Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Pilot Officer S. C. Phillips, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, who completed a tour of operations as a Flight Engineer in Halifaxes of 433 and 434 (R.C.A.F.) Squadrons in 1943-44, including a memorable visit to the “Big City” when his aircraft took two direct hits and ended up looking like a ‘pepper box’

1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, clasp, France and Germany; War Medal 1939-45, extremely fine (3) £250-300

Phillips qualified as a Flight Engineer in September 1943 and, having attended a conversion course in the following month, was posted in the rank of Sergeant to No. 434 (R.C.A.F.) Squadron, a Halifax unit operating out of R.A.F. Croft.

Allocated to Flight Sergeant Johnson’s crew, his first sortie - against Frankfurt - was flown on the night of 20-21 December, followed by an attack on Berlin on the 29th. His next visit to the “Big City” - on the night of 20-21 January 1944 - nearly proved his last:

‘Hit by two shells. Direct hits. Rudder controls shot away. Kite was like a pepper box. Had to bale out on reaching this country. Skipper broke his jaw. Only one hurt’ (his Flying Log Book entry, refers).

As a consequence, and while Johnson recovered from his wounds, Phillips and his crew were rested from operations, but with the former’s return to operational flying in April, their tour continued apace.

One or two minelaying trips to the West Frisians aside, it was a tour largely comprised of Belgian and French targets, Phillips noting in his Flying Log Book ‘bags of flak’ on more than one occasion; however, following his 15th trip towards the middle of June, he appears to have been grounded to attend another Flight Engineer’s course.

Then in December 1944, he was posted No. 433 (R.C.A.F.) Squadron at Skipton-on-Swale, where he joined another Halifax crew under Squadron Leader Cleland, their first sortie being an attack on St. Vith on the night of the 26th. And it was in the same capacity that Phillips went on to complete his operational tour in the period leading up to May 1945, his targets including Bottrop, Dessua (‘Bags of flak; searchlights over Magdeburg; 45 missing’), Dortmund, Duisberg, Hagen (‘Flak hole in No. 2 tank’), Hanover and Mannheim.

Sold with the recipient’s original R.A.F. Flying Log Book, covering the period October 1943 to May 1946, together with his R.A.F. Sight Log Book, containing extensive training notes in his own hand.