46
'In the mid-afternoon [of D-Day] I led Blue Section … South of Omaha beach, below a shallow, br...
Squadron Leader J. A. 'Johnnie' Houlton, D.F.C., R.N.Z.A.F., counts the cost of being the first pilot to down an enemy aircraft on D-Day; Spitfire Strikes, refers.
The outstanding Second World War fighter ace's D.F.C. group of seven awarded to Squadron Leader J. A. 'Johnnie' Houlton, Royal New Zealand Air Force, who was credited with the first enemy aircraft destroyed over Normandy on D-Day
He opened-up his account in a Spitfire of No. 185 Squadron off Malta in November 1942 - when he severely damaged and probably destroyed a brace of Ju. 52s - and closed it in a Tempest of 274 Squadron over Germany in May 1945, when he destroyed a Do. 217
In the interim - in the period August 1943 to June 1944, whilst operating out of Biggin Hill - he gained ace status in a spate of successful combats over France in Spitfires of 485 (N.Z.) Squadron, victories that no doubt persuaded him to entitle his compelling and forthright autobiography Spitfire Strike: he attributed such success - and his survival - to his favoured habit of breaking hard into the line of fire rather than try and avoid it
In the summer of 1985, Houlton visited the U.K. to participate in a television documentary 'The Perfect Lady', so entitled because it witnessed him returning to the skies in his old D-Day war horse - Spitfire ML407 - a remarkable survivor which had been refurbished and converted to a two-seater and painted in the same markings and insignia used by him over Normandy 40 years earlier
For coverage of that memorable event and related interviews with Houlton, see:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp0Mp3bU7Oc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h45IIo98UkU
Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated '1944'; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; New Zealand Service Medal 1939-45, generally good very fine (7)
D.F.C. London Gazette 5 September 1944. The original recommendation states:
'On 11 July 1942, on a 'Rhubarb' to Ostend, he destroyed a locomotive and damaged another. On 27 August 1943, he destroyed a Fw. 190, whilst acting as high cover to Fortresses. On 22 May 1944, he led Red Section on a 'Ranger', attacking and damaging two tanks and troop transport. Since D-Day this officer has destroyed one Ju. 88 and two Me. 109s and shared in the destruction of another Ju. 88.
As will be seen from the particulars above and the details of sorties carried out, this officer has at all times set a fine example to his fellow pilots by his initiative and keenness to come to grips with the enemy.'
John Arthur 'Johnnie' Houlton was born in Christchurch, New Zealand on 23 September 1922. After beginning work as a public service cadet, he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force and, having qualified for his 'Wings', he was embarked for England in December 1941.
Following a refresher course, he was posted to No. 485 (N.Z.) Squadron at Kenley in June 1942, but in the following month he volunteered for Malta. He was duly embarked in the carrier H.M.S. Furious and flew a Spitfire off her to the besieged island on 11 August.
Malta sojourn - No. 185 Squadron - first blood
Posted to No. 185 Squadron on his arrival, he was quickly taken ill with severe sinus and other ailments caused by local conditions. As he later observed in Spitfire Strikes:
'Fresh water was in short supply and there was no hot water at all; which made hygiene a myth … while we were half-starved, the mosquitos, sand flies, bed bugs and fleas fed very well.'
Cleared for operations by late October, he was selected with three other pilots to bomb Gela aerodrome in Sicily on 28 November, their Spitfires being fitted with suitable bomb racks. On returning from the raid, eight Ju. 52 transports were spotted heading for North Africa. Houlton takes up the story:
'I attacked in turn each of the three aircraft on the left of the formation, starting with the rear one. As the 20mm. guns fired only one round I had to do the best I could with the four .303 machine-guns and was surprised by the amount of return fire from the formation. At least some of the aircraft had upper gun turrets, and it also appeared that some irate passengers were using automatic weapons through the windows. The first Ju. 52 dropped below the formation and turned towards Sicily, and the next two were still descending steeply towards the sea when the Me. 109 escort came diving down, and I ducked into a handy cloud … About one week later a telephone call from Headquarters advised that 'Y' Service had confirmed at least one Ju. 52 crashing into the sea' (ibid).
German records that later came to light established the loss of three Ju. 52s from this flight.
Houlton returned to the U.K. at the end of the year on being ordered to join a Search and Rescue Squadron. Instead he was posted to No. 602 Squadron and thence, by special request in late February 1943, back to No. 485 (N.Z.) Squadron.
No. 485 Squadron - successive Spitfire strikes - D-Day's first 'kill'
Thus commenced a flurry of cross-Channel sweeps and bomber escort sorties, particularly after the Squadron's transfer to Biggin Hill in July 1943. In the period leading up to the recommendation for his D.F.C. in June 1944, he flew 100 operations and firmly established himself as a fighter ace.
Commissioned Pilot Officer in August 1943, Houlton gained his first victory over St. Pol on the 27th, when he downed a Fw. 190. He pursued his prey for 30 miles, descending from 27,000 feet to deck level, where the Fw. 190 caught a power line and smashed into the ground. It had been a terrifying encounter, Houlton having nearly blacked out after a new aircraft elevator modification sent his Spitfire in a succession of tight turns:
'I was virtually cemented in position, as it was physically impossible to lift hands, feet or head against that amount of g, and we just kept...
Squadron Leader J. A. 'Johnnie' Houlton, D.F.C., R.N.Z.A.F., counts the cost of being the first pilot to down an enemy aircraft on D-Day; Spitfire Strikes, refers.
