A Collection of Medals to Second World War Royal Air Force Casualties 755
Three: Warrant Officer (Pilot) H. A. Symmons, 295 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who was killed in action when his Stirling, whilst acting as a glider tug, was shot down by flak, after releasing a glider during Operation Varsity, the air drop over the Rhine, on 24 March 1945; he had previously been involved in many Special Operations Executive drops and glider tug operations, including D-Day and Operation Market at Arnhem
1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; War Medal 1939-45, with named medal ticket, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs. M. Symmons, 4 The Crescent, Folkstone, Sandgate, Kent’, extremely fine (3)
£400-£500
Horace Albert Symmons served during the Second World War as a Pilot with 295 Squadron. The Squadron had been formed at Neatheravon on 3 August 1942 as an Airborne Forces Squadron, and specialised in leaflet dropping, glider tug work and Special Operations Executive special sorties, the resupply of French resistance, and the resupply of Norwegian resistance.
From mid 1942 until January 1943 the squadron operated Armstrong Whitleys. In January 1943 they converted to Armstrong Albermarles, finally converting to Short Stirlings and Avro Halifaxes. By August 1944, 295 squadron had already 19 Stirlings and in September of that year, 33.
Symmons had originally begun flying operations with 196 Squadron in September 1943, carrying out attacks against Mannheim and Frankfurt. On 15 November 1943 he and his whole crew were transferred out to 1678 Conversion Flight. It was while he was there that something seems to have happened to Symmons and at some stage he was sent to Air Crew Disposal Unit at Chessington. This Unit dealt with Air Crew who had requested to come off of flying operations. The basic approach was to rest them for two or three weeks and then give them the chance to return to flying or be marked as LMF (Lack of Moral Fibre). It appears that Symmons took the chance to return to flying and on 14th March 1944 was reposted to 196 Squadron from ACDU Chessington.
On 14th April 1944 Symmons was posted to No. 295 Squadron where he continued to fly operations until being shot down in March 1945. It is a very interesting story and appears to show that he managed to fight his inner demons and return to the fray.
Throughout May the squadron flew in country missions (bringing airborne troops into assembly points) and resupply missions to resistance and S.O.E. operating in France.
On 6 June (D-Day) the Squadron (flying Albermarles) flew the first airborne troops of Pathfinder force into France (operation Tonga) and carried out resupply missions throughout the the day (operation Mallard). Symmons and his crew tugged a Horsa glider and troops to Normandy on the evening of D-Day as part of operation Mallard. They released a glider carrying airborne troops who were reinforcing the 6th Air Landing Brigade, holding the left flank of the invasion bridgehead. According to the O.R.B. their glider was released successfully under very intense flak.
During July and August they continued to fly resupply missions to France.
On 17 September 1944 the Squadron flew from Harwell to Arnhem, Holland, for Operation Market, with 25 Stirlings towing gliders (on board were troops of the 1st Airborne Division who had to be dropped at Drop Zone 'N' in the Nijmegen area on the Waal to secure bridges over the lower branches of the Dutch Rhine). No. 295 squadron flew ‘Market’ operations (re-supply missions) until 23 September.
On 24 March 1945, the Squadron took part in Operation ‘Varsity’, the Rhine crossing, with 30 aircraft, carrying 222 troops, plus many vehicles, in its towed gliders. 29 aircraft reached the Drop Zone and several were hit by flak. Symmons was killed in action when Stirling LK137, which he piloted, was hit by flak and crashed during the operation. The Squadron O.R.B. states: ‘24th March 1945 Op Varsity 0700 to 10.53 (approx) This aircraft was badly hit by flak in the Rhine area. Port inner engine was set on fire, though the pilot held this aircraft whilst the crew baled out. Several chutes were seen to open safely. The aircraft crashed in flames’.
Symmons was the only casualty, and is buried in Rheinberg War Cemetery, Germany. His medals were sent to his mother, May Symmons.
Sold with copied research, including 15 ‘most secret’ reports completed by Symmons after various S.O.E., Resistance, and combat drops (including D-Day and Market Garden), which give a fascinating insight into the work being carried out by his Squadron.
756
Three: Sergeant (Air Gunner) E. G. Ewington, 625 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who was killed in action when his Lancaster Bomber crashed near Limburg, Belgium, having lost a wing, whilst on bombing operations over the V2 Rocket Base at Nordhausen, 3 April 1945
1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Air Council enclosure, in card box of issue, address label virtually all torn, with the only visible section reading ‘Nr. Luto...’, extremely fine (3)
£100-£140
Edward George Ewington served during the Second World War as an Air Gunner with 625 Squadron, flying Lancasters- he joined the Squadron from 1667 O.T.U. on 4 March 1945, and during March and April 1945 took part in 7 operational sorties including Misburg, the Deurag oil refinery, Bremen rail bridge, Hannover, Paderborn, and Hamburg- although not much of the city was left the R.A.F. met fierce Luftwaffe resistance and it was the last time during the War that they lost double figures of aircraft.
