Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry x52
A good Second War ‘Path Finder Force’ D.F.M. group of seven awarded to Bomb Aimer Flying Officer J. A. Moller, Royal New Zealand Air Force, who completed 57 operational missions against many of the most heavily defended targets, including all three 1,000 Bomber Raids; was wounded by Flak in the neck; and on one occasion crash landed back at base, his Wellington riddled with 156 flak holes
Distinguished Flying Medal,
G.VI.R. (N.Z. 411770. F/St. A. J. Moller R.N.Z.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; New Zealand War Service Medal, mounted court-style as worn, the DFM polished, lacquered, very fine (7)
£2,000-£2,400
D.F.M. London Gazette 20 April 1943: ‘Flight Sergeant Moller is a most keen and determined bomb aimer who has achieved a fine operational record. His skill has been responsible for much of the success gained by his crew His knowledge and grasp of his duties are remarkable.’
Andrew John Moller was born at Hawera, New Zealand, on 31 March 1922, and enlisted in the Royal New Zealand Air Force on 15 March 1941. Whilst still at No. 23 O.T.U. he crewed-up in an all-Kiwi crew under Sergeant Terry Kearns (later Squadron Leader, D.S. O., D.F.C., D.F.M.), and they began their first tour on 30 May 1942 in Operation Millennium, the first 1,000 bomber raid, on Cologne, and followed up two days later with he second 1,000 bomber raid, to Essen, on 1 June 1942.
Moller was posted to 75 (New Zealand) Squadron with his crew as a bomb aimer on 19 June 1942, flying Wellingtons, and their first operational sortie with this Squadron was the third and final 1,000 bomber raid, to Bremen on 25 June 1942. Further targets over the next two months included St. Nazaire, Bremen (twice more), Wilhemshaven, Duisberg (three times), Hamburg (twice), Saarbrucken (twice), Dusseldorf, Essen Duisberg, Osnabruck (twice), Mainz (twice), Frankfurt, Kassel, and Nuremberg. The raids were not without incident- on his first trip to Hamburg , 26 July 1942, Moller records in his Log Book: ‘Down to zero feet and destroyed 3 searchlights and silenced 1 machine gun post’; and on his trip to Kassell, 27 August 1942, he records: ‘Attacked by Me110. Drove him off from front turret.’
Night after Night by Max Lambert gives more information on the Hamburg raids: ‘The Kearns team flew both Hamburg raids, their 14th and 15th ops. Moller, a youthful 19, had the time of his life the first night, their Wellington – in the first wave with a load of incendiaries for starting fires to light up the target for the follow-up bombers – was coned by searchlights over the city. Kearns dived steeply, down to rooftop level, before flattening out. At one stage they were so low they roared under high tension cables strung below pylons. Moller laughs as he remembers: “As we went under, Terry lifted the nose so the big tail would drop and not snag the cables. We got through OK.” As they flew off, Moller and Price fought an exciting and exhilarating private battle with searchlight crews. The Germans depressed their lights, looking for the cheeky bomber they could hear but not see. Whenever they got a chance – and there were plenty because the city was studded with belts of lights – the gunners turned their barrels down the beams and clattered off hundreds of rounds. Says Moller: “When we hit them, the lights exploded with a brilliant flash of whites and pinks and went out. The ones I missed, Buck got from the rear turret. I think we shared seven lights between us that night. It was very satisfying. We were young and shouted out when the lights blew up. We were like kids who do wheelies today. Something in our systems we had to get rid of”. Moller and his mates exulted again when they knocked out a machine gun post firing at them from alongside a searchlight. Moller took aim and cut down a German who jumped out of the gun pit and dashed across the paddock: “I gave him a burst and bowled him over”.’
Having completed 27 operational sorties, Moller transferred with his crew to 156 (Pathfinder Force) Squadron in September 1942, and flying Wellingtons began their second operational tour with a sortie to Bremen on 13 September- further targets that month included Wilhelmshaven, Saarbrucken, and Essen, the last, on 16 September, described as ‘Stick trip. Struck by Flak on neck.’ After a single sortie in October, to Krefeld, Moller resumed his tour in November 1942, and over the next five months flew to Genoa, Hamburg (three times), Turin (three times), Stuttgart, Manheim, Duisberg, Munich (twice), Lorient (twice), Dusseldorf, Wilhemshaven, Cologne, St. Nazaire (twice), Essen (three times), Kiel, and Berlin. On returning from his first raid on Hamburg, on 9 November 1942, his Wellington crash landed back at base, and was discovered to have 156 flak holes. His sweetest operational memory was the raid on Munich when the R.A.F. burnt down Hitler’s house. (newspaper cutting with the lot refers).
Moller was commissioned Pilot Officer on 18 November 1942, and completed his second operational tour with a raid on the Skoda Works at Pilsen on 16 April 1943. Transferring to No. 21 O.T.U. as a Bombing Instructor, his last flight was on 7 May 1944, at which point he concludes his Log Book with the entry: ‘Finis. Thank the Lord. Hooray.’
Sold with a copy of the recipient’s Flying Log Book, covering his entire operational career; original Commission appointing him a Pilot Officer (temporary), mounted in a damaged glazed display frame; named Bestowal Certificate for a Polish Medal, dated London, 22 March 1983, mounted in a glazed display frame; various newspaper cuttings and photographic images of the recipient having received his D.F.M.; and other ephemera.
www.dnw.co.uk all lots are illustrated on our website and are subject to buyers’ premium at 24% (+VAT where applicable)
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