The Collection of Medals to the Coldstream Guards, R.F.C., R.N.A.S. and R.A.F. formed by the late Tom Baugh 264
A rare and impressive South Russia M.S.M. group of twelve awarded to Wing Commander L. Mitchell, Royal Air Force, late Royal Flying Corps
1914-15 STAR (2690 2 A.M. L. Mitchell, R.F.C.); BRITISHWAR ANDVICTORYMEDALS (2690 A.S.M. 2 L. Mitchell, R.A.F.); GENERAL SERVICE 1918-62, 1 clasp, Kurdistan (2690 F./Sgt. L. Mitchell, R.A.F.); 1939-45 STAR;DEFENCE ANDWARMEDALS 1939-45, M.I. D. oak leaf, these three privately inscribed, ‘Sq. Ldr. L. Mitchell, R.A.F.’; JUBILEE 1935; ROYAL AIR FORCE L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., coinage bust (2690 S.M. 1 L. Mitchell, R.A.F.); ROYALAIR FORCEMERITORIOUS SERVICEMEDAL, G.V.R., coinage bust (2690 F./Sjt. L. Mitchell, R.A.F.); RUSSIA,MEDAL OF ZEAL, Nicholas II, silver on ‘St. Stanislaus’ ribbon; IRAQ, KING FEISAL’SWARMEDAL, with clasp, the reverse inscribed, ‘L. Mitchell’, contact marks, generally very fine or better (12)
£1200-1500
Leonard Mitchell was born in January 1896 and enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps as an Air Mechanic 2nd Class in December 1914. Posted to France in January 1915, he remained actively employed in that theatre of war until returning to the U.K. in the summer of 1917, when he was embarked for Egypt. He was advanced to Sergeant.
Next ordered to South Russia, in which theatre of war he served from May 1919 until August 1920, Mitchell was awarded the Medal of St. Stanislaus and the R.A. F. Meritorious Service Medal, the latter in respect of ‘consistent hard work and devotion to duty during the period from April 1919 to December 1919 under the most trying circumstances’ (London Gazette 1 April 1920 refers). An appointment at R.A.F. Manston having followed, he witnessed active service out in Iraq from September 1922 until October 1924, gaining King Feisal’s War Medal, and in the Kurdistan operations, the nature of his exact employment perhaps being betrayed by his very next posting - Wing H.Q., Armoured Cars, Uxbridge.
Advanced to Sergeant-Major 1st Class and remaining employed in the U.K., Mitchell was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in April 1933 and next served at the R.A.F. Colleges at Andover and Cranwell, prior to being granted a permanent commission as a Flying Officer in August 1936.
Appointed to H.Q. Fighter Command at Bentley Priory, Stanmore, in November of the following year, he remained similarly employed until removing to R.A.F. Abingdon in June 1941, a period encompassing the historic events that unfolded at the Priory under the leadership of Air Chief-Marshal Hugh Dowding in the Battle of Britain, in addition to the King’s visit in early September. Mitchell was advanced to the acting rank of Squadron Leader and mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 24 September 1941 refers).
His remaining wartime appointments included time in Canada and at Technical Training Command back in the U.K., and he was finally placed on the Retired List in the rank of Wing Commander in January 1948. He died in October 1954.
www.dnw.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156 |
Page 157 |
Page 158 |
Page 159 |
Page 160 |
Page 161 |
Page 162 |
Page 163 |
Page 164 |
Page 165 |
Page 166 |
Page 167 |
Page 168 |
Page 169 |
Page 170 |
Page 171 |
Page 172 |
Page 173 |
Page 174 |
Page 175 |
Page 176 |
Page 177 |
Page 178 |
Page 179 |
Page 180 |
Page 181 |
Page 182 |
Page 183 |
Page 184 |
Page 185 |
Page 186 |
Page 187 |
Page 188 |
Page 189 |
Page 190 |
Page 191 |
Page 192 |
Page 193 |
Page 194 |
Page 195 |
Page 196 |
Page 197 |
Page 198 |
Page 199 |
Page 200 |
Page 201 |
Page 202 |
Page 203 |
Page 204 |
Page 205 |
Page 206 |
Page 207 |
Page 208 |
Page 209 |
Page 210 |
Page 211 |
Page 212 |
Page 213 |
Page 214 |
Page 215 |
Page 216 |
Page 217 |
Page 218 |
Page 219 |
Page 220 |
Page 221 |
Page 222 |
Page 223 |
Page 224 |
Page 225 |
Page 226 |
Page 227 |
Page 228 |
Page 229 |
Page 230 |
Page 231 |
Page 232 |
Page 233 |
Page 234 |
Page 235 |
Page 236 |
Page 237 |
Page 238 |
Page 239 |
Page 240 |
Page 241 |
Page 242 |
Page 243 |
Page 244 |
Page 245 |
Page 246 |
Page 247 |
Page 248 |
Page 249 |
Page 250 |
Page 251 |
Page 252 |
Page 253