Five: Flight Lieutenant H. I. Sutton, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals, good very fine (5) £180-220

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Roy Bartlett Collection of Awards to the R.N.A.S., R.F.C. and R.A.F..

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Harold Ivan Sutton would appear to have entered the Royal Air Force Volunteer in 1937, and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer from the rank of Sergeant in October 1941. He was subsequently advanced to Flying Officer in October 1942 and to Flight Lieutenant in October 1943.

The following summary of his wartime career has been taken from a local parish obituary notice:

‘During the Second World War Harold trained as a Navigator in the R.A.F. and flew many missions in heavy bombers over Germany and other targets. The Navigator was also the Bomb-Aimer and he scored at least one hit on a German battle cruiser, for which his pilot was awarded an immediate D.F.C. One mission ended in their Flying Fortress (sic) being badly damaged - some crew dead, some badly wounded; the bomb-doors shot away; the Navigator’s capsule shot to pieces, all maps, etc., sucked out and lost. Harold navigated them back across the North Sea using two radio beacons he had memorised. He also served in North Africa and then was sent to Canada, as an expert Navigator, to train Canadian and U.S. Navigators.’

Accompanying research reveals his pilot’s identity as Flying Officer M. L. Wood, who won his D.F.C. in No. 44 Squadron (London Gazette 25 September 1945), an avenue of research well worthy of pursuit.

Sutton was Headmaster of Long Wittenham Primary School in Oxfordshire for many years, where he died in September 2000.

Sold with the recipient’s R.A.F. Delegation, Washington D.C. identity card, with portrait photograph, dated 23 March 1942, together with a related gilt and enamel “United Kingdom Air Forces” tunic display badge; and his R.A.F. officer’s cap badge and uniform tunic Navigator’s brevet.