CAMPAIGN GROUPS AND PAIRS 953
Three: Private G. Knowles, 9th Australian Light Horse
BRITISHWAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (1240 Pte., 9 L.H.R. A.I.F.); TRIBUTE MEDAL 1914-19, obverse: a soldier with rifle, reverse inscribed, ‘Presented to Pte. G. Knowles by Mardan district & Rifle Club duty nobly done 1914-1919’, 27mm., 9ct. gold, 8.9g., good very fine and better (3)
£240-280
George Knowles was born in Cardiff, Wales. Living in Australia and a Labourer by occupation, he attested for the Light Horse at Liverpool, N.S.W. on 18 May 1915, aged 29 years, 9 months. Proceeding overseas, firstly to Mudros and then to Egypt in December 1915, he was taken on the strength of the 9th Light Horse. Several times admitted to hospital during 1916/17, he was invalided back to Australia in July 1917. He was discharged from the Army on 25 February 1918. With copied service papers.
954
Three: Wing Commander R. G. Frith, Auxiliary Air Force, late Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, a Camel pilot in No. 45 Squadron who was shot down and taken P.O.W. in November 1917 - a short but gallant combat career described in detail in an article in the Cross & Cockade Journal
BRITISHWAR ANDVICTORYMEDALS (Lieut. R. G. Frith, R.A.F.); AIR EFFICIENCYAWARD,
G.VI.R., 1st issue (Wg. Cdr. R. G. Frith, A.A. F.), very fine and better (3)
£400-500
Roy Godfrey Frith, who was educated at Whitgift Grammar School, served in the ranks of the South African Scottish for a few months prior to being commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on the General List for duty in the Royal Flying Corps in May 1917.
Having then qualified for his pilot’s certificate, he was posted to No. 45 Squadron, a Camel unit operating out of St. Marie Cappel, near Cassel, in mid- October 1917, under Major A. M. Vaucour, M.C.
And, as described in detail in James Brown’s article “Fleeting Fighter” in the Cross & Cockade Journal (Volume 10, No. 3, 1979), he subsequently participated in numerous sorties prior to being downed in the following month, the whole in support of the recently launched Passchendaele offensive.
Thus his first encounter with enemy Scouts during a patrol flown on 18 October, when a brace of dogfights were played out over Moorslede and Becelaere, quickly followed by another combat on the 21st, with about 20 enemy Scouts near Houthulst, and, on the 22nd, a successful ground-strafing operation against enemy troops and transport, each of the Squadron’s Camels expending around 850 rounds.
On the 27th, Frith participated in no less than three operational patrols, all of which produced close encounters and combats with enemy aircraft, with both sides taking losses; so, too, in an attack on an enemy ammunition dump, which was left burning furiously. Then on the 29th, he was back in action in a dogfight with 16 enemy Scouts and two-seaters over Moorslede, while on the 30th, he fought an inconclusive combat with a two-seater in the vicinity of Westroosebeke.
But a few days later, on 5 November, Frith’s luck ran out, and he was shot down and taken P.O.W. while piloting Sopwith Camel B5175 on an observation patrol over Moorslede, most probably by Leutnant Paul “The Iron Eagle” Baumer of Jasta 2, who ended the War as a 43-victory ace and recipient of the Blue Max; but possibly, too, by Leutnant Kurt Wustoff of Jasta 4, a 27-victory ace, who also claimed a Camel in the same vicinity that morning. Be that as it may, Frith survived captivity and was placed on the Unemployed List in February 1919.
Subsequently joining the Auxiliary Air Force, he was advanced to Flight Lieutenant in July 1938, while serving in No. 903 (County of London) Squadron, a Balloon Section of the A.A.F., and to Squadron Leader in August 1939, and he was mentioned in despatches for his services in a Balloon Section during the War (London Gazette 8 June 1944 refers). Having then been advanced to Wing Commander, he received the Air Efficiency Award in May 1947.
955
Three: Sapper H. S. Farley, Royal Engineers, late Royal Air Force BRITISHWAR AND VICTORYMEDALS (111199 3 A.M., R.A.F.); EFFICIENCYMEDAL,
G.VI.R., 1st issue, Territorial (1464308 Spr., R.E.) mounted for wear
Pair: Aircraftsman 1st Class E. K. Horstman, Royal Air Force BRITISHWAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (54883 A.C.1, R.A.F.); together with an R.A.F. Prize Medal, reverse inscribed, ‘E. R.(sic) Horstman tug of war Cup Championship Eagle Flight Fort Grange June 1920’, 38mm., bronze, ring suspension, in case, good very fine and better (6)
£80-100
www.dnw.co.uk
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