Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War Night Fighter’s D.F.C. group of six awarded to Blenheim and Mosquito navigator Flight Lieutenant G. A. Waller, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who flew as an air gunner with 601 Squadron on the Borkum Raid, 25 November 1939, before remustering as a navigator and flying operationally with 29 Squadron during the Battle of Britain. Waller assisted in the destruction of 3 enemy aircraft destroyed, 1 probable and 1 damaged

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1944’; 1939-45 Star, 1 clasp, Battle of Britain; Air Crew Europe Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R., 1st issue (Flt Lt G A Waller RAFVR) first five mounted for wear, initial and part of surname officially corrected on last, generally very fine or better (6) £4,000-£5,000

Glendinning, March 1998 (without Air Efficiency Award) - this group then bought by current vendor in 2003, with copy Battle of Britain Bar - this now replaced with genuine bar and reunited with Air Efficiency Award which was sold in these rooms in April 2021.

D.F.C. London Gazette 20 October 1944:
‘This officer is a first class navigator and has shown great keenness during his tour of operations against the enemy. He has assisted in the destruction of three enemy aircraft.’

The original Recommendation states: ‘This Officer joined 601 Squadron as an Air Gunner in May 1939. From the outbreak of the war until May 1940, he flew operationally in this Squadron, including the raid on Borkum in November 1939. He was posted to 29 Squadron and was with them as an Air Gunner, and later Radio Operator, until July 1941. In this period he did 118 operational hours and destroyed one enemy aircraft and probably destroyed another. He then went to No. 1451 Turbine Flight and later to Northolt in a Defiant Radar jamming unit. After a short period in 488 Squadron he went to No. 54 O.T.U. in October 1942. In the following January he was posted to 604 Squadron. This Officer has shown great keenness throughout his seventeen months in the Squadron. He is a first class Navigator/Radio Operator and a useful instructor. The above will show that he has been operating against the enemy, excluding a three month break due to an accident, almost continuously for just under five years. I strongly recommend the award of the D.F.C.’

George Alfred Waller, born in East Plumstead in 1918, joined 601 Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force before the war as an Aircrafthand. Called up on 24 August 1939, he remustered as an Airman Air Gunner and with training completed, served with 23 Squadron, first being mentioned in the Operations Record Book dated 25 May 1940. He flew a number of sorties in Blenheims of 23 Squadron from Martlesham and Debden, before joining the Blenheim nightfighter unit, 29 Squadron, at Digby in June as a Sergeant Navigator, thus becoming a contemporary of the abundantly decorated J. R. D. ‘Bob’ Braham and his radar operator Bill ‘Sticks’ Gregory both of whom were flying with the squadron at the time.

Waller was in Blenheim L 1371 on 28 September when it was hit in the starboard wing by British anti-aircraft fire during an evening patrol. He and Pilot Officer J. Buchanan were unhurt and returned safely to Digby. After the advent of the Beaufighter and greatly-improved AI equipment, Waller retrained as a radar operator and was flying as such by November 1940. He was commissioned Pilot Officer in June 1943 and awarded the D.F.C. in 1944 as a Flying Officer with 604 Squadron (flying Mosquitos from February 1944) having by then assisted in the destruction of three enemy aircraft.
He was released from the Royal Air Force in 1950, as a Flight Lieutenant, and he died in 1983.

Sold with the following related original documentation: named Buckingham Palace enclosure for the D.F.C.; with named lid of original card box of issue for Air Efficiency Award; Officer’s Medical Record Card; a ‘Most Secret’ beacon reference card; a ‘Firing Programme’ dating from recipient’s service with 601 Squadron; newspaper cuttings and personalised Battle of Britain “The Few” file.