Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Ten: Warrant Officer A. Houghton, Royal Air Force, late Royal Marine Light Infantry

1914-15 Star (Ch.17079 Cpl., R.M.L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (17079 Cpl., R.M.L.I.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (W/O., R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals; Coronation 1937, these unnamed; Royal Air Force L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (W/O., R.A.F.) mounted as worn, first three fine; others very fine and better (10) £200-250

Albin Houghton was born in Stockport, Cheshire, on 14 April 1892. A Clerk by occupation, he enlisted into the R.M.L.I. at Manchester on 18 March 1911. On the outbreak of war he was serving as a Private, R.M.L.I., on the pre-dreadnought battleship H.M.S. Africa. He was promoted to Corporal aboard the ship in January 1915. He then served on her sister ship, H.M.S. Edward VII, February-December 1915. After a period ashore, his next sea posting was on the modern dreadnought battleship, H.M.S. Royal Oak, May 1916-January 1919; on which ship he saw action at the battle of Jutland. In June 1919 he was promoted to Sergeant and was discharged on 22 June 1922.

Houghton enlisted into the Royal Air Force on 11 January 1924 and was appointed a Warrant Officer on 12 March 1937. In early 1938 he was based at No. 1 Electrical and Wireless School at Cranwell; later in the years he served with No. 28 (Army Co-operation) Squadron in Ambala, India. He was granted a wartime commission as a Flying Officer on Probation on 11 June 1940 (London Gazette 27 August 1940) and became a Flight Lieutenant in the Administrative and Special Duties Branch on 1 March 1942.

With original photograph, copied R.M.L.I. service paper and other research.