Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Lot 2189    SESSION 11 (9.30AM THURSDAY 31ST MARCH)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Estimate $9,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $12,000

DFC GROUP OF EIGHT: Distinguished Flying Cross (GRI 1918) (GVIR); 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal 1939-45; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45; Normandy Campaign Medal, - clasp - Normandy; Bomber Command Medal. 1945 on the lower arm of first medal, second, third and eighth medals unnamed, 423296 P.W.Tatham. on fourth, fifth and sixth medals, 6130 on seventh medal. The first medal engraved, all other named medals impressed. Display mounted on a cardboard sheet with badges, extremely fine.

Together with Path Finder Force badge in gilt, pin-back; Bombardier half wing badge in gold and silver thread for dress uniform; sweetheart badge being a red plastic heart fitted with a gilt King's crown and eagle, attached to a short chain with a pin-back bar attached; Flying Log Book of Royal Canadian Air Force, named to AUS423296 LAC Tatham P.W., qualified Air Bomber effective 20.8.43; RAAF Certificate of Service and Discharge (4 pages); RAAF Officer's Certificate of Service; Appointment document as an officer in the Citizen Air Force of the Commonwealth of Australia 20 August 1943; Citation document for DFC; Letter of congratulations from Air Vice Marshall H.N.Wrigley, Air Officer Commanding, RAAF HQs London on award of DFC; Path Finder Force award certificate; various other photos and documents relating to war service.

DFC: LG 20/2/1945, p1001; CAG 1/3/1945, p1001, to Flying Officer Peter William Tatham, No.90 Squadron (RAF).

Citation: Flying Officer Tatham has completed numerous operations against the enemy in the course of which he has invariably displayed the utmost fortitude, courage and devotion to duty.

Peter William Tatham, analytical chemist, age 18, born at Sydney, NSW; Enl.20Jun1942 in Citizen Air Force RAAF; Emb.06Mar1943 for Empire Training Scheme in Canada; awarded Air Bomber's badge 20Aug1943 and appointed Pilot Officer; Emb.13Sep1943 from Canada to UK; Appt'd Flying Officer 20Feb1944 and Flight Lieutenant 20Aug1945; served with RAF 90 and 156 Sqns; flew in Tiger Moth, Anson, Oxford, Blenheim IV, Wellington, Stirling and Lancaster aircraft; flew in a Sterling bomber in support of the D-Day landings with 3 Group of 90th Sqn dropping dummy paratroopers near Saint-Lo; 30Jun1944 daylight raid on Villers-Bocarge (Lancaster), 12Aug1944 night raid on Falaise (Lancaster), and later joined 8 Group of 156 Sqn (Pathfinder Sqn); Appt terminated 20Dec1945 with 637.40 hours flown in 55 missions.

Flight Lieutenant Tatham's twin brother Midshipman Lyster James Tatham RAN was killed in action at the age of 18 when H.M.S. Kandahar was damaged by a mine on 19 December 1941 north of Tripoli and subsequently scuttled. A total of 73 men were lost in the action.

Ex The J.J.Atkinson Collection, Noble Numismatics Sale 78 (lot 4026).