Orders, Decorations and Medals

A rare ‘Stringbag’ Pilot’s ‘Malta’ D.S.O. group of seven awarded to Commander (Air) A. S. Downes, No. 830 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, late Royal Air Force, a survivor of the sinking of the Courageous in 1939, and an evader from Holland in 1940

Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., reverse of the lower suspension officially dated ‘1942’; India General Service 1936-39, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1936-37 (F/O, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Africa Star; Defence & War Medals, some chipping to the wreath of the D.S.O., contact marks but generally very fine and better (7) £3500-4500

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, comprising his lengthy official report describing his crash landing in Holland in May 1940, and subsequent return to England; 23 ‘flimsies’ covering the period September 1939 to July 1956; Certificate of Qualification for Air Gunnery Officer, dated 16 January 1943; two letters of commendation, and an official photograph of Downes escorting the Princess Elizabeth at Hal Far, Malta, in 1952.

D.S.O. London Gazette 30 June 1942: ‘Lieut. (A), 830 Squadron, Malta. For great bravery, skill and determination in torpedo and dive bombing attacks on enemy shipping and aerodromes.’ Seedies list of Fleet Air Arm Awards lists at total of 70 D.S.O’s to the F.A.A. for the Second World War, 17 of these to specific squadrons and 43 to various ships and air stations.

The following two extracts are taken from Night Strike from Malta, by Kenneth Poolman: ‘14 October 1941. Took part in an attack, as one of three aircraft led by Pat O’Brian taking off at 2230, on a lone duck supply ship which had been hit by a submarine and was under tow with an escorting destroyer in company. The ships were picked up on ASV radar and on closing it was discovered that the supply ship was down by the bows. Downes was ordered to complete its destruction by torpedo. This he did without the benefit of any illumination other than the fitful light from a moon in its last quarter.’

‘17 December 1941. A 4000 ton tanker and a 5000 ton merchant ship with one destroyer as escort had been reported south of Lampesuda. Four stringbags (Swordfish) took off at half past one in the middle watch and located the target by ASV radar. The leader gave the break-up signal and laid flares to the westward of the targets. The escort then laid smoke to the eastward anticipating a torpedo attack from that direction and the merchant ships turned away from the flares and stopped. However both ships gave their positions away by firing tracer at the flares. All three of the torpedo droppers flew through the smoke and made their attacks. Downes and Vercue aimed for the tanker and one certain hit was seen, causing flames and a shower of sparks and a column of water. Kerrison attacked the freighter and Slater in the ASV saw the Duplex (torpedo fuse) explode in the ship’s wake about 100 yards astern. A reconnaissance next morning sighted one freighter and her escorting destroyer twelve miles to the south of the previous night’s attack.’

Allan Sawbridge Downes joined the Royal Air Force and served with No. 28 (Army Co-op) Squadron in India from 14 March 1936, based at Ambala. He transferred to the Fleet Air Arm as Lieutenant (A) in April 1937 and was serving in No. 815 Squadron aboard the aircraft carrier Courageous when she was attacked and sunk by a German submarine on 17 September 1939. She remained afloat for 15 or 20 minutes before going down by the bows, still having a large number of her company below. Altogether 515 officers and men, including Captain Makeig-Jones, were drowned. The escorting destroyers and an American and Dutch steamer picked up some hundreds of men from the water, while many others were saved by the ship’s rafts and floating pieces of wreckage.

After his narrow escape from Courageous, Downes went briefly to H.M.S. Drake at Devonport before being posted to 815 Squadron which was attached to R.A.F. Coastal Command from April to June 1940, and gave air cover to the evacuation of Dunkirk. On 12th May 1940 whilst on a mission to bomb Waalhaven aerodrome with seven other Swordfish from 815 Squadron, his aircraft developed engine trouble and he was forced to crash land on the island of Overflakkee in Holland. Together with Lieutenant R. W. Little, who was acting as his Observer and Air Gunner, he spent four, not uneventful, days making his way back to England. His adventure is fully described in his typescript narrative which accompanies this lot.

After a spell with 786 Squadron, Downes was posted in September 1941 to 830 Squadron, which was formed in Malta in July 1940, and remained there until May 1942. During this period Downes was not only a witness, but also an active participant, of the historic defence of this small island. For his gallantry flying outdated Swordfish torpedo bombers in strikes against enemy shipping and aerodromes, he was awarded the D.S.O., which he received at an investiture in September 1942. From May to July 1942 Downes was an Instructor in the Naval Air Torpedo School in H.M.S. Jackdaw, after which he attended courses at Excellent and Daedalus before being posted to Heron as Air Gunnery Officer in February 1943. In October 1943 he was promoted to Acting Lieutenant-Commander (Air) and posted to the Ministry of Aircraft Production, borne in H.M.S. President, where he remained until the end of August 1945.

Downes served as Staff Air Gunnery Officer on the Staff of Flag Officer (Air) until January 1947 and, after a further period of instruction, was appointed Air Gunnery Officer aboard the aircraft carrier Illustrious, June 1947 to April 1948. In June 1949 he was appointed Commander (Air) at R.N. Air Station Culdrose, in a similar capacity at R.N. Air Station Halfar (Malta) from May 1950 until August 1952. He was Commander (Air) in H.M.A.S. Vengeance from January 1953 to June 1954, and subsequently served as Director of Air Equipment in Naval Headquarters, Delhi, where he provided valuable support and instruction to the Indian Naval Air Arm.