Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Lot 3684    Session 12 (11.30am Thursday 26 March)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Estimate $2,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $2,200

GROUP OF FIVE TO POW AND CATERPILLAR CLUB MEMBER: 1939-45 Star; Aircrew Europe Star; Defence Medal 1939-45; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45. First two medals unnamed, 421743 J.A Marshall on the other medals. All named medals impressed. Display mounted, very fine and rare POW group.

Together with:

1. Gold Caterpillar Club badge (ruby red eyes), reverse inscribed, 'W/OJAMarshall', awarded for parachuting out of his Lancaster Bomber on the Nuremburg Raid.

2. Caterpillar Club Certificate of Membership from the Irvin Parachute Company named to F/SGT J.A. Marshall and signed by the Hon.Sec European Division.

3. Marshall 's original, embroidered WW2 RAAF AG (Air Gunner) brevet.

4. Original clear quality photograph of Marshall and Bomber Crew in front of bomber.

5. Original rare RAAF publication titled 'Bailing Out' Demobilisation booklet.

6. Marshall's RAAF Observer's Air Gunner's and W/T Operator's Flying Log Book dated 16th Oct 1942 - 30th March 1944 with prolific entries of Bombing/Training etc, Last Entry, 'Missing Nurnburg' 30-3-44 (German spelling of Nuremberg is Nurnburg).

7. Photographs of Lt Wilhelm Seuss the German Night Fighter Ace who shot Marshall down. (Also includes personal letters written by Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Suess recounting the action some 50 yrs later.)

8. Extensive research file in folder also includes copies of letters, files, German records of Lt Wilhelm Seuss, official records of the Nurembug action, photos.

9. Original newspaper clipping of RAAF Casualty List which lists Marshall as Missing Presumed Dead. This is prior to the discovery of him being found to be a POW.

John Anthony Marshall, clerk, born 07Aug1922 at Geelong, Victoria; Enl. 28Mar1942 in RAAF and to Bradfield Park Depot for training as Wireless Operator Air Gunner; to 2 Wireless Air Gunnery School Parkes NSW 28May1942 then to 2 Bombing Air Gunnery School Port Pirie S.A. 14Nov1942; Emb.11Dec1942 Depot Bradfield Park for England; to 10 Advanced Flying Unit 18May1943; promoted to Sgt 10Jun1943; to 82 Operational Training Unit 22Jun1943 and then to 1651 Conversion Unit 26Nov1943; to 31 Base Unit 01Jan1944; operations Europe from RAF Ludford Magna, Lincolnshire, UK with 101 Lancaster Bomber Squadron from 02Mar1944; W/O Marshall participated in bombing operational sorties over Stuttgart, Frankfurt, Berlin, Essen and finally the famous raid on Nuremburg; on the night of 30Mar1944 W/O Marshall took off from RAF Ludford Magna in ME618 SR-J Lancaster Bomber for the biggest raid of the war by Bomber Command, the Bombing of Nuremburg. W/O Marshall's plane was shot down by ME 110 IV/NJG5 Night Fighter piloted by famous German Night Fighter Ace, Lt Wilhelm Seuss. This was Seuss's 5th victory of the night. The plane crashed on fire at Simmershausem, three kilometres from Hilders, three airmen were Killed in Action and four parachuted to safety. W/O Marshall parachuted from the doomed aircraft and landed on the roof of a house in the village and was immediately attacked by irate German villagers. Subsequently W/O Marshall was taken as a Prisoner of War (POW) sent to Stalag Luft 6; then to Stalag Luft 357 Thorne on the 28Jul1944; Stalag 357 Falling Bostal 19Aug1944 where he remained until released on 08Apr1945. W/O Marshall was repatriated to Eastbourne, England 05May1945; Disch.27Sep1945 at Sydney.

The 101 Lancaster Bomber Squadron suffered the heaviest losses of any squadron taking part in the Nuremburg raid with seven of it's aircraft and 56 of it's crew missing.