Ewington was killed in action when Lancaster NG237, piloted by Flight Sergeant T. P. Collier, crashed whilst on attacking the Nordhausen V2 Rocket assembly plant on 3 April 1945. Their aircraft was the only loss of the raid. It is recorded that the aircraft came down at Visbedden near Limburg, and that seconds before its crash a wing tore away from the main fuselage. The entire crew, whose average age was just 22, were killed.
Ewington is buried in Leopoldsburg War Cemetery, Belgium. His medals were sent to his father, Arthur James Ewington, of Luton, Bedfordshire.
Sold with copied research.
www.dnw.co.uk all lots are illustrated on our website and are subject to buyers’ premium at 20% (+VAT where applicable)
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 |
Page 254 |
Page 255 |
Page 256 |
Page 257 |
Page 258 |
Page 259 |
Page 260 |
Page 261 |
Page 262 |
Page 263 |
Page 264 |
Page 265 |
Page 266 |
Page 267 |
Page 268 |
Page 269 |
Page 270 |
Page 271 |
Page 272 |
Page 273 |
Page 274 |
Page 275 |
Page 276 |
Page 277 |
Page 278 |
Page 279 |
Page 280 |
Page 281 |
Page 282 |
Page 283 |
Page 284 |
Page 285 |
Page 286 |
Page 287 |
Page 288 |
Page 289 |
Page 290 |
Page 291 |
Page 292 |
Page 293 |
Page 294 |
Page 295 |
Page 296 |
Page 297 |
Page 298 |
Page 299 |
Page 300 |
Page 301 |
Page 302 |
Page 303 |
Page 304 |
Page 305 |
Page 306 |
Page 307 |
Page 308 |
Page 309 |
Page 310 |
Page 311 |
Page 312 |
Page 313 |
Page 314 |
Page 315 |
Page 316 |
Page 317 |
Page 318 |
Page 319 |
Page 320 |
Page 321 |
Page 322 |
Page 323 |
Page 324 |
Page 325 |
Page 326 |
Page 327 |
Page 328 |
Page 329 |
Page 330 |
Page 331 |
Page 332 |
Page 333 |
Page 334 |
Page 335 |
Page 336 |
Page 337 |
Page 338 |
Page 339 |
Page 340 |
Page 341 |
Page 342 |
Page 343 |
Page 344 |
Page 345 |
Page 346 |
Page 347 |
Page 348 |
Page 349 |
Page 350 |
Page 351 |
Page 352 |
Page 353 |
Page 354 |
Page 355 |
Page 356 |
Page 357 |
Page 358 |
Page 359 |
Page 360 |
Page 361 |
Page 362 |
Page 363 |
Page 364 |
Page 365 |
Page 366 |
Page 367 |
Page 368 |
Page 369 |
Page 370 |
Page 371 |
Page 372 |
Page 373 |
Page 374 |
Page 375 |
Page 376 |
Page 377 |
Page 378 |
Page 379 |
Page 380 |
Page 381 |
Page 382 |
Page 383 |
Page 384 |
Page 385 |
Page 386 |
Page 387 |
Page 388 |
Page 389 |
Page 390 |
Page 391 |
Page 392 |
Page 393 |
Page 394 |
Page 395 |
Page 396 |
Page 397 |
Page 398 |
Page 399 |
Page 400 |
Page 401 |
Page 402 |
Page 403 |
Page 404 |
Page 405 |
Page 406 |
Page 407 |
Page 408 |
Page 409 |
Page 410 |
Page 411 |
Page 412 |
Page 413 |
Page 414 |
Page 415 |
Page 416 |
Page 417 |
Page 418 |
Page 419 |
Page 420 |
Page 421 |
Page 422 |
Page 423 |
Page 424 |
Page 425 |
Page 426 |
Page 427 |
Page 428 |
Page 429 |
Page 430 |
Page 431 |
Page 432 |
Page 433 |
Page 434 |
Page 435 |
Page 436 |
Page 437 |
Page 438 |
Page 439 |
Page 440 |
Page 441 |
Page 442 |
Page 443 |
Page 444 |
Page 445 |
Page 446 |
Page 447 |
Page 448 |
Page 449 |
Page 450 |
Page 451 |
Page 452 |
Page 453 |
Page 454 |
Page 455 |
Page 456 |
Page 457 |
Page 458 |
Page 459 |
Page 460 |
Page 461 |
Page 462 |
Page 463
