A particularly fine Second World War D.F.M. group of seven awarded to Whitley and Halifax...

A particularly fine Second World War D.F.M. group of seven awarded to Whitley and Halifax wireless operator, Flight Lieutenant F. L. Fewkes, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who flew in at least 52 operational sorties, 20 of which were with 161 (Special Duties) Squadron - dropping agents, and supplies to resistance movements throughout occupied Europe. Fewkes flew with the highly decorated Frenchman Philippe Livry-Level as his navigator with 161 Squadron, having already served with 78 and 76 Squadrons, during which time he was wounded flying a sortie to Berlin, 2 September 1941, and then subsequently flew on the Thousand Bomber Raids to Cologne and Essen whilst serving with No. 10 O.T.U. Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (805487 Sgt. F. L. Fewkes. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R., 1st issue (Flt. Lt. F. L. Fewkes. R.A.F.V.R.) mounted for wear, good very fine (7) £1,800-£2,200 --- Provenance: Glendinings, June 1987 D.F.M. London Gazette 30 January 1942: ‘Sergeant Fewkes is an exceptional Wireless Operator whose skill and perseverance has greatly contributed to the success of his crew. In spite of severe electrical storms, damage by flak, engine failure and falling out of control from 4,500 feet to 800 feet, all of which he has experienced during his tour of operations, Sergeant Fewkes' courage, keenness and skill have been unaffected and an example to the squadron. I strongly recommend Sergeant Fewkes for the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal. Remarks by Station Commander: An excellent Wireless Operator who has done very well on operations. Strongly recommended.’ Frank Leslie Fewkes was ‘the son of Mr and Mrs Frank Fewkes, of 86, Norfolk Road, Erdington, he was born at this address in 1919... He was a display artist before enlisting, and previously was with the Parkinson Stove Company, Stechford, as a commercial artist... He joined the 605th County of Warwick Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force, in 1938, and went on active service at the outbreak of war.’ (Newspaper cutting included with lot refers) Fewkes qualified as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner in August 1939, having joined 605 Squadron (Gladiators and then Hurricanes) at Castle Bromwich in October 1937 [sic]. He moved with the Squadron to Tangmere in August 1939, and continued to serve with them until April 1940. Fewkes was then posted to 217 Squadron (Beauforts) at St. Eval, and did not fly operationally with this squadron either. He was posted to No. 10 O.T.U., Abingdon, before being posted for operational flying with 78 Squadron (Halifaxes) at Middleton St. George in April 1941. Fewkes flew on 16 operational sorties with the Squadron, April - July 1941, including: Bremerhaven, 25 April 1941, his first sortie - when ‘attacked by fighter landed at Pocklington’ (Log Book refers); Wilhelmshaven; Mannheim (2); Brest; Hamburg; Bremen (3) including 29 June 1941, when ‘Holed 47 Times. All Aerials Shot Away Over Target. Landed Linton’ (Ibid); Bolougne; Cologne (4), including 26 June 1941, when ‘very severe electrical storms’ (Ibid); Duisberg and Kiel. Fewkes transferred to 76 Squadron (Halifaxes) at the same station in July 1941. He flew on 13 operational sorties with the Squadron, July - October 1941, including: Hanover; Mannheim (2) including 22 October 1941, when ‘Crash Landed Base - SOS ON Bircham. A/C Spun In Over Cherbourg to 1100’ from 8,000’ (Ibid); Berlin (3) including 2 September 1941, when ‘Holed Badly Off Frisian Isles. WOP/AG T/G & N/G Wounded’ (Ibid); Kiel; Dusseldorf; Frankfurt, 29 September 1941, when ‘Port Outer Cut On Take Off. Bombs Dropped in North Sea’ (Ibid); Turin; Emden and Cherbourg. Fewkes was posted to No. 2 B.A.T. Flight, Driffield in November 1941, and then to No. 10 O.T.U., Abingdon in April 1942. Whilst stationed at the latter, Fewkes took part in the unit’s Whitleys on the Thousand Bomber Raids to Cologne, 30 May 1942, and to Essen, 1 June 1942. Having advanced to Pilot Officer, Fewkes returned to operational flying with 161 (Special Duties) Squadron at Tempsford in September 1942. The Squadron remained secret throughout the war and did not appear on the R.A.F. List. It’s tasks included the landing and picking up of agents from enemy occupied territory and the dropping of supplies and arms to resistance groups. Comprising of two flights - ‘A’ Flight flew Lysanders and carried out pick-up operations, whilst ‘B’ Flight flew Whitleys and Wellingtons and were tasked with agent parachute drops as well as supply drops. Fewkes was part of ‘B’ Flight, and flew in at least 20 operational sorties with the Squadron. Initially crewed with Flight Lieutenant Marriott as his pilot, Fewkes was detached with his crew to fly one of the Squadron’s two Albemarle’s operating from St. Eval from November 1942. In the new year they returned to Tempsford, and started to fly Halifaxes. Fewkes changed pilots to Flight Lieutenant D. F. Leggate, and on a number of occasions flew with the highly decorated Frenchman Flight Lieutenant Philippe Livry-Level as his navigator (friend of ‘Pick’ Pickard; mentioned extensively in Hugh Verity’s book We Landed By Moonlight; and an author himself of Missions Dans La RAF): ‘On 2 February 1943 Philippe arrived at R.A.F. Tempsford to join No. 161 Squadron. He had persuaded the security chiefs that he could be trusted but he had to exchange his dark blue French uniform for the lighter blue of the R.A.F. He says in his book - quite truthfully - that he spoke English with a deplorable accent and that anyone within 100 metres could tell at once that he was a foreigner, whatever the colour of his uniform. His first special operations were in Halifaxes, parachuting men and supplies to triangles of light in France and Norway. His pilot on these trips was Dave Leggatt [sic]. On some of these trips he could fly over his chateau at Audrieu where Nicole and their children were asleep. He had not seen them - nor been able to exchange letters - for two years.... Nor did he know that, for a time, his wife Nicole was imprisoned by the Germans.’ (We Landed By Moonlight by H. Verity refers) Fewkes and his crew carried out multiple agent and supply drops over France and Norway throughout April 1943. The following month Leggate, Fewkes and five others were landed at Algiers to carry out a specific operation, but they were unable to complete. They carried out a further four, including landing at Gibraltar, before returning to the UK. The last of which, 17 May 1943, being Fewkes 50th operational sortie and the last flown with Leggate. Fewkes flew in a further two operations over France, with Flight Sergeant Wilkinson as his pilot on both occasions. He was then posted to No. 13 I.T.W., Torquay, 2 October 1943. Fewkes retrained as a pilot at No. 18 S.F.T.S. Gimli, Manitoba, before being posted to No. 1504 BAT Flight until discharge in July 1945. Sold with the following original documentation: recipient’s Royal Air Force Observer’s and Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book (19 December 1940 - 7 July 1945) inside cover annotated ‘Carried Forward From 605 & 217’; Campaign Medal Enclosure; 2 Buckingham Palace Investiture Tickets, dated 21 July 1942; 2 Newspaper Cuttings, featuring a picture of recipient in uniform; with copied research.