The outstanding Second World War fighter ace's D.F.C. group of seven awarded to Squadron Leader J. A. 'Johnnie' Houlton, Royal New Zealand Air Force, who was credited with the first enemy aircraft destroyed over Normandy on D-Day
He opened-up his account in a Spitfire of No. 185 Squadron off Malta in November 1942 - when he severely damaged and probably destroyed a brace of Ju. 52s - and closed it in a Tempest of 274 Squadron over Germany in May 1945, when he destroyed a Do. 217
In the interim - in the period August 1943 to June 1944, whilst operating out of Biggin Hill - he gained ace status in a spate of successful combats over France in Spitfires of 485 (N.Z.) Squadron, victories that no doubt persuaded him to entitle his compelling and forthright autobiography Spitfire Strike: he attributed such success - and his survival - to his favoured habit of breaking hard into the line of fire rather than try and avoid it
In the summer of 1985, Houlton visited the U.K. to participate in a television documentary 'The Perfect Lady', so entitled because it witnessed him returning to the skies in his old D-Day war horse - Spitfire ML407 - a remarkable survivor which had been refurbished and converted to a two-seater and painted in the same markings and insignia used by him over Normandy 40 years earlier
For coverage of that memorable event and related interviews with Houlton, see:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp0Mp3bU7Oc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h45IIo98UkU
Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated '1944'; 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; New Zealand Service Medal 1939-45, generally good very fine (7)
D.F.C. London Gazette 5 September 1944. The original recommendation states:
'On 11 July 1942, on a 'Rhubarb' to Ostend, he destroyed a locomotive and damaged another. On 27 August 1943, he destroyed a Fw. 190, whilst acting as high cover to Fortresses. On 22 May 1944, he led Red Section on a 'Ranger', attacking and damaging two tanks and troop transport. Since D-Day this officer has destroyed one Ju. 88 and two Me. 109s and shared in the destruction of another Ju. 88.
As will be seen from the particulars above and the details of sorties carried out, this officer has at all times set a fine example to his fellow pilots by his initiative and keenness to come to grips with the enemy.'
John Arthur 'Johnnie' Houlton was born in Christchurch, New Zealand on 23 September 1922. After beginning work as a public service cadet, he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force and, having qualified for his 'Wings', he was embarked for England in December 1941.
Following a refresher course, he was posted to No. 485 (N.Z.) Squadron at Kenley in June 1942, but in the following month he volunteered for Malta. He was duly embarked in the carrier H.M.S. Furious and flew a Spitfire off her to the besieged island on 11 August.
Malta sojourn - No. 185 Squadron - first blood
Posted to No. 185 Squadron on his arrival, he was quickly taken ill with severe sinus and other ailments caused by local conditions. As he later observed in Spitfire Strikes:
'Fresh water was in short supply and there was no hot water at all; which made hygiene a myth … while we were half-starved, the mosquitos, sand flies, bed bugs and fleas fed very well.'
Cleared for operations by late October, he was selected with three other pilots to bomb Gela aerodrome in Sicily on 28 November, their Spitfires being fitted with suitable bomb racks. On returning from the raid, eight Ju. 52 transports were spotted heading for North Africa. Houlton takes up the story:
'I attacked in turn each of the three aircraft on the left of the formation, starting with the rear one. As the 20mm. guns fired only one round I had to do the best I could with the four .303 machine-guns and was surprised by the amount of return fire from the formation. At least some of the aircraft had upper gun turrets, and it also appeared that some irate passengers were using automatic weapons through the windows. The first Ju. 52 dropped below the formation and turned towards Sicily, and the next two were still descending steeply towards the sea when the Me. 109 escort came diving down, and I ducked into a handy cloud … About one week later a telephone call from Headquarters advised that 'Y' Service had confirmed at least one Ju. 52 crashing into the sea' (ibid).
German records that later came to light established the loss of three Ju. 52s from this flight.
Houlton returned to the U.K. at the end of the year on being ordered to join a Search and Rescue Squadron. Instead he was posted to No. 602 Squadron and thence, by special request in late February 1943, back to No. 485 (N.Z.) Squadron.
No. 485 Squadron - successive Spitfire strikes - D-Day's first 'kill'
Thus commenced a flurry of cross-Channel sweeps and bomber escort sorties, particularly after the Squadron's transfer to Biggin Hill in July 1943. In the period leading up to the recommendation for his D.F.C. in June 1944, he flew 100 operations and firmly established himself as a fighter ace.
Commissioned Pilot Officer in August 1943, Houlton gained his first victory over St. Pol on the 27th, when he downed a Fw. 190. He pursued his prey for 30 miles, descending from 27,000 feet to deck level, where the Fw. 190 caught a power line and smashed into the ground. It had been a terrifying encounter, Houlton having nearly blacked out after a new aircraft elevator modification sent his Spitfire in a succession of tight turns:
'I was virtually cemented in position, as it was physically impossible to lift hands, feet or head against that amount of g, and we just kept...
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Lot 56: The recipient was also Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 1 January 1945, refers) and is sold together with her emblem.
Lot 285: Official replacements throughout
Lot 326: The Lot is now accompanied with the recipient’s original Memorial Scroll
Lot 373: Withdrawn. The Lot has been withdrawn from the Sale and has kindly been returned to the recipient by the vendor having been lost in 2015.
Lot 561: This lot is NOT subject to 5% import duty.
Lot 580: Print catalogue erroneously lists this item as lot 579
Lot 595:
Accompanied with an important original archive comprising;
- The recipient’s identity tag worn at Goose Green
- Parachute Regiment No. 2 Dress with General Service riband and belt, the first named
- A poignant painted tile depicting the recipient with his tours of Northern Ireland either side
- Three British Army football trophies
Two Regimental ties
Lot 648: The set comprises a 1st Class Badge and 2nd Class Star
Lot 670: Withdrawn
Lot 754: Sold as viewed
Lot 791: Centre depressed and loose but still present. Revised estimate £70 - £90
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