Orders, Decorations & Medals - British Groups

Lot 2948    SESSION 14 (2.30PM THURSDAY 1ST AUG)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - British Groups

Estimate $5,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au

AFM GROUP OF SEVEN: Air Force Medal (EIIR); 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence Medal 1939-45; War Medal 1939-45; General Service Medal 1918-62 (GVIR), - clasp - S.E.Asia 1945-46; Royal Air Force Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (EIIR coinage bust without BRITT:OMN). 1624470 F.Sgt. J.W.H.Murdin. R.A.F. on first medal, second to fifth medals unnamed as issued, W/O. J.W.H.Murdin. (1624470) R.A.F. on sixth medal, and Fg. Off. J.W.H.Murdin. R.A.F. on last medal. The first and last medals engraved, the sixth medal impressed. Swing mounted, contact marks, otherwise very fine.

Together with,^1) Matching pair of ribands (well worn), no pin-back.^2) Navigator badges (3, two embroidered wool, one embroidered gilt on wool).^3) RAF Aircrew II 1947-50 embroidered rank badge.^4) RAF Aircrew metal stars with backing plate (2).^5) RAF No 230 Operational Conversion Unit embroidered blazer badge.^6) 622 Squadron Royal Air Force gilt and enamel lapel badge (KC), pin-back.^7) RAFVR (Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve) WWII silver lapel badge, lug on back stamped 55445.^8) Unidentified winged elephant lapel badge with pin-back.^9) Navigator's large Log Book.^10) A large selection of maps, all in colour and one in silk.^11) Booklet titled, 'Rescue from Crashed Aircraft' Nov 1957 reprint, soft cover, 32pp.^12) A variety of large and small photos including some in colour of Murdin in his uniform. One b&w photo is of the plaque presented to RAE Farnborough by the USAF for Oklahoma Thunderstorm Research Project and one of the names on the plaque is Flt. Lt. J.W.H. Murdin.^13) Murdin's named, original inner flying helmet type G complete with oxygen mask.^14) Pewter beer tankard engraved on one side, 'Flight Lieutenant J.W.H.Murdin A.F.M./Blind Landing Experimental Unit/1963 - 1966'.^15) Pewter beer tankard engraved at front, 'Flight Lieutenant J.W.H.Murdin AFM./Experimental Flying Department/R.A.E. Farnborough/Feb.1969 - June 1971'.^16) Large lacquered wooden spoon (approx 76cm long), at the top is carved timber RAF wings and below this is a timber framed circular brass disc impressed, 'Presented/To The Officers Mess/R.A.F. Thurleigh/By/Flt.Lt.J.W.H.Murdin A.F.M/April, 1972'. ^AFM: Supplement to LG 1/1/1958, p34 - to 1624470 Flight Sergeant (now Pilot Officer) John William Holley Murdin, Royal Air Force.^To Pilot Officer, Second Supplement to LG 8/11/1957, p6543; to Flying Officer, Supplement to LG 15/7/1960, p5005; to Flight Lieutenant, Second Supplement to LG 29/3/1963, p2953; Flight Lieutenants designated as Specialist Aircrew 1 Apr 1971, Supplement to LG 6/4/1971, p3340; Retirement at own request 2 Jul 1973, Supplement to LG 31/7/1973, p9030.^John William Holley Murdin was born on 29 February 1924 at Bedford, England. He enlisted in the RAF in 1941 and commenced operational flying as a Sergeant Navigator with 622 Squadron in June 1944. He completed 31 Ops with 622 Sqn before being posted to the Far East where he was awarded the General Service Medal with clasp SE Asia 1945-46. After WWII he remained in the RAF and served as a Warrant Officer Navigator with 230 OCU at RAF Wymeswold in July 1947. Following wartime reductions he reverted to Navigator II (Sgt equivalent) and went on to serve as a navigator with the Royal Aircraft Research Establishment at Farnborough and at their research site at RAF Thurleigh.^Now a Pilot Officer he was awarded the AFM in the 1958 New Year's Honours List and it is likely this award was for his work with the Royal Air Force Establishment. He was posted to the Blind Landing Experimental Unit (BLEU) and this team was awarded the Cumberbatch Trophy for its outstanding contribution to air safety in 1963 by the Duke of Edinburgh. A group photo of the BLEU team with trophy in front of Varsity WF417 is included with lot with Murdin seated in the front row, sixth from right.^Following his work with BLEU, Murdin was involved in the Oklahoma Thunderstorm Project with the USAF's Aeronautical Systems Division Flight Test Organisation. This was a large-scale, multi-agency meteorological study to investigate the causes and characteristics of thunderstorms. The study became known as the Thunderstorm Project and in 1965 the Royal Aircraft Establishment set five RAF aircrew to assist in the project and Flt Lt Murdin was one of the navigators in the team. On completion of the project a plaque was presented to the Royal Aircraft Establishment by Major General Charles H. Terhune jnr, Commander of the USAF Aeronautical Systems Division in recognition of their involvement. Flt Lt Murdin is one of the names on the plaque.^Murdin then worked with the Experimental Flying Department at RAE Farnborough until he requested retirement in 1973 having served as a navigator with the RAF for 32 years. After retirement he spent 10 years with the National Health Service and finally retired as district manager with Bedford Hospital. He died suddenly on 4 February 1988 at the age of 63 at his home in Higham Ferrers in Northamptonshire (Note: His wife Gwen was the Mayor of Higham Ferrers in 1971-2 and 1980-1 - lot includes colour photo of Murdin and his wife in Mayoral robes). His funeral service was held on 9 February at St Mary's Church, Higham Ferrers followed by a cremation at the Kettering Crematorium.^With research and copies of London Gazettes.