A fine Second War ‘immediate’ Lancaster pilot’s D.F.M. group of five awarded to Flight Sergeant, later Flying Officer, T. A. ‘Taffy’ Lloyd, Royal Air Force, for his gallantry during the raid on Mailly-Le-Camp, 3/4 May 1944. Having carried out the raid, been damaged by flak, and set on fire by an enemy night fighter, Lloyd managed to nurse his stricken bomber home - despite having ordered his crew to bale out.

Earlier in the war, Lloyd, while returning from Africa with his wings and sergeant’s stripes, had his ship torpedoed by a German submarine. He was picked up by the Vichy French and interned at Dakar, in French North Africa. When returned to active service he flew in at least 30 operational sorties with 550 Squadron, including being heavily engaged during the D-Day operations

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1278822. Act. F/Sgt. T. A. Lloyd. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, France and Germany; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted as worn, light contact marks, generally very fine (5) £2,600-£3,000

D.F.M. London Gazette 9 June 1944, the original recommendation states:

‘On the night of 3/4th May 1944, F/Sgt. Lloyd was the Captain of a Heavy Bomber detailed to attack Military Barracks in Enemy Occupied Territory. After carrying out a successful attack and shortly after setting course from the target, the aircraft was hit by flak and was attacked shortly afterwards by an Enemy Fighter.

The aircraft was set on fire and the Port Inner Engine was put out of action. As a result of the damage caused by the Fighter, the aircraft went into a steep dive and refused to answer its controls, all of which had been severely damaged. In view of the seriousness of the situation F/Sgt. Lloyd gave orders to his crew to bale out. The Rear Gunner, who had been injured by a burst of flak, left the aircraft together with the Mid Upper Gunner and the Air Bomber. The Flight Engineer went to the aid of his Pilot to assist him to put on his parachute, and it was then discovered that with their combined strength it was possible to pull the aircraft slowly out of its dive, whereupon F/Sgt. Lloyd cancelled his order to bale out.

By this time a considerable amount of height had been lost and it was with great difficulty that he was able to keep the aircraft flying. Nevertheless, F/Sgt. Lloyd succeed in reaching the English Coast where an airfield was located. Even now his troubles were not over as the aircraft was found to be extremely difficult to handle when flying at approach speed, and it was necessary to make two attempts to before a successful crash landing was achieved. I consider that his courage and skilful handling of his aircraft under extremely arduous conditions are worthy of the highest praise, and that his fine fighting spirit would be well recognised by the immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.

Remarks by Station Commander:

Flight Sergeant Lloyd was a Captain of a heavy bomber which sustained severe damage by anti-aircraft fire. By skilful pilotage and excellent crew discipline he regained control but was then attacked by an enemy night fighter which caused further damage to the aircraft and injuries to the crew. Once again he displayed tenacity of purpose, issued direct and concise orders and thus ensured that excellent crew discipline which undoubtedly resulted in the safe return of his aircraft.

I strongly recommend that such calculated handling of his aircraft, combined with his skilful direction is worthy of the immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.

Remarks by Base Commander:

His aircraft having been badly damaged and set on fire, Flight Sergeant Lloyd found himself unable to prevent his aircraft diving out of control. He, he rightly gave the order to abandon. His Engineer coming to his assistance gave him the necessary additional strength to pull the aircraft out of the dive and he then found it controllable. He now set about returning to this country in spite of the fact that he had one engine out of action, no navigator and no gunners to defend him. He courageously flew back and made a safe crash landing thereby enabling himself and the remainder of his crew to take a further part in the bombing of the enemy. For his valiant effort he is recommended for the immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.’

Trevor Arthur Lloyd ‘whose mother lives at 15 Crescent Road, Tunbridge Wells.... [he was] an ex-member of the Tunbridge Wells Squadron of the A.T.C... Taffy, a Welshman, who is 21 years of age, was educated at Swansea Grammar School. Before the war he was well-known on the staff of the Post Office Telephones and Engineering. Entering the R.A.F. in February, 1941, after three years service in the A.D.C.C and A.T.C., in which he rose to the rank of Flight Sergeant, he received his pilot’s training in Southern Rhodesia. Unfortunately, while returning from Africa with his wings and sergeant’s stripes his ship was torpedoed by a German submarine. He was picked up by the Vichy French and interned at Dakar, in French North Africa, until the landings there by Allied troops.’ (newspaper cutting included with the lot refers)

Lloyd left Rhodesia in September 1942, and finally returned to the UK in April the following year. He carried out additional training at 4 E.F.T.S., Brough; 6 A.F.U., Little Rissington and 83 O.T.U., Peplow. Lloyd was posted to 1667 Heavy Conversion Unit at Faldingworth in January 1944, before following that up with a brief course at No. 1 L.F.S. the following month. At the end of February, Lloyd was posted as a Pilot for operational flying with 550 Squadron (Lancasters) at North Killingholme.

Lloyd flew in at least 30 operational sorties with the Squadron, including: Stuttgart (2); Frankfurt; Berlin; Essen (2); Nuremburg; Rouen; Cologne; Dusseldorf; Karlsruhe; Friedrichshaven; Lyons; Mailly-Le-Camp, 3/4 May 1944 ‘Shot Up. R.G. M.U.G. & B.A. Baled Out. Crashed S. Coast’ (Log Book refers); Calais; Boulogne; Cherbourg 5 June 1944; Acheres (2), including 6 June 1944; Flers (2); Gelsenkirchen; Le Havre; Mimoyecques; Saintes; Dijon; Dieppe and Kiel.

Lloyd was awarded the immediate D.F.M. for his gallantry during the raid on Mailly-Le-Camp, 3/4 May 1944:

‘346 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitoes of 1 and 5 Groups and 2 Pathfinder Mosquitoes to bomb a German military camp situated close to the French village of Mailly. 42 Lancasters lost, 11.6 percent of the force.

The control of this raid in the target area failed to operate according to plan. The initial low-level markers were accurate and were well backed up by Lancaster marker aircraft. The ‘Marker Leader’, Wing Commander Cheshire, ordered the Main Force to come in and bomb but the ‘Main Force Controller’, Wing Commander L. C. Deane, could not transmit the order to do so to the waiting Lancasters because his V.H.F. radio set was being drowned by an American forces broadcast and his wireless transmitter was wrongly tuned. German fighters arrived during the delay and bomber casualties were heavy.

The main attack eventually started when the Deputy Controller, Squadron Leader E. N. M. Sparks, took over. Approximately 1,500 tons of bombs were dropped with great accuracy. 114 barrack buildings, 47 transport sheds and some ammunition buildings in the camp were hit; 102 vehicles, including 37 tanks, were destroyed. 218 German soldiers were killed and 156 injured. Most of the casualties were Panzer N.C.O.s... The night-fighter attacks continued over the target and on the return route.’ (The Bomber Command War Diaries, refer)

Lloyd was posted to 1662 Heavy Conversion Unit at Blyton in August 1944. He was then posted as a Pilot to 23 Heavy Glider Conversion Unit (Albemarles) at Deplow in November of the same year. The unit was employed on Glider towing duties, and Lloyd continued to be employed in the same capacity with 21 H.G.C.U. at Brize Norton from February 1945. Having advanced to Flying Officer, Lloyd was posted to 201 Advanced Flying School in 1952. Subsequent postings included to 242 O.C.U. at Dishforth, and with the Aden Communications Squadron at Khormaksar from April 1953.

Sold with the following original documentation: Royal Air Force Pilot’s Flying Log Book (27 April 1943 - 1 October 1959), inside cover annotated ‘Second Log Book. Previous one destroyed by Enemy Action’, spine repaired with cellotape; Aircrew Categorisation Card, Pilot; several group photographs including recipient, and one of him at Buckingham Palace investiture; with newspaper cuttings and other ephemera.