A fine Second World War D.F.M. group of six awarded to Flying Officer J. K. Elliott, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, whose Hampden was ‘repeatedly hit by flak’ in a daylight strike against enemy capital ships at Brest on 24 December 1941

Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (755862 Sgt. J. K. Elliott, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, Atlantic; Defence and War Medals; Air Efficiency Award, G.VI.R. (Fg., R.A.F.V.R.), mounted as worn, contact wear, generally very fine (6) £1200-1500

London Gazette 26 June 1942. The original recommendation states:

‘For continuous gallantry and devotion to duty during raids into enemy territory. Sergeant Elliott has at all times displayed great enthusiasm in his work both in the air and on the ground, and has always set himself a high standard of efficiency.

This N.C.O. was member of a crew which carried out a daylight attack on Brest during December. This operation was undertaken in the face of intense A.A. opposition, and the aircraft was repeatedly hit by flak, the Navigator receiving wounds. Sergeant Elliott earned the highest praise from his Captain for his skilful handling of his set and cheerfulness under these difficult conditions, and there is no doubt he greatly assisted in the homing of the aircraft safely to base.’

John Kenneth Elliott was born at Nantwich and enlisted in the R.A.F.V.R. during August 1939. After completing his training as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner, he joined No. 144 Squadron at North Luffenham. Operating in Hampdens, he subsequently completed 31 operations over enemy territory, including two daylight attacks on Brest where the Gneisenau and Scharnhorst were harboured. It was actually the former battleship which Elliott and his crew were detailed to attack on 24 December 1941, and the recommendation for his pilot’s decoration provides a detailed account of the damage sustained by their Hampden:

‘ ... One A.A. shell burst inside the starboard wing and penetrated the petrol tank. Another took away the wireless aerial and damaged the wireless set. All the control surfaces were holed. Despite the intensity and accuracy of the A.A. fire and the presence of a concentrated balloon barrage, the crew pressed home the attack with great determination and bombed the target with a delayed action bomb from 1000 feet ... Further at this juncture an A.A. shell burst in the nose of the aircraft, destroying the front Perspex panel and the bomb aiming window ... ’

Despite this catalogue of misfortune, Elliott and fellow crew members survived the subsequent emergency landing after crossing the Cornish coast. He was soon back on operations, targets including Hamburg, Frankfurt, Kiel, Cologne, Lorient, Wilhelmshaven, Mannheim, Paris (Renault Works), Essen, and Lubeck, the latter on 28 March 1942 during the first large-scale incendiary raid of the War. He was posted to Canada on completion of his tour.

Sold with the recipient’s original Flying Log Book, covering the period 2 September 1940 to 4 September 1954.