Medals at DNW

Spitfire Ace, Group Captain

CBF Kingcome of the Royal

Air Force was one of the outstanding characters of the Battle of Britain and his group of seven medals including a 1942 DSO and 1940 DFC was sold by Dix Noonan Webb for £139,040 (includes Buyer’s Premium of 26.4%, inc VAT) in the auction of Orders, Decorations, Medals and

Militaria in May.

Charles Brian Fabris Kingcome was one of the outstanding characters of the Battle of Britain, who, during its height, led 92 Squadron with great success from Biggin Hill. Shot down and hospitalised in October 1940, he returned to fly with the squadron until appointed to the command of 72 Squadron in February

1942, leading them as the fighter escort of Esmonde VC’s Swordfish detachment for their ill-fated ‘Channel Dash’ action. One of the youngest Group Captains in the RAF, aged 25, he commanded 244 (Spitfire) Wing, Desert Air Force, providing fighter support For the Eighth Army from Africa into Sicily and then through the campaign in Italy. His DSO citation stating: ‘He has destroyed a total of 11 enemy aircraft, probably destroyed 5 and damaged 13. His claims are traditionally modest...’.

Also of note in the sale was the exceptional Iraq, Battle of Danny Boy, MC group of six awarded to Corporal MR Byles,

1st Battalion, Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment which sold for £69,520. Byles was awarded a Military Cross for gallantry on 14 May 2004 when he dismounted his Warrior armoured vehicle and led a full frontal assault with automatic fire, grenades and fixed bayonets to clear an enemy trench system.

Other medals sold in the auction included a Great War, Second Battle of Ypres DCM group of five awarded to Private A Gray, Seaforth Highlanders, later Machine Gun Corps, who was gassed in September 1915. The lot consisted of Distinguished Conduct Medal; 1914 Star, with clasp ‘5th AUG. – 22nd NOV.’; British War and Victory Medals; Belgium Croix de Guerre, with bronze palm emblem on riband.

Sold with a postcard photograph of the recipient and copied research, including the relevant Battalion

War Diaries. It went for £2,022.40.

We covered the second

Battle of Arras a couple of issues ago and here’s a Great War,

1917 Battle of Arras Military Medal a warded to Private B Hibbard, Somerset Light Infantry. He served with them on the Western Front from 20 July 1915 but he was decorated for his bravery whilst serving with the 8th (Service) Battalion, receiving the Military Medal in 1917. It sold for £328.64.

An incredible lot next for the Korean War Battle of Imjin River and a Military Medal group of six. They were awarded to Private DMR Walker, Gloucestershire Regiment, late Black Watch and Highland Light Infantry, who was severely wounded in a lone charge against the encroaching enemy on the slopes of Gloster

Hill at the Battle of the Imjin, 24 April 1951. Slinging his Bren gun to the hip position, he sprang into position and started shooting. He was hit almost immediately and severely wounded, but the Chinese retreated in the face of his lone charge. The medals included the Military Medal; 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45; Korea 1950-53,

1st issue; UN Korea 1950-54. They sold for £60,672.

The June issue was all about sinking the Bismarck and here we have a British Empire Medal to a sailor involved in the action itself. It was awarded to Chief Petty Officer Telegraphist GW Starkiss, Royal Navy, HMS Cossack, who was shortly afterwards Mentioned in Despatches for the Bismarck action in May 1941. The medal sold for £884.80.

Some classic Napoleonic

Wars action next with a pair to Major William Turner, 13th Light Dragoons, who fought in the Peninsular War and at Waterloo. The medals were Military General Service 1793-1814, with one clasp ‘TOULOUSE’; and Waterloo 1815, fitted with original steel clip and silver bar suspension. The brace of medals sold for £8,848.

There were a number of 13th Light Dragoon medals including a Waterloo Medal awarded to Corporal James Fox, 18th Hussars, who famously took the bâton of Marshal Jourdain at Vittoria and was rewarded by Lord Wellington. The medal sold for £3,792.

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