Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Lot 1124    Session 5 (2:30pm Tuesday 26th July)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Estimate $12,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $10,500

AIR FORCE CROSS FOR KOREA GROUP OF TWELVE: Air Force Cross (GVIR); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, - clasp - France and Germany; Burma Star; Defence Medal 1939-45; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45; Korea Medal 1951 with King's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air; United Nations Korea Medal 1951; Air Efficiency Award (GVIR); Bomber Command Medal; BCOF (Occupation of Japan) Medal. The year 1952 on first medal, 404469 J K McDonald on second to seventh medals, 011330 J.K.McDonald on eighth and ninth medals, 404469 McDonald J.K. on tenth medal, J.K.McDonald. on last medal. The first medal engraved on lower arm of cross, the tenth medal engraved, eleventh medal unnamed, all other medals impressed. Swing mounted, very fine and an important and rare group.

Ex Noble Numismatics Sale 79 (lot 2291) Ross Sutton Collection.

Together with Officers Warrant; Signaller bullion Mess Dress wing and miniature medals, excluding last two unofficial medals, mounted below a photo of McDonald wearing an AG wing, his original qualification, all in timber frame; photos of seaplanes and also of McDonald at Australian Joint Anti-Submarine School; NSW Birth Certificate; Certificate of Commendation for Meritorious Service in the Air glued at one end into log book, also official Citation for the award; a timber plaque (13x18.5cm) with inset bronze medal (75mm) and below a metal plate inscribed 'Sqn. Ldr. J.K.McDonald/Participant In/"Operation Westbound"/Around The World Flight/Of Three/R.A.A.F. - Lockheed Neptune P2V-5S/February 20 - April 4, 1957'; Department of Air Defence (Certification of Deaths) Regulations; Certificate of Death on Service inserted in a large, official album containing several photographs of the funeral of the RAAF members who died in the air crash 04Feb1959 as well as photos of the memorials to them; original log books (2), final entry in log book reads, 'After carrying out E.C.M. trials with sabres, aircraft crashed at 1117 hours when a fire caused the starboard wing to collapse. All occupants were killed instantly.'

AFC: LG 3/10/1952, p5211, posn 6; CAG 9/10/1952, p3993, posn 6.

Citation: Flight Lieutenant J.K. McDonald has been flying continuously with No.30 (Transport) Unit on air transport support missions in this theatre since the outbreak of hostilities. For his services whilst flying in the early stages of those operations he was awarded a Commendation for Meritorious Service in the Air. Since then he has continued to give outstanding service and during the twenty months' tour of duty he has flown fourteen hundred hours during which he has completed more than two hundred missions to Korea. Such a sustained effort whilst flying is praise worthy to the highest degree and is in keeping with the best traditions of the Royal Australian Air Force.'

King's Commendation: LG 6/7/1951, p3687, posn 35; CAG 19/7/1951, p1809, posn 43.

Citation: Since the commencement of the Korean campaign Flight Lieutenant McDonald has flown a total of three hundred and forty-three hours as signaller in a Dakota aircraft throughout Japan and Korea. He has carried out his duties as signaller in a commendable manner. He has flown a total of 1532 hours.

Air Efficiency Award: unable to confirm.

Joseph Kevin McDonald, born 24Sep1916 at Murwillumbah, NSW; Enl.13Sep1940 at Brisbane, Qld; posting at war's end with No 86 Sqn; Korea service: 12-20Oct1950 with No 77 (Fighter) Sqn, 20Oct1950-04Nov1951 with No 30 Communication Unit, 05Nov1951-28Apr1952 with No 30 Transport Unit; presented with AFC by His Excellency the Governor of Queensland at Government House, Brisbane on 23Feb1953; served in Canada, Australia, England, Egypt 1939-45, Japan and Korea during 1950-52; Died on Service during a test flight 04Feb1959 when a Neptune reconnaissance aircraft crashed at RAAF Base Richmond, NSW and all seven members of the crew were killed and such was the devastation of the aircraft that individual identification was not possible.

Those killed were, Squadron Leader Geoffrey Ronald Cullen (Captain-Pilot), Squadron Leader Joseph Kevin McDonald AFC (Signaller), Flight Lieutenant Robert Alfred de Russett Kydd (Navigator), Flying Officer Frederick John Wood (Signaller), Pilot Officer George Ivan Holmes (Co-Pilot), Pilot Officer Terence Patrick O'Sullivan (Signaller), Warrant Officer Vincent Joseph McCarthy (Signaller), and Sergeant John Michael Rock (Navigator).

With research.