Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Lot 4560    Session 14 (4.30pm)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Estimate $1,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $2,500

GROUP OF FOUR TO AUSTRALIAN TEST PILOT KILLED: Air Force Cross (GVIR) (GRI) with Bar; Defence Medal 1939-45; War Medal 1939-45; Coronation Medal 1937. 1939 impressed on reverse of bottom arm of cross and 1942 engraved on reverse of Bar, other medals unnamed. Many contact marks on bottom arm of cross, otherwise very fine.

Together with official Royal Mint case for AFC. Recipients name written on lid lining in red ink.

AFC: King's Birthday Honours, LG 8/6/1939, p3874, posn 1 to Flt Lt J W McGuire.

Bar to AFC: LG 11/6/1942, p2515, posn 1, to Wing Commander J W McGuire, since deceased.

Australian, John William McGuire joined RAAF then transferred to RAF; Pilot Officer 14Mar1938, LG 29Mar1938, p2091; permanent commission at Flight Lt 14Aug1939, LG 26Sep1939, p6503; Sqn Ldr LG 02Jan1940, p2515; to temp Wg Cdr LG 09Sep1941, p5219; killed 24Mar1942 in test flying accident, commemorated at Supplementary panel 12 in Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

Wg Cdr J W McGuire, OC Peformance Test Sqn A&AEE, flying a Consolidated Liberator Mk II AL546, took off from Boscombe Down, Wilts, crashed at Lytchett Minster, Dorset. The performance test flight involved partial climbs. Electrical faults were experienced then starboard outer engine overspeeded and caught fire. The crew, unable to operate the fire extinguishers, were ordered by the Wing Commander to bale out. All did so sucessfully first before the aircraft began to disintegrate. Wng Cdr McGuire was unable to bale out and died in the crash.

With research.