fere. Pfaltz out of control, East of St Quentin. Rumpler, out of control (with 2 other pilots).

19Feb1918 D.F.W., Obs hit, forced to land, probably crashed (with 3 other pilots), at Bernot. Rumpler, in flames (with 2 other pilots) confirmed, Servais.

26Feb1918 F.Triplane, crashed, East of Laon. Pfaltz, forced to land our side, intact, at La Fere.

(Acting as Flight Commander on the preceding S.E.5 flights)

06Mar1918 Alb.Scout, out of control (with 1 other pilot) confirmed, at St Quentin.

08Mar1918 Rumpler, crashed (promoted Act/Flt Commander), at Bellenglise.

15Mar1918 Rumpler, crashed (with 2 other pilots), North of Premonte.

17Mar1918 Pfaltz, out of control, confirmed, South West of Ramicourt.

18Mar1918 Pfaltz, out of control, Itancourt.

21Mar1918 Alb.Scout, out of control, at South of Havrincourt. Rumpler, in flames.

23Mar1918 2/seater, crashed (with Bristol fighters), East of Matigny. Rumpler, crashed (with 2 other pilots), Nesle. Reconnaissance of the Somme area.

24Mar1918 2 bombs each on Pargny & Epanencourt Bdges. Former destroyed. 3 bombs on troops on Athies-Peronne Rd, 1 OK. 200 rounds also. Attacked by 30 E.A., two separated & driven down. Reconnaissance of Somme Bdges and Mons aerodrome.

25Mar1918 8 bombs & 150 rounds at troops etc, with good effect.

26Mar1918 4 bombs & 500 rounds at enemy in Carrepuis. Stampeded transport.

27Mar1918 16 bombs & 1,700 rounds at enemy troops. Held up enemy between Vauvillers & Harbonnieres for 3/4 of an hour, and again W of Rainecourt for 1/2 an hour. Forced enemy to evacuate trenches S of Sailly Laurette, and Scattered enemy E of Rosieres. 3 attacks on E.K.B. (Chaulnes).

28Mar1918 400 rounds, scattering enemy round Warfusee. 3 bombs, (1 OK) and 200 rounds at Infantry, and 1 bomb, OK on artillery on La Motte Cerisy Road. Reconnaissance, Warfusee - Marcelcave.

29Mar1918 2-seater crashed, at Warfusee. 4 bombs on Huns in trench (1 OK).

31Mar1918 700 rounds in attack on enemy N of Demuin. Drove them out of trenches, and back along road, leaving many casualties. Reconnaissance of front line - Somme - Moreuil.

01Apr1918 4 bombs & 500 rounds in counter attack N of Moreuil. Cleared enemy out of front line and engaged them in Wood for 1/2 an hour.

German aircraft - D.III (Pfalz), also Pfalz (on Cowper's record as Pfaltz) (biplane fighter aircraft); D.F.W. (reconnaissance aircraft); Rumpler (2-seater reconnaissance aircraft); Alb. Scout (Albatross D.III biplane fighter aircraft); F.Triplane (Fokker Dr.I Dreidecker triplane).

Andrew King Cowper was a descendent of William Cowper, the 18th century poet. He bore the second name of King and the nickname of 'King' because he was also a descendent of Philip Gidley King, third Governor of New South Wales (28 September 1800- August 1806). He was born at Bingara, NSW on 16 November 1898. He went to England for study and attended Eastbourne College, Sussex from 1913 to 1916. Seeking war service he joined the Royal Sussex Regiment before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps and being commissioned as Temp 2nd Lt on probation on 10 May 1917 and then, after qualifying as a pilot, was posted to 24 Squadron in France on 26 August 1917.

The squadron operated the D.H.5 and S.E.5a aircraft flying from the Amiens and Dunkirk districts against German air and ground forces. After a period as Acting Flight Commander Cowper was confirmed in the position and promoted Temporary Captain. During his time in the air he accounted for many enemy aircraft. He was awarded a Military Cross for his gallantry and devotion to duty. Then in the following three week period in March, he took out eight German aeroplanes on his own and another two with his fellow pilots. This earned him a Bar to his Military Cross for gallantry and skill. During the following two weeks he also created great havoc and confusion among German ground forces when he flew twenty ground-attacks and despite his aircraft being hit repeatedly by enemy fire he pushed home his attacks and luckily escaped injury. For these deeds he was awarded a second Bar to his Military Cross. He was posted to England in April 1918 and transferred to the new Royal Air Force. After the Armistice was signed, Captain Cowper was posted to 79 Sqn and served in Germany as part of the British Occupation of Germany. He was later posted to India. He resigned his commission on 13 February 1920 and then returned to Australia.

As a result of his exploits in the air, Andrew King Cowper was No 24 Sqn's fourth highest scoring Ace and with his tally of 19 victories was the fifth highest scoring Ace of Australians serving in the RFC, RANAS and RAF.

An interesting letter was received by Mrs Cowper in 1969 from Cross & Cockade, The Society of World War I Aero Historians, Ohio Chapter, by a historian researching the death of Hauptmann Adolf Ritter von Tutschek who was second only to the famous Manfred von Richthofen in measure of worth to the German Air Service. The German ace was killed in an aerial battle with 24 Sqn and according to the letter writer Cowper was one of two British airmen involved with his death. The writer had a lot of material translated from German and wanted to give it to Andrew Cowper because he felt it was a pity that Cowper did not know that he had been involved in 'bagging' such a big fish. Andrew Cowper or his wife did not reply to the letter.

Andrew Cowper took over Wiliga, the family sheep property near Coonamble, NSW and on 28 April 1924 married Miriam Goldberg at Randwick, NSW. He was Anglican and she was Jewish so they married at the Randwick district registry office, and later had two sons. Due to severe drought, the Cowper family were forced to leave the land and moved to Sydney where Miriam opened a florist shop in the city and Andrew became proprietor of Henderson & Co, seed and plant merchants and later they added a gladioli farm at Mona Vale.

During WWII Cowper enlisted in the RAAF on 23 February 1942 and attained the rank of Squadron Leader in the Administrative and Special Duties Branch. He was discharged on 2 March 1945, his posting at the time was to the flying boat base, RAAF Base Rathmines. His son, Leon, also served in the RAAF at the rank of Warrant Officer. Andrew King Cowper outlived his wife and two sons by several years. He died on 25 June 1980 at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick.

With extensive research.