Orders, Decorations and Medals

An emotive Battle of Britain pilot’s group of six awarded to Squadron Leader R. Carnall, Royal Air Force, who claimed 2 damaged and 1 destroyed enemy aircraft in Hurricanes of No. 111 Squadron in the period May to mid-August 1940, when he was shot down over Kent: sustaining serious burns, he was enrolled as a member of Archie McIndoe’s famous “Guinea Pig Club”

1939-45 Star, clasp, Battle of Britain; Air Crew Europe Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, E.II.R. (Sqn. Ldr., R.A.F.), mounted as worn, contact marks, very fine and better (6) £1800-2200

Ralph Carnall, who was born in August 1913 and educated at Longton School, enlisted in the Royal Air Force as an Aircraft Apprentice in January 1929. Qualifying as a Fitter in December 1931, he volunteered for pilot training and was posted to No. 111 (a.k.a. “Treble One”) Squadron at Northolt after gaining his “Wings” in early 1937 - shortly to become the first 8-gun monoplane fighter unit in the world and accordingly a popular venue for visiting V.I.Ps and politicians.

Similarly employed as a Flight Sergeant in the Squadron’s Hurricanes on the outbreak of hostilities, he participated in numerous patrols, reconnaissances and “Scrambles” from January 1940, “Treble One” operating variously out of Croydon, Debden, Hawkinge, Martlesham Heath, Northolt and Tangmere, and first went into combat proper over Dunkirk that May. And on the official starting date of the Battle - 10 July - in a ferocious combat over Folkestone amidst exploding A.A. shells delivered by the Navy and local Defences, he damaged a Do. 17 but himself was compelled to make a crash-landing back at Hawkinge as a result of accurate return fire.

Quickly back in action, Carnall damaged an Me. 109 on the 25th and destroyed a Ju. 88 on the 31st, but on 16 August, he was shot down in a combat over Kent and crashed at Palmers Green Farm, Brenchley, near Paddock Wood: suffering from serious burns, he was admitted to Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, where he remained a patient of Archie McIndoe for nearly a year and was elected to the membership of the Guinea Pig Club.

Commissioned as a Pilot Officer in March 1942, Carnall was employed as a flying instructor until posted to No. 684 Squadron, a Mosquito Photo-Reconnaissance unit in Calcutta, in the Spring of 1944, his outward journey in a reinforcement aircraft being fraught with difficulties and ending with a crash-landing in the jungle. But he duly joined his unit and remained actively employed until the War’s end, and was present at a special parade held near Saigon at the end of 1945, when assorted Japanese officers were required to formally surrender: Carnall was presented with a sword by Lieutenant Sato.

In September 1946, he joined the Aircraft Control Branch as a Flight Lieutenant and he remained similarly employed until being placed on the Retired List as a Squadron Leader in August 1963. Carnall died in June 1984.