Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Sub. Lieutenant (A.) A. J. Southall, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, a Swordfish and Avenger pilot who flew operationally from MAC ships on the North Atlantic run and out of R.A.F. Hawkinge, the latter posting resulting in a confirmed flying bomb

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45, good very fine and better (4) £250-300

A. J. Southall commenced pilot training in April 1943, attended the Deck Landing School at Easthaven that August, and joined 836 Squadron, a Swordfish unit, at the Fleet Air Arm base Shrike at Maydown, Northern Ireland towards the end of the same year, where pilots and aircraft were allocated for service in merchant aircraft carriers (MACs) in protection of North Atlantic convoys. Southall - who appears to have served in ‘’ Flight - flew his first anti-submarine and shipping patrols that December and remained similarly employed until May, often operating from the decks of the Empire MacColl.

Having then attended a conversion course at R.N.A.S. Stretton, he returned to an operational footing with 855 Squadron, an Avenger unit based at R.A.F. Hawkinge on attachment to R.A.F. Coastal Command. And it was in this latter capacity that he flew at least 15 operational patrols in the period July-August 1944, one of them resulting in the downing of a Flying Bomb (’Exploded in Air. Confirmed’), and another in an attack on four E-Boats.

Sold with the recipient’s original Flying Log Book (R.A.F. pilot’s edition), covering the period April 1943 to August 1944, with closing endorsement, ‘This Log Book adrift with luggage when taking up appointment in 857 Squadron. See later Log Book for subsequent flying’; together with a good run of wartime photographs (17 images), including carrier deck scenes, etc.