Three: Lieutenant R. C. H. Bewes, Liverpool Regiment, attached No. 7 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, with whom he was killed in action on 23 May 1915

1914 Star (Lieut., L’pool. R. attd. R.F.C.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut.) extremely fine (3) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals to the Liverpool Regiment from the Collection of Hal Giblin.

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Lieutenant Reginald Charles Hope Bewes was born on 28 July 1890 at Cheltenham and educated at Clifton College and Sandhurst. He was commisioned into the Liverpool Regiment on 11 September 1913, obtaining his Pilot’s Licence, No. 523 on 17 June 1913. He was attached from the Liverpool Regiment to the Royal Flying Corps on 5 August 1914 and was killed in action on 23 May 1915, whilst piloting an R.E.5 of 7 Squadron. He is buried alongside his Observer, Lieutenant F. H. Hyland at Vieux-Berquin Communal Cemetery, France.

Contemporary sources are divided in their opinion as to the reasons for the downing of Bewes plane, one school of thought being that a grenade being carried on the plane accidentally exploded. The following is taken from a contempory report of the incident by Lieutenant Bernard Simenel, an interpreter serving with the Army Service Corps:

‘The aeroplane appeared to be 500 m. up, and came from the direction of Armentieres. When it was over Rue Trovost I saw one shell burst apparently very close to it, on the left hand side of the aeroplane. The shell gave out pure white smoke. I think it was an English shrapnel. One wing (I think it was the left wing) buckled up at once. The aeroplane came twisting down rather slowly. Its fall was faster as it neared the ground. I then lost sight of it. The time was about 9:30 a.m...’