Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Warrant Officer C. E. Wordsworth, Royal Air Force, a long served Observer in Blenheims of the Desert Air Force who was killed on active service in August 1942

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, extremely fine (3) £250-300

Charles Edward Wordsworth commenced training as an Observer at North Coates in June 1936 and was posted to No. 40 Squadron in October of the same year. Having then served in 62 Squadron from April 1937 to May 1938, in which unit he was awarded his Observer’s Badge, he was posted to 45 Squadron.

The outbreak of hostilities in September 1939 found 45 Squadron flying Blenheims out of Fuka, from which base - and others in Egypt and Libya - the Squadron was heavily engaged in the Western Desert, East Africa and Syria campaigns, Wordsworth being credited with over 70 operational sorties in the period leading up to the end of July 1941, having first flown operationally in June 1940. It was, however, in September of the latter year that 45’s aircrew really commenced full time operations, Wordsworth as a member of Flight Lieutenant Troughton-Smith’ crew - thus a string of raids on Gura in which Italian CR. 42s were regularly encountered, so, too, heavy A.A. fire (45’s Operations Record Book refers).

In November 1940, Wordsworth joined Flying Officers Haines’ crew, their first mission being a solo attack on railway buildings at Keren on the 14th. In the following month, the Squadron ordered to a new base in support of the Western Desert operations, raids on Bardia and Gambut being the order of the day, once more in the face of prowling enemy aircraft - in strikes against Gambut in mid-December, Wordsworth’s Blenheim was twice subjected to attacks by a CR. 42s. Early in the new year the Squadron turned its attention to Tobruk, where heavy A.A. fire and “flaming onions” quickly gained respect, and elsewhere as targets extended to enemy troop concentrations and transport, Wordsworth completing many such sorties in the period leading up to June, when he transferred to Wing Commander J. O. Willis’ crew. With the latter he quickly participated in strikes against Fort Suweida and enemy barracks at Palmyra, but his most memorable sortie was undoubtedly an attack on an enemy ammunition dump at Hamana on 10 July - jumped by Vichy fighters, three of 45’s Blenheims were quickly shot down, and but for the arrival of some Tomahawks the death toll would have been far greater.

Wordsworth completed his operational tour in the same month, and appears to have been employed on ground duties in 258 and 269 Wings prior to his return to the U.K. in April 1942. The cause of his demise on 21 August 1942 remains unknown, his Flying Log Book simply stating ‘Killed on Active Service’.

Sold with the recipient’s original R.A.F. Flying Log Books (2), covering the periods June 1936 to January 1940, and February 1940 to April 1942, the final entry immediately followed by ‘Killed in Active Service 21.8.42’ statement, bound as one volume in light green fabric, together with related R.A.F. Records Office forwarding letter to next of kin, and wartime silk evader’s maps of the North African theatre of war (